preventive for algae?

[HawkeyeDJ]

I know, I know. Don't overfeed, keep light to a minimum, get a cleanup crew, etc., etc. That's how we fight nuisance algae without chemicals. All much easier said than done.

OTOH, we have chemicals that are well known to effectively kill off nuisance algae once an outbreak occurs. I was wondering why we don't use these chemicals as a preventive measure before an outbreak occurs. I realize for those who run refugiums with macro algae this is not an option, but what about those who are not using competing algae for nutrient export? Why not stop nuisance in its tracks before an outbreak occurs?

Or how about this? I've recently constructed a new aquascape which I hope to introduce into my DT within a few months after cycling and curing the rock in a holding tank using water change from the DT. I've built it with the idea that I want to be able to remove portions of the rock from the display as soon as algae starts to appear. Maybe a quick dunk in hydrogen peroxide will discourage further growth.

Whadda ya think?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Problem is- you listed natural ways to prevent algae already
Having proper cleaner crew such as: turbo grazer, astrea, cerith, nerite snails and even a couple of chitons
The last thing you want to do is add chemicals to an environment you are trying to duplicate naturally. Chemicals are in many cases alternatives and not solutions

 

[ImaFlippinDolphin]

Phytoplankton, I dose phyto daily prophylactically

 

[mdb_talon]

OTOH, we have chemicals that are well known to effectively kill off nuisance algae once an outbreak occurs. I was wondering why we don't use these chemicals as a preventive measure before an outbreak occurs

Because i want a tank with "algae". One example of why is copepods/amphipods eat it....other critters(and coral) eat them. We could get into a whole "circle of life discussion", but again just to summarize i think it is part of a healthy mature tank. Using chemicals to destroy that ecosystem is not a step i would want to take other than as a last resort.

Not saying chemicals are never an appropriate solution as they may be in some scenarios, but even then in my opinion it should be only as needed and as targeted as you can get.

To me this is just a facet of the larger discussion on how "clean" you want a tank. I dont want mine clean at all i am trying to create as self-supporting of an ecosystem as i possibly can and try to introduce natural ways of finding a balance if needed(in the case of algae an appropriate cuc and appropriate nutrient import/export for example).