What's in Chemiclean?

[bh750]

I've just started a dose of Chemiclean as I've found its the best (and only for me) way to get rid of Cyano. While I learn how to prevent Cyano to begin with, I was curious just exactly what this stuff is? I heard "bacteria'? Whatever it is it makes my tank look so amazing right after its done. Which makes me think, can I use it once a month or something? I'm thinking no, which leads me to the question here.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Chemiclean is an antibiotic, erythromycin, despite misleading claims otherwise.

We always suspected it was erythromycin because of the very strange wording that it was not "erythromycin succinate:". Sort of like saying you don't have a red car when asked if you have a car.

But apparently a government office in Germany tested it and found it was erythromycin:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/archive/index.php/t-526917.html

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Looks like that site did not archive the discussion, but a veterinary office in Hanover Germany tested it.

 

[bh750]

Chemiclean is an antibiotic, erythromycin, despite misleading claims otherwise.

We always suspected it was erythromycin because of the very strange wording that it was not "erythromycin succinate:". Sort of like saying you don't have a red car when asked if you have a car.

But apparently a government office in Germany tested it and found it was erythromycin:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/archive/index.php/t-526917.html

Wow, very cool. Thought Id get some educated guesses but not something this accurate. So is something like this ok to dose, say, on a monthly basis? I'm thinking no as, like all antibiotics, it probably also kills off the good bacteria we want in our tanks?

 

[Cnidoblast]

It's wise to sparingly dose antibiotics as resistant pathogens can emerge from overuse - use erythromycin and tetracycline only when they are really needed !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not know if it is "OK" to dose frequently (you might even generate resistant strains that you could not then treat for, as noted above), but unless you have a problematic level of cyano, I wouldn't. I have used it, but I also think it is fine to have some cyano in the tank.

 

[ReefNoobie88]

I just finished using a dose myself to help with a large outbreak. Works wonders and because the large water change I decided to clean a bunch of items along with the deep clean of the tank. Found out why I had high levels of phosphate and nitrates despite running an algae reactor. All my macro had perished and slime algae coated the reactor walls in spots. Totally my fault but now I know where it stemmed from!

 

[Koaleigh]

I definitely would not recommended frequent dosing as I agree with the reasons given above, but also from my experience having dosed Chemiclean recently, not only did it kill my outbreak of purple cyano, but it also affected all of my purple coral as well by bleaching them out, I am hoping my coral will return back to normal and I haven't killed them, only time will tell.

 

[curiouser]

Does chemiclean kill the cyanobacteria or just get rid of the red stains? I looked on the web and every chemiclean I saw said on the package it removed stains. But didn't say it killed the cyanobacteria.

 

[Cnidoblast]

Erythromycin prevents growth of bacteria at low concentrations and kills them outright at higher ones by blocking transfer RNA from attaching to the ribosome