Fluconazole algae treatment

[bhodges82]

So I stumbled across a video on YouTube about "curing" a hair algae problem with one treatment and also being coral safe I was a little skeptical but I did some more digging and it seems like fluconazole actually works for hair algae. I placed an order for some and have received it in the mail. Later tonight I will perform a 50 gallon water change and treat my tank. The process take two weeks, so I will post my progress here.

Has anyone else had success in this treatment?
What's your worst hair algae pic look like?

 

[bhodges82]

alt="" />

alt="" />

I performed a 40 gallon water change and treated the system today. I took offline my skimmer, carbon, and phosgaurd. I have a custom algae turf scrubber that also has chaeto in the bottom of it, I have removed the screen and half the chaeto. I have heard that the fluconazole doesn't affect macro algae so I am testing the theory on a hand full of chaeto whilst the rest is kept safe at a friend's house. I then added 15 200mg fluconazole capsules mixed in water to my 120 gallon tank with 20 gallon sump. The recipe calls for 100mg per 10 gallons of water volume to be treated, therefore I am treating 150 gallons with 15 capsules. I am a little anxious right now, I can't believe how fast the algae grows and how invasive it is. I really hope this works, or at least leads the way for a second round treatment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[saltwaterwannabe]

Not sure if you saw this post, it looks like the two of you are trying the same approach. This will be great seeing more than one tank using this to gauge how well it works.

 

[bhodges82]

SaltWaterWannabe;1115127 wrote: Not sure if you saw this post, it looks like the two of you are trying the same approach. This will be great seeing more than one tank using this to gauge how well it works.



http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=108977&highlight=%2Afluco%2A&page=2">http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=108977&highlight=%2Afluco%2A&page=2</a>[/QUOTE]



I did see this post, it was one of the things that made me want to try it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bhodges82]

Haven't noticed much change as of yet, if anything the hair is looking shorter and thinner. I guess bryopsis dies faster than hair algae.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bhodges82]

alt="" />

7 days since I've treated the tank. I haven't done anything else to the system. The algae has thinned out and is now slowly turning white-ish.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bhodges82]

alt="" />
May 20

alt="" />
Today


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bhodges82]

Thinking about putting phosgaurd and skimmer back online. I might even do a three day blackout and dose the remaining 5x200mg pills I have left over at this point. I was expecting to see more change at day eight, I guess hair algae is harder to kill than bryopsis using this method.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[morganatlanta]

I've heard a couple weeks for hair algae. I'd say if your nutrient levels aren't bad, just keep going.
I've been holding off doing this because I'm not sure I want my skimmer and UV off line for that long given that I've got biopellets in the system.

 

[bhodges82]

They are bad, I've battled phosphate since the move in September. I have left my uv on the whole time, it has no effect on the chemical makeup of the water. I've decided that the blackout is not a good idea because people say that low light areas don't do so well, I think the light plays a big part of the process.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[enderg60]

Its been one week. For GHA you need to run the treatment at least 4 weeks. Give it time.

 

[bhodges82]

Ok


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[morganatlanta]

bhodges82;1115643 wrote: I have left my uv on the whole time, it has no effect on the chemical makeup of the water.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I thought UV broke down the flucanazole

 

[bhodges82]

I hadn't read anything that suggested it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bhodges82]

MorganAtlanta;1115659 wrote: I thought UV broke down the flucanazole

I just searched that but of information, you sir are correct. I wish I had known that a week ago, all of my water passes through my uv. I'm going to unplug the uv and add the renaming 5x200mg pills that I have.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bhodges82]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk