Questions about treating algae

[cr500_af]

Mostly for academic reasons, as I don't think I'm going to have to dose anything. However, after doing some reading I'm left with a question.

I have what seems to be a little cyano happening. Right now I'm dealing with it by stepping up water changes, cutting back feeding and keeping lights out. Also the side of my tank that gets natural light through a nearby window is covered.

IF it came to the point where one was forced to treat chemically (and yes, I know cyano is a bacteria but the question is not specific to cyano), would this also wipe out macroalgae like chaeto in a sump or fuge? If so, what would be the course of action, take the sump out of circulation while dosing? Move the chaeto to another tank if possible? Write it off and get more when it's over?

Thanks!

 

[dannybradley]

I've used Chemiclean for years with no ill effects. The only time I've seen people have an issue, is when they don't do the follow up water change, and this has only affected Euphyllia sp. Just follow the directions.

If you do go that route, run a bunch of PO4- remover after treatment to catch what gets released.

 

[zdaytonaroadster]

UV light worked great for me

 

[tgray3]

I've used the Chemiclean in the past also with no ill effects on livestock or macro. It does drive my skimmer a little nuts for a week or so even after the water change (I double the amount that the instructions say) but a fresh load of carbon helps with taking the residual chemicals out.
I'm having a little cyano outbreak now also and have decided to stay away from the chemical cure and really try to control it naturally. I've been doing the usual (less feeding, more water changes, shortened light cycle) and sucking out all i can with a turkey baster. So far these steps seem to be working for me. Just have to take the time to suck all the cyano out that you can with the baster. That seems to be the key for me. Good luck with it.

 

[smoothie]

Red Slime Remover if everything else doesn't work

 

[dannybradley]

I agree that if it's a small amount, lower phosphate and nitrate coupled with manual removal.

 

[oil_fan]

tgray3;336386 wrote: I've used the Chemiclean in the past also with no ill effects on livestock or macro. It does drive my skimmer a little nuts for a week or so even after the water change (I double the amount that the instructions say) but a fresh load of carbon helps with taking the residual chemicals out.
I'm having a little cyano outbreak now also and have decided to stay away from the chemical cure and really try to control it naturally. I've been doing the usual (less feeding, more water changes, shortened light cycle) and sucking out all i can with a turkey baster. So far these steps seem to be working for me. Just have to take the time to suck all the cyano out that you can with the baster. That seems to be the key for me. Good luck with it.

Same thing happened to me the last time I used Chemiclean. Stuff worked great on the cyno. After I got my skimmer back up and running, it foamed like crazy. But Chemiclean does work.

I'm now using a UV filter and this last batch of cyno is slowly going away. Funny thing is that since I've started using my UV filter is that my green birds nest is not opening it's polyps. I may cut back on using the UV once I'm certain that cyno is gone.

 

[cr500_af]

I don't think it's cyano after closer observation and speaking with JennM. But really the point of the original question was, if some algae, any algae, required chemical treatment would that take out macro as well? I would think it would, but I'd like to know and file it back for "in case".

 

[oil_fan]

cr500_af;336518 wrote: I don't think it's cyano after closer observation and speaking with JennM. But really the point of the original question was, if some algae, any algae, required chemical treatment would that take out macro as well? I would think it would, but I'd like to know and file it back for "in case".

Chemiclean won't do anything to macroalgae. At least not cheato. My cheato had no reaction to the stuff.