# Peroxide to remove algae what conc.



## anonapersona (Oct 19, 2002)

*black brush algae*

I have only heard that peroxide works on black brush algae. I have used it successfully that way, using an eye dropper and squirting on the wood where the algae was, cleaning a 1/2" square each time, then shrimp moved in to clean off the dead algae. I do not know if it will help with any other sort.


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

I have some BBA growing on my rocks, believe it or not. The plants are all algae free. The excel treatment doesn't seem to work on the rocks. Do you think peroxide would work on the rocks?

How many square inches of treatment with peroxide do you think I could get away with in a 75 gallon before the fish get affected?

Marcel


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## anonapersona (Oct 19, 2002)

*limit to a few ml a day*

There is some limit to how much you can use, I'll try to look it up, for it is dangerous and IIRC you must wait a few days between treatments. When using potasium permanganate for fish treatments, it is inactivated by dosing hydrogen peroxide, there may be a limit stated there, I'll check the discus forums. Also the Puregold site may have info. 

When I did it, I squirted about 4 ml each time in a 20 gallon tank. I waited several days between treatments. I think you can add 5 ml (a capful) to a 20 gallon. Of course, if you can remove the rocks, you could just dip them and then return them to the tank. The BBA will turn bright pink as it is dying, rather bizzare looking.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I'd like to try this for local treatment of BGA... Any idea where to buy small amounts of Hydrogen Peroxide? Barbers shop?? :tongue:


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

It's sold almost anywhere that you would find rubbing alcohol. It's used as a disinfectant. Wally World, drug stores, etc....and it's dirt cheap. I found a link yesterday thats written by Gpodio let me see if I can dig it up.

Here it is:http://www.gpodio.com/h2o2.asp 

Marcel


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## anonapersona (Oct 19, 2002)

Wasserpest said:


> I'd like to try this for local treatment of BGA... Any idea where to buy small amounts of Hydrogen Peroxide? Barbers shop?? :tongue:


I have never read anything that says it works on BGA, only BBA.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I know, venturing into unexplored territory here... :fish: 

Supposedly it is used as an anti-bacterial agent, so...

It's just local problems, and treating the entire tank with EM would be what's known as overkill... and expensive for a 100 gal tank. :icon_conf


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## ann (Nov 3, 2005)

As I am planning to dose a bare tank with just the plants would I be better to just remove them dip them and return them to the tank water. Would 2mL or 3mL in a 2gallon bucket be too strong for the plants to handle.


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

Read this article in it's entirety. http://www.gpodio.com/h2o2.asp 

I'd remove them from the tank if there's livestock. Otherwise just dose the whole tank to remove any traces from the tank.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Well I pretty much confirmed that Peroxide does not harm cyanobacteria. I had some hopes... injected some of that stuff below a nice blue-green patch. It bubbled quite a bit, and the bacteria seemed to recede, but now, 24 hours later, it's all back to full blue-green beauty. It would have been nice though :icon_frow


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## Georgiadawgger (Apr 23, 2004)

Wasserpest said:


> Well I pretty much confirmed that Peroxide does not harm cyanobacteria. I had some hopes... injected some of that stuff below a nice blue-green patch. It bubbled quite a bit, and the bacteria seemed to recede, but now, 24 hours later, it's all back to full blue-green beauty. It would have been nice though :icon_frow


Wasser, if you want a round of maracyn I can send you some tablets...I got a bottle of 100 of em last year and haven't used them since...can snail mail them to you if you want a round or two.


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

I just performed the peroxide spot treatment on the rocks affected by bba. The bba is bubbling like crazy. I let the tank sit with the filters off to reduce circulation during the treatment, let it sit for 30 minutes, and I'm now performing a 50% water change. The fish seem fine with no visible adverse reactions to the treatment.

I'll let you guys know how the peroxide works out over the next week.

On another note: 2 weeks ago. I dosed my tank with KNO3 and dry dosed as usual. The dry KNO3 fell onto one of the rocks affected by the BBA. To my surprise the BBA in that area turned red within a day and vanished over a weeks time. Just an observation I thought I'd pass along.

Marcel


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Georgiadawgger said:


> Wasser, if you want a round of maracyn I can send you some tablets...I got a bottle of 100 of em last year and haven't used them since...can snail mail them to you if you want a round or two.


That's very kind of you, but what do you mean by "a round or two"? One tablet? It's a 100 gal tank, that's my problem. (I know Maracyn works, but rather then spending $25 I do a little more vaccuuming) :icon_bigg 

Let me know if you have 50 to spare... :wink:


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

Update:
90% of the BBA that was targeted with the peroxide has turned red after less than 12hrs. I suspect that the portions that haven't turned red yet weren't exposed to the peroxide long enough.

Marcel


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## Georgiadawgger (Apr 23, 2004)

Wasserpest said:


> That's very kind of you, but what do you mean by "a round or two"? One tablet? It's a 100 gal tank, that's my problem. (I know Maracyn works, but rather then spending $25 I do a little more vaccuuming) :icon_bigg
> 
> Let me know if you have 50 to spare... :wink:


I've got plenty...It expires in December (but expirations dates are always shorter for marketing purposes...) so I can get it out to you asap for your treatment...no charge...just need your address. Cheers! I just hope the postal service doesn't think its anything "out of the ordinary"

edit...Marcel I may have enough for you too...


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## anonapersona (Oct 19, 2002)

*send in the shrimp*

I found the Amano shrimp feasting on the weakened BBA after it turned pink. Perhaps you can add a few extras now and they may be hungry enough to step up the the BBA.


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

Georgiadawgger said:


> edit...Marcel I may have enough for you too...


 That's awfully nice of you but I actually have BBA (black beard algae), not BGA(blue green algae). Wasser was trying to get rid of the BGA with peroxide. I too have a huge bottle of EM that I bought a while back for BGA, used it once, and BGA never returned. roud: 

Marcel


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## lumpyfunk (Dec 22, 2004)

you can put a lot of H2O2 into your tank, about a cup went into my 90 gal with no ill effects, and I have had some luck using it on bba. here is a link I used
http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/aquainfo/algae_peroxide.html


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## fishyface (Oct 7, 2004)

Wasserpest said:


> Well I pretty much confirmed that Peroxide does not harm cyanobacteria. I had some hopes... injected some of that stuff below a nice blue-green patch. It bubbled quite a bit, and the bacteria seemed to recede, but now, 24 hours later, it's all back to full blue-green beauty. It would have been nice though :icon_frow


just to chime in here for interests sake, i've used hydrogen peroxide a number of times very successfully to battle bga...just my own experience, sorry it never worked well for you Wasserpest :icon_frow


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

fishyface said:


> just to chime in here for interests sake, i've used hydrogen peroxide a number of times very successfully to battle bga...just my own experience, sorry it never worked well for you Wasserpest :icon_frow


Care to share any details... what size tank, did you treat the entire tank, concentration, how often, how long... :wink:


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## fishyface (Oct 7, 2004)

Wasserpest, i've used it in my 10g and 55g directly applied via a syringe. it's been a while since i've needed it but i believe it was only administered (full strength) once or twice and only in small amounts (30-40cc). like you said, it bubbled then receeds but keep battling it!


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

*Update!!*

All but a few spots of BBA have disintegrated and vanished since the peroxide treatment 6 days ago. This is awesome.

I will repeat the treatment tomorrow prior to the next water change to finish it off. BBA doesn't stand a chance with this stuff.

I don't know how this would work with spot treatments to the plants as I only treated bga contaminated rocks with peroxide. I can tell you that the glosso that was right next to the rocks was unharmed and some sections of glosso took direct hits of peroxide.

This is a winner. It also seems to be much safer and more effective treatment for bba than the Excel treatment also.The fish were unfazed. If there was any toxicity to livestock it quickly gets flushed out 30 minutes after treatment with a water change. roud: 

Marcel


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

Im not understanding this, are you taking an eyedropper or something and squeezing it full strength on affected areas Marcel ?


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

Buck said:


> Im not understanding this, are you taking an eyedropper or something and squeezing it full strength on affected areas Marcel ?


Yup, I use a medicine syringe and apply it full strength to the affected area under water. I shut off the filters to minimize circulation to increase the dwell time on the affected area. Read the GPODIO link earlier in this thread. All the details are there, it's actually super easy, and really effective. roud:


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

Interesting... 

How is the algae looking now ? I imagine it would weaken it quickly once it starts.


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

My BBA turned red within 12 hrs. Then it turned gray and it's slowly disappearing 95% of it is gone now, 7 days later. The spots that Aren't gone are the spots I missed, pretty much. One more treatment before water change tomorrow and I think it will be eradicated completely.


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

Its making me wish I had some BBA to try it on. I guess its a last resort method and one that would need to done carefully but if it works its a keeper. 
No chances you took photos in its stages I suppose ? It might make for a good "How To" sticky thread with details in the Algae Section. roud:


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

Buck said:


> No chances you took photos in its stages I suppose ? It might make for a good "How To" sticky thread with details in the Algae Section. roud:


There are those that make the news and then there are those that report it. I aint no reporter. :tongue: But GPODIO documented it pretty well in his article, I thought.

Marcel


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## Loser (Oct 4, 2005)

this is a pretty old idea and quite effective. i remember reading here : 

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Algae/hydrogen-peroxide.html

that at about 2ml to ten gallons *some* fish started showing signe of distress.


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