# Experiences with Systemic Dosing of Hydrogen Peroxide



## Fortuna Wolf

I've been using H2O2 as a cheap algae control chemical during the setup phase of new tanks or when the tank ecology goes out of whack. I find that its not effective against some algaes like green spot, at least not at levels that I'm willing to dose at. I usually dose twice a day until the problem is taken care of, once in the morning and evenning. Since H2O2 is so reactive it quickly breaks down after a few hours. 

Bettas, Neon Tetras, Corydoras Catfish, and Guppies are all fine up to 3ml/gallon (US Gallon) of 2% H2O2. 
Shrimp however, are not fine with 1ml/G, and I have not performed experiments to see what the LD50 of shrimp is, but they seem to be particularly sensitive. 
Snails begin experiencing toxicity at around 2.5ml/G, and I've used it to kill snails at doses of 3.5ml/G.

I do not know the level of daphnia, but I can say that for cyclops and nematode worms that hang out in my tanks my dosing levels don't kill them all, since I can still spot a few in the tanks. 

As for algae control: 
Blue-green algae and green water both will be hampered by 1ml/G, and killed by 2ml/G, though several doses may be required. 
Cladophora seems to require 2-2.5ml/G to kill, and requires dosing for several days. I continue dosing for several days after I think I've killed it all because spores can still remain and restart it. I have used H2O2 to successfully eradicate clado from my tanks. 
Green Spot however seems to be rather resistant, over 3.5ml/G, I usually let the snails take care of this since its so slow growing. 

As for plant tolerances: 
I have not noticed any problems in these plants over 3.5ml/G:
Anubias, Cabomba, Myriophyllum, Java Fern, Eleocharis, Marsilea, Lillaeopsis. 
I find that Valsineria is intolerant of more than 1ml/G, and its leaves will die if you dose over that (though the roots aren't killed and it can regrow, but it will take a while). 
Java moss is tolerant of at least 2ml/G, though peacock moss is NOT tolerant of 2ml/G (the growing tips will survive 2ml/G and regrow, but the whole mass will usually die, and then you'll get an algae bloom. oops.)
Pelia is tolerant of at least 2ml/G - I didn't add more since there was peacock moss in the same tank. 
Fissidens is tolerant of at least 2ml/G as well. 

Also, due to the ability of blue-green algae to send spores everywhere and live at the waterline I find that H2O2 will not eradicate the stuff, though it is very easily controlled. Once you have it under control let the plants grow and suck up nutrients and the BGA will go away on its own.


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## spypet

I've been dosing 3% H2O2 at 1ml/gal (1 teaspoon per 5 gallons)
I have enjoyed wonderful algae control benefits with it's use.
None of my 2 dozen different species of fish have suffered.
Plants that melted include: Vals, Subwassertang, Marimo.
Frogs, Ramshorn are fine, but I did not use it with Inverts
because those are kept in my low tech tank with no algae.


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## Fortuna Wolf

Correction, that's 3% H2O2 that I'm using as well. 

I'm not surprised that the marimo melted, since that's a cladophora. 

I would not expect Anachris / Elodea to do particularly well with it either. I'm going to go get some tomorrow and experiment on it. 

I should also mention that Utricularia is perfectly happy with the stuff too.


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## spypet

oh, I forgot to include my Elatine triandra melted as well from H2O2.
I also keep my nitrates low, so perhaps my ET were starving already.
I have about 3 dozen different plants, so despite the melting, using
H2O2 was worth the few plant samples I grow that were effected.
I was treating my tank and water changing every other day for a week,
so the next time I try this, I think I'll do it with less frequency to give
sensitive plants more time to recover.


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## neonfish3

I've tried H2O2 a few times, it does work well. But an OD can cause problems. Another plant to add to the list that wont tolerate H2O2 at all is Potamogeton gayi, it melted at 1ml/gal.


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## spypet

Potamogeton gayi? really? hmmm, are you sure you had not recently transplanted it?
my PG came through an H2O2 treatment week just fine, but later melted after I moved
it to another tank. it has since recovered. perhaps it was a delayed reaction to the H2O2.


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## Carissa1

What type of algae does this have effect on, and how long did you have to wait for results?


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## natureman187

any experience killing bba with peroxide?


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## Fortuna Wolf

Nope, I haven't ever had any BBA in any of my tanks, count me lucky or something. 

Its worth a try though, a bottle of H2O2 is 33 cents at walmart.


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## Carissa1

Fortuna Wolf said:


> Its worth a try though, a bottle of H2O2 is 33 cents at walmart.


....but having a cycled tank is priceless.

Any effect on the tank's cycle that you noticed?


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## Squawkbert

Guessing: It shouldn't hurt the aerobic bacteria at those levels.

It sounds, generally, like the chances of melting a plant are pretty proportional to the plants growth rate, except for mosses.


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## Fortuna Wolf

Oh, I remembered one more thing. I was treating a nanotank for a cladophora infestation (which also happened to have duckweed). 2.5ml/G, just under the toxic dose for peacock moss that was also in it. 

A week's worth of twice daily treatment bleached 95% of the duckweed and killed most of it off. 

Survivors: Java fern, Peacock Moss, Eleocharis, Marsilea
Dead: Cladophora, Duckweed, other algae.


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