# Total Algae Nuke. Anyone Tried A Lot of Peroxide To Do This?



## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

I've battled Cladophora algae for about two years now. I've used Toms EI dosing regimen with great results. No problem algae except for Cladophora.

Unfortunately for me, I have always liked planting hairgrass fields, which has made for a constant battle with Clado. Despite my most recent rescape (where I thought I removed it all, but didn't take drastic eradication measures), it has persisted.

See any Clado here?:








_(No you don't, but it's there ... buried under the extra bag of Eco Complete I added before planting.)_

Since that picture was taken, I removed all the HC and went for a 100% hairgrass tank. The Clado forms in big mats , and when you use a comb to pull it up, sometimes you uproot a bunch of hairgrass in the process. Not fun. I ran out of CO2 and didn't refill for 2 weeks. Despite adding Excel, the Clado again became a huge problem. That and that absolutely equally-as-annoyaing Sinking Riccia (dark green--sinks and forms a carpet/web on the tank floor) has brought me to this point--TIME TO NUKE THE TANK.

I plan to remove the desired inhabitants (fish and shrimp) and let everthing else succumb to a nuking. Here's what I'm planning--please weigh in if you've done this before:

1) remove a handful of sintered glass media from my eheim and put it in a quarantine bucket, with heater and airstone, with the fish and shrimp.
2) keep some Glosso and throw away the rest of the plants (I've always kept some floating in case I want to use it again, but rinse it well first to remove any Clado hitch hikers) in the bucket with the fish.
3) remove all the plant/algae matter that I can locate.
4) Turn lights off and add copious amounts of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) to the tank for 3 days straight. I figure a bottle a day to my 26-G tank ought to do the job.
5) During #4, above, continue to run the filter and periodically stir the substrate to reach all infected areas.

*Anyone performed this ritual before with Peroxide?*


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## MoonFish (Feb 12, 2006)

have you tried small doses for a week or so?


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

No, I haven't. I don't want to lose shrimp/fish, and haven't read any accounts of mild H2O2 treatments ridding the tank of Clado. That said, if anyone has had luck doing so, I would love to hear about it!


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## Avalon (Mar 7, 2005)

I had a really bad case of Clado in my hairgrass. There was nothing I could do to get rid of it. I would pull out handfulls every 4 days. I remembered I had a big bottle of H2O2, so I said what the heck. I removed what I could, and had my water changing hose on standby. I injected H2O2 underneath the mats, using a small turkey baster and waited about 25 minutes. I used quite a bit. All the fish seemed fine (no shrimp) and I figured that was long enough. So I did a big water change and dosed nutrients as usual. To my suprise the next morning, the clado was obviously dying! Later that day, it was dead--floating off in the current. On the third day, there was none left and I cleaned my mechanical filters and did another water change, dosing as usual. It's never come back. I could tell the hairgrass took a mild hit, as it lightened up some, but it never died. With good dosing, it took a couple of days to gain its color back, and is now in fine form.


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

Great response, thank you. How long has it been since you did this? 

I suppose it's worth a shot. I'll probably remove some shrimp in case I lose a big chunk of their population.

I will report back in this thread once I have the time to do this.


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## Avalon (Mar 7, 2005)

It's been about 3 weeks or so. I also had some remnants of BBA stuck on the spraybar, powerhead, and heaters. I had improved CO2 amount and useage (better circulation), and it had stopped growing. While the water was level down during the water change, I dropped some pure H2O2 on the equipment. It fizzled and smoked. It died off as well, and my three SAE's made quick work of the dieing/dead BBA. I hope it works as well for you as it did for me. Good luck!


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

Good stuff!


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## chiahead (Dec 18, 2004)

I have used 2-3 ml per gallon with no deaths on multiple occasions. I would remove the shrimp though.


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

I'm still really tempted to empty the aquarium & nuke the damn thing. I never want to see Clado again. I'm floating Glosso right now ... it grows well this way for me. As soon as I have enough for a decent initial planting, I'll have to make up my mind. Or maybe I should treat a small section of the tank before I do that. Hmmmm ... decisions, decisions.


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## jdigiorgio (Jan 29, 2004)

I just got rid of all the BBA in my 120 gallon, that was only on my cork backround. When doing the 50 % H2O change, I added the H2O2 to a spray bottle and then sprayed the BBA on the cork. I am sure I did not use more than 2 to 3 ML in total. I did not loose any fish or shrimp, (tons of cherries and emeralds) I did it again one week later to ensure all BBA was dead. Next day ALL BBA was a glow in the dark pink in color, but then again all of my shrimp were the same color laying belly up on the gravel bed!!!!

I am wondering if H2O2 leaves a large amount of residual in the tank, even after water changes.

it definitely killed the BBA and the shrimp so use caution!!!!


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## Blazerfrs (Feb 3, 2006)

H2O2 is a very strong oxidizer, so it can be very dangerous to pretty much everything (a drop of 90% pure H2O2 will make most natural materials literally burst into flame). The 3% solution at the drugstore is obviously much less dangerous  
I don't imagine the H2O2 would stick around in the water column for too long b/c it's relatively unstable- It wants to oxidize something to lower it's energy. I believe once it reacts with something you're left with water and either O2 gas or another oxygen compound. 

I'm no chemist so I could be very wrong; but I really doubt there's too much H2O2 sticking around in the water (pretty much 0), even if you don't perfrom a water change. My guess (emphisize guess) is it's reacting to form something else toxic.

But I have no sources to back this- anyone who knows better care to comment?


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## acbaldwin (Nov 3, 2005)

Blazerfrs said:


> so it can be very dangerous to pretty much everything (a drop of 90% pure H2O2 will make most natural materials literally burst into flame).


I. Must. Have. This. :flame:

Keep us updated on the H2O2 treatment on clado & BBA, especially with the shrimp. The clado is horrendous on all 4 feet of my riccia!


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## jdigiorgio (Jan 29, 2004)

Well becquse I used the 3% solution...I HAVE NO RICCIA LEFT!!!!!!!!! All melted within 3 days of the second dose.


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## acbaldwin (Nov 3, 2005)

jdigiorgio said:


> Well becquse I used the 3% solution...I HAVE NO RICCIA LEFT!!!!!!!!! All melted within 3 days of the second dose.


Well... I've got (an insane amount) a little extra riccia in my shrimp tank... I'll take a bit out, test the 3% mix, and post my results. Thanks for the heads up .


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## Avalon (Mar 7, 2005)

I would like to mention that H2O2 will probably toast fragile/soft plants (as well as that type of algae). Stuff like riccia would surely die. As mentioned, my hairgrass took a hit, but all came back. I'm not sure I would recommend using H202 on BBA on plants in the aquarium. I dosed H202 on BBA when the water level was low, with BBA in open air and on equipment. Be sure to follow up with a water change. It's not only to remove residual H202 from causing further damage, but plants like a good water change.


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## jdigiorgio (Jan 29, 2004)

Definately agree


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

Just to close out this thread with an answer, the peroxide--even in massive doses--didn't seem to fully counter the algae in my Eco Complete. I decided to use bleach* and I think I finally eradicated the tank of Cladophora. It's been a couple weeks, and it hasn't branched out anywhere yet.

The peroxide would seem to work on direct contact, as does Seachem Excel.

*Of course, remove anything you want to keep beforehand.


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## mama_kk (Jan 28, 2006)

How did you ensure that all residual bleach was clear from your tank and substrate?


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

mama_kk said:


> How did you ensure that all residual bleach was clear from your tank and substrate?


Drain, fill, drain, fill, drain, add dechlor, fill, drain, add dechlor, drain, add decholor and enough water to cover substrate, stir, add dechlor, let sit, etc.


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

Yep, the Cladophora is totally gone. I can't begin to express how pleased I am to be able to relish this beautiful, algae-free tank. I haven't even wiped the acrylic ("glass") for two weeks. Just H2O changes, ferts, and a little pruning. This is what it's all about.

If you're in a similar situation that I experienced with Cladophora, I engcourage you to go through this tedious but worthwhile exercise.


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## 247Plants (Mar 23, 2006)

Congrats John!!!


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Congrats! How much bleach (concentration) did you end up using? and how long did you keep it in for?


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

I used 1 cup per 5 gallons. Try to remove as much flora as possible, and run your system for a few days. Then drain to right above the substrate and do a concentrated bleaching of the substrate, making sure to mix the substrate well to kill buried Clado. 

Perform a bunch of h2o changes, add a bunch of dechlor, etc.


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