Pros/cons dosing hydrogen peroxide

Chrisnnemo

Non-member
I just did a 3 day blackout on my 40b and dosed 2-1/2 ml of hydrogen peroxide each day due to Dino’s. I used store bought hydrogen peroxide(3%). It cleared out the Dino’s. I have 2 clowns, 1 watchman goby, 1 pistol shrimp, 3 nassarius snails, blue legged hermit crabs, tiger conch, emerald crab, mostly sps’s, and a couple lps’s. My question is do I keep dosing hydrogen peroxide? It cleared my tank quite well actually lol. Or because of the inhabitants should I stop?
 
Some people run it constantly, I tried for a month and didn’t really see any value in it but it sure helps on algae
 
What hydrogen peroxide does is to oxidize some organic molecules so that they won’t be available to be consumed by algae, as well as make the water more transparent by oxidizing some colored organic compounds. But overdosing can be harmful.
When using as a dip to kill algae, it actually burns the living things that it touches.

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Hydrogen peroxide is a band-aid. If you haven't corrected the reason you got the dinos in the first place, they will come back when you stop dosing. If you think you're ready to stop the hydrogen peroxide decrease the amount over a period of time. Don't just stop all at once. I had to dose a tank for a long time because of a fish that was a poor eater. I kept the hair algae away, but eventually ended up with cotton candy algae that was far worse to deal with. It served it's purpose, but I'm no longer a fan.
 
I’ve been following a thread on ulva and dinos. People seam to have success with it and certain other macro algae’s in getting rid of dinos. Seams the ulva releases some sort of protein that kills dinos. Grab some and put it in the fuge. Maybe even a few other different macros as well.
 
I stopped using the hydrogen peroxide. I would really hate to lose my tiger pistol shrimp because of it, he’s one of my best buys for my sons aquarium. Needless to say the Dino’s are back. My nitrates are around 2, I use the Red Sea nitrate kit. Other algae is growing also, I thought algaes needed high nitrates? If I have to use a chemical remedy I will, personally I always try to use something natural to fight something unwanted. In peoples experience here does Macroalgae in a refugium keep it from growing in the display? I’ve read a ton of different things on line.
 
I feel like manual labor removal went a long way, and won my battle with it 5 years ago. Clean, clean clean, vacuum, vacuum, 40% water changes a week, 3 day blackout it was gone. Not to sound like a parent, but has extensive has been your manual removal?
 
Lol you’re not being like a parent at all Cryptic, I’ll take any advice when it comes to things I know nothing about. I’ll be honest... no manual removal at all. I’ll get on it though, I use a hose to siphon out water to do water changes. Lol love watching my 12 yo get a mouthful of saltwater, he has it mastered now though. I’ll use that as a vacuum. Is there something else you use to vacuum? 40% huh? Seems a lot but I’ll give it a go, how often did you do them? When did you do your blackouts? After each water change?
 
Vacuum time can be limited to siphon rate. A suggestion for fine spot vacuuming is to use a airline. Your chances of success are tough without the manual removal effort, from what I've seen reading from other experiences. I think my stage of it went 3 weeks at the time. Yes blackouts were first then water change, then lights on 4 days 8hr max, 6 being peak light, 3 days off, water change. Others do it reverse order, but this works better for me.
 
Out of curiosity do you run a skimmer, own a RODI, have chaeto or any other macro algae, and how much food, and how often are you feeding the fish, and dead or decaying corals in the tank?
 
Not to derail the original post, but it's not a good idea to let your 12 year old suck in the dirty saltwater. It contains a lot of bacteria that could make him/her sick. I use a bulb syringe to start mine. Another word of caution since you seem relatively new at this, always wear protective gloves when working on your tank, not only because of the bacteria and neurotoxins, but because of bristle worms, etc.
 
I appreciate your concern, I really do. While I might or might not heed your warning I can’t imagine it’s any worse than when I was a kid syphoning gas when I was his age from dirt bike to dirt bike. I’m 45 now and I’m still here. I wouldn’t say I’m new, I’ve had a saltwater tank for 7 years now. This is the first I’ve ever heard of it. I’ve done more water changes than I can even count and I’ve never worn gloves. In fact when I go to peoples houses who have been in the trade for over 25 years to buy coral from them I’ve never seen one put on gloves to reach in their tank. Are there any reports of ppl contracting diseases from their tanks from not wearing gloves?
 
Out of curiosity do you run a skimmer, own a RODI, have chaeto or any other macro algae, and how much food, and how often are you feeding the fish, and dead or decaying corals in the tank?
I do have a skimmer(Diablo 150), a rodi system(3 stage BRS 150 a day). I feed my two clowns and watchman goby twice a week. No dead or decaying coral. I don’t have chaeto, I have a small chamber in my sump that just has live rock. I’ve put off chaeto for the fact that I haven’t bought a light for my sump.
 
Regarding the gloves, search palytoxin. Several people on this forum have ended up in the emergency room. It depends on what's in your tank and whether or not it gets into an open wound. As for the siphoning of saltwater, there are so many things in our tanks that we don't understand, that it's just not worth the risk when there are safer ways to do things. Just make sure he doesn't accidentally suck up a bristle worm! :(
 
I heard of gloves when fragging zoas but that’s about it, we’ll be careful of open cuts on our hands too when sticking in tank. He doesn’t get water in his mouth anymore... actually it only happened the first time. He’s smart and a quick learner lol. The hose is way up the top of the tank when we do it too, I do appreciate your concern and advice.Thank you
 
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