API prevent algae

[stephen86]

I've got some prevent algae and when I add it to the water the ph level drops to 6 is this normal? And can it be prevented?

 

[mrvincent]

Dude, I will never dose thoses products, as they are poison and toxic. They kill most inverts...

But here we can plan an eventual algae growth by checking several things;
1. What's your tank size ?
2. What's your lighting ?
3. Do you dose ferts ? Do you have real plants ?
4. What's your tap and tank water parameters ? I mean nitrates and phosphates?
5. Do you actually have any algae issues?
6. Tank is running for how much time ? Do you have livestock already ?

There are better ways to prevent algae in natural ways, I'll teach you when you anwsers my few questions.

I know you already owned the product and probably don't want to garbage it, but that's the sad truth... I would invest in some API test kits instead of poison products...

PH fluctuations is VERY bad for live stock.

 

[stephen86]

Ok but should it be dropping my ph to 6? It was at 7 until I added the algae prevent

 

[Mebbid]

I've got some prevent algae and when I add it to the water the ph level drops to 6 is this normal? And can it be prevented?

It's neither normal nor is it good. Those products have a tendency to kill fish. I would avoid them like the plague if I were you. What kind of algae are you having problems with? How long are you leaving your lights on daily?

 

[stephen86]

I was gettin green water in my rio 180 so have been using this to cure it and wondered why my ph kept dropping and I've just used it in my 600l tank and realised it is this product that's dropping the ph

 

[mrvincent]

I was gettin green water in my rio 180 so have been using this to cure it and wondered why my ph kept dropping and I've just used it in my 600l tank and realised it is this product that's dropping the ph

Can you just answers thoses before ?
1. What's your tank size ?
2. What's your lighting ?
3. Do you dose ferts ? Do you have real plants ?
4. What's your tap and tank water parameters ? I mean nitrates and phosphates?
5. Do you actually have any algae issues?
6. Tank is running for how much time ? Do you have livestock already ?
7. What's the photoperiod ?

 

[Mebbid]

It has the tendency to pull all the oxygen out of the tank (this can and does suffocate the fish in the tank) The lack of oxygen is what causes the pH drop.

That large of a pH drop will shock fish along with suffocating them. All in all it's a bad thing to have happen.

 

[mrvincent]

It has the tendency to pull all the oxygen out of the tank (this can and does suffocate the fish in the tank) The lack of oxygen is what causes the pH drop.

That large of a pH drop will shock fish along with suffocating them. All in all it's a bad thing to have happen.

Yeah, some burn gills too, some remove O2 from water, some are just a bit toxic like excel...

In the product description it's written it lower PO4 values... I don't trust this, and anyway, if you remove PO4, you'll create unbalance between the recommanded 10:1 ratio nitrates/phosphates.

 

[stephen86]

Thanks mebbid what do you suggest in future I haven't got any problems with algae just put some in to prevent it from starting

 

[Mebbid]

Thanks mebbid what do you suggest in future I haven't got any problems with algae just put some in to prevent it from starting

Keeping your lights on for no more than 8 hours daily will usually do pretty good at keeping algae under control. Never ever use medications / algaecides as a preventative measure. Algae is easy to deal with but dying fish caused by the medications / algaecides you are adding is much much more difficult to handle.