UltraLife blue-green algae remover

[HockeyPisces14]

Does anybody have experience with using UltraLife blue-green algae remover (http://www.ultralifedirect.com/HTML/..._remover.htm)?
If it really is a more gentle approach, I would prefer using it, before I reach for antibiotics (erythromycin).
I'd like to hear about how effective it is, and if O2 levels and pH get affected drastically.

Thanks!

[smaug]

Proper water keeping will remove any form of algae and is really the only safe way to do it.Consistent water changes,proper feeding techniques and a properly stocked tank are the best algae remover there is.

[dbosman]

The MSDS says it contains
Non-Hazardous mixture of organic ingredients
(Biodegradable)

If you use it and it works, please post details such as dose, length of time it took, how much residue might have been left, etc.

If it doesn't work, take it back to the store and demand your money back as it is advertised and sold as a remover.

[dmagerl]

It wiped out my infestation virtually overnight. I had been fighting it for weeks. After a single dose, it never came back. Just be ready to clean the gunk out or you'll have some serious water quality problems. My Otos seemed to devour the dead stuff so i really didnt have to do anythiing else.

On other forums there is some debate on if it really does contain erthrimycin. UltraLife has never disclosed its ingredients.

[Fisharefriends27]

I think you should never use chemicals unless it's some type of medication
It causes undesirable after effects
Ex
Snail chemicals to kill snail infestation
Kills the snails, but their rotting bodies cause an ammonia spike.

There are plenty of ways do get rid of algae without chemicals.

Good Luck!

[CassieLEO]

I totally agree with you Fisharefriends27. It may take a little bit of work to get rid of Algae, but you should figure out why you had the spike, fix it, and then not have to worry about it...

[HockeyPisces14]

Thanks everyone for your input!

Blue-green algae actually are not algae, but cyanobacteria. The "normal algae rules" don't necessarily apply and treatment appears to be very different.

I believe, with lots of research I have discovered the cause for my problem. I have actually been TOO diligent with my tank upkeep: Cyanobacteria seem to thrive in environments with very low nitrate values. My water parameters are pristine, which unfortunately also means almost no nitrate! (Fish are super happy with that, though.) Another issue that points to this problem is the fact that my Echinodorus tenellus is having growth issues.

So, to help my planted tank AND battle the BGA, I will start dosing with NO3. After taking care of the root problem, I believe I will also give the UltraLife remover a shot.
I also followed the advice in Dave66 "Algae: A How to Primer" and increased lighting duration.

I will report about my results, once I know, where things are going.

Thanks again for all your thoughts!

[HockeyPisces14]

Ok, here is my report on using the UltraLife Blue Green Algae Remover:

My BGA infestation had gotten so vigorous that two days after cleaning and algae plucking, everything was covered in green mats again.

After a thorough algae cleaning, I used the first application of UltraLife according to the instructions (2 level spoons for each 15 gallons of aquarium water, dissolved in some of the water from the tank). It is a pinkish powder, and here’s a warning: It is very fine and floats up easily. Watch out that you don’t inhale it, like I did (I didn’t turn into anything alien or hairy, yet…). It also is a little stubborn with the dissolving part ( much to the joy of my tetras, which immediately started tasting the few un-dissolved little granules.).

I added the solution to my tank slowly. The UltraLife website recommends adding air-stones for the time of treatment, because “the oxygen uptake rate in your aquarium will increase as a result of this increased biological activity”. I only lowered the water level, so that the filter outflow splashed some bubbles into the mix.

I saw no effects on fish, shrimp or plants! Everybody was happy and behaving normal. No signs of ammonia, either. I also did not see any die-off of BGA…

I repeated the treatment in the same way after 48 hours as recommended. This time I removed the carbon from my filter, even though the UltraLife website states that this is not necessary.

Once again I observed no effect on flora, fauna or water parameters. And even though I also did not see any BGA dying, I also have not seen any BGA growth at all. The few “blobs” that I had missed during the initial clean-up are still as they were, but NO GROWTH! It has now been exactly one week since the first treatment and so far so good! I will keep watching carefully, but it seems that the UltraLife really has worked.

I also remedied what I think to be the culprit of the initial BGA outbreak: I am now dosing with Flourish Nitrogen, because my nitrate values were pretty much zero; conditions which, as I read, the BGA favor.

I hope that this is it!

And: For those who don’t know – I have a planted freshwater tank with soft water and a pH just below 7.

Hope this will be helpful to other BGA sufferers out there.

[dbosman]

It wiped out my infestation virtually overnight. I had been fighting it for weeks. After a single dose, it never came back. Just be ready to clean the gunk out or you'll have some serious water quality problems. My Otos seemed to devour the dead stuff so i really didnt have to do anythiing else.
On other forums there is some debate on if it really does contain erthrimycin. UltraLife has never disclosed its ingredients.

Interesting. Thanks for the follow up.

If the product contains an added antibiotic and they don't list it, that could cost them a large fine. Since they list organic ingredients, I suppose they might use what ever fungus produces the desired end product.

[dmagerl]

When I used it, it seemd to be slightly fizzy and acted a lot like sodium percarbonate, a strong oxidizer like hydrogen peroxide. It made me wonder if h2o2 would have worked too.

The dead algae became a brown gooey mess. So if you're still seeing green patches, it's not yet dead and I would be thinking of doing another dose, but if its not growing you can probably wait a few days to do it.

I dosed my tank in 2 half doses spaced several hours apart simply because I had read that cories are sensitive to it. I then repeated a few days later. I never did notice any bad affects to the fish or plants.

Once dead, it never returned for me.

It is expensive though. For $15 you get this teeny little bottle.