Anybody used API Algae Removal

[Country joe]

Anybody tried this, does it work, you put 5mls of the product weekly

 

[GaryE]

The active ingredient is a disinfectant, QACs (Quaternary Ammonium Compounds). They are considered safe for humans, but work on many bacteria and algaes by rupturing their cell walls. Based on what I just read (and as a source, I am not a chemist, or even close to one!), they have been cited as causing reproductive and immune problems for non human creatures exposed long term.

Quaternary Ammonium Compound Toxicity - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf

What I do with any aquarium product I'm concerned about is find the active ingredient. If the manufacturer keeps it secret, which is common with many herbal remedies, I don't buy them. It's vague for this chemical one, but API does give out the basics. I then search for toxicity etc via google. The aquarium remedies and treatments world is unregulated, and there is a fair bit of snake oil sold - meds that do nothing, etc. Algicides "cide" (based on Latin for kill) more than algae - it's hard for cheap chemicals to be that targetted.

I'm not a person who is afraid of "chemicals". I'd be afraid of everything in that case. But I like to have an idea of what they do before I use them.

 

[Colin_T]

You shouldn't need an algicide to keep algae under control in aquariums. Algae grows when there is an imbalance in in the algae triangle (light, nutrients, plants). If one of these items is missing or out of balance with the other two, you get algae. Most of the time it is too much light and too many nutrients, and not enough plants to use the light and nutrients. Then you get algae growing instead. Reducing the light and nutrients will normally reduce the algae. Adding more live plants will also reduce algae because there will be more plants taking up the light and nutrients so less will be available for the algae.

 

[Country joe]

You shouldn't need an algicide to keep algae under control in aquariums. Algae grows when there is an imbalance in in the algae triangle (light, nutrients, plants). If one of these items is missing or out of balance with the other two, you get algae. Most of the time it is too much light and too many nutrients, and not enough plants to use the light and nutrients. Then you get algae growing instead. Reducing the light and nutrients will normally reduce the algae. Adding more live plants will also reduce algae because there will be more plants taking up the light and nutrients so less will be available for the algae.

I have lots of live plants right across the back of the 125 tank, my lights are on 11 am till 5 pm 6 hours. So I reckon it must be overfeeding, I feed once a day, when doing my water tests going back months to present has always been nil for phosphate, and in the room where the two tanks are, the blind is down permanent. I've always been bothered with various different algae in te 125 tank yet my 70 liters has never had any algae, it's as clear as a bell.

 

[Country joe]

API Prevent Algae, received an email from them you use this product weekly for life of your tank.

 

[Colin_T]

API Prevent Algae, received an email from them you use this product weekly for life of your tank.

Give me all your money while you're at it. Go on, hand it over.

Of course they are going to say use it all the time. They want you to keep buying it so they can put their kids through college or buy a new boat. They are the same type of companies that sell filter media and say replace it weekly. Or oil tycoons that hold onto alternative energy sources so they keep making money. There are also pharmaceutical companies that make pills to keep you alive but not cure you. There's no money in healthy or dead people.

In a well balanced tank you get a small amount of algae and that is it, and you don't need chemicals to inhibit algae growth because it also inhibits higher plant growth.

If you have an algae problem, post pictures of the algae and we will help you sort it out without resorting to chemicals, which aren't good for the fish or plants.