Algae chemicals

[kerosenecounty17]

I’ve read the site pretty thoroughly, and haven’t seen any mention of algae killing chemical additives. The main one I’m talking about is called “Algae Destroyer”. I’m currently in a fishless cycle and beginning to get a bit of algae growth on the glass and some of the driftwood. Any input on this stuff? Will it affect the cycle? Is it bad for the fish if I use it after the cycle? This tank will have 0 plants when completely set up. Not even plastic. It will be all driftwood and rock. TIA for the help.

kc17

 

[Darwinfemfish]

I'm not exactly a pro, but I'd say leave it be until you do your final water change before you add fish. Then just scrape or scrub it off with a tool designed for that purpose... or leave it if it doesn't bother you. Algae doesn't cause any problems, but if you have an excess of it once you get your tank established it may be a sign your water parameters are off.
At any rate, it's better to avoid adding chemicals to your tank if at all possible. Anyway, anyone may feel free to correct me!

 

[Lotus]

Welcome to the tank

That stuff can kill fish, I would avoid it completely, if I were you. You're much better off scraping the algae off yourself.

 

[revfred]

Agreed, that stuff kills more than algae. It "killed" a cycle in a friends tank ... as well as some fish.

Welcome to the Tank .....

 

[NoDeltaH2O]

I think the reason we don't use algae killers is because that is analogous to using Band-Aids for hemophiliacs. It never really cures the problem. If you have algae problems, it is an indicator that you have an imbalance in your tank. It is better to correct the imbalance than to add a harsh chemical. Adding the chemical will not cure the root problem of poor water quality.

 

[kerosenecounty17]

Guess I should’ve asked the question before I spent $8 on a little bottle of the stuff, huh? Live and learn.

Right now my water parameters are way off. Nitrite and nitrate are both at very high levels, which as I understand is normal during this phase of a fishless cycle. Once the cycle is complete can I expect the algae problem to disipate? I’ve got a lot of gnarly driftwood that’s going to be a real pain to scrub if the problem continues. What sort of imbalance would be the cause of an algae bloom in a cycled, healthy tank? Thanks again.

kc17