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Tom Barr's H2o2 recipe and strategie circa 2012.
A bit of background
Ive been struggling with a tank for a few months, did a reset rinsed aqua soil, trimmed and dipped plants in a light solution of apt fix, and replanted the best ones.
I also added some fresh, Juncus Repens and other stems.But the algae, Staghorn Hair algae and BGA seamed to be winning.
The plan is, to have a wild looking patch of Juncus Repens, with San Paulo growing out of it and breaching the surface, with hair grass in the foreground.
But to the point of the post, after much searching, excluding the YouTube and instagram folk. there's actually not a lot around(discussion that is) except the same stuff repeated constantly.
Eventually I stumbled up an old thread in the Barrreport, 2012 discussing H2o2.
Where a few members were discussing the use of peroxide and the different ratios they were using, and the success or lackoff, on different types of algae.
Tom posted results of his trial, which I have followed the past few days and found so far its worked well, tried in 2 different tanks.
just thought I post her for interest and see others experiences.
Hopefully its ok, (quoting this here) this is Toms post in the thread " H202 as algae killer"
"June 5 2012
Okay, so I tried another method using the H2O2.
I am really giving this a shot to make sure there is some good usage from this method.
I had the CO2 gas tank run out and it was out for a day or two, not sure how long on the 120 Gal.
The thread algae was in remission but came back really aggressively during 2-3 days period.
I hit it with 120 mls worth of H2O2 3% and then did a 70% water change.
Then hit with another 70 mls after.
Then turned the filters back on.
I trimmed and cleaned some of the plants, others I left and tried to remove some.
I repeated this 2-3x doing one treatment per day for the last 3 days now.
This really worked well.
Was is the water changes and attacking it?
Or all the H2O2?
Not sure, but it would seem the H2O2 had some effect, whereas prior, when I just did water changes with the algae issue, it did not go away.
I repeated this on the 70 Gal which is almost all clear now.
So if one treatment does not work, keep doing it daily till it does.
This is a much better way than doing the double dosage etc, and risking frying your plants/shrimps etc.
This should work for most any type of algae.
Cost: relatively free.
Maybe 1-2$ for a large tank.
Labor: water change and trimming a bit. Dosing the H2O2. Certainly FAR easier/more effective than doing bleach dips.
Okay, I buy the method. It works. "
I don't have pics of the Algea prior, but some pics of the Tank, pre the reset and today.
ive found after 3 days I could have done another today, the hair algae has almost gone, and the stag horn seems to be easier to pull of the plants than before so assume its knocked back or dying. as a side note ive had a shrimp give birth during this week too, and each day seeing more a the baby's, so looks like they weren't to bother by the use of the H2o2, or the additional water changes.
A bit of background
Ive been struggling with a tank for a few months, did a reset rinsed aqua soil, trimmed and dipped plants in a light solution of apt fix, and replanted the best ones.
I also added some fresh, Juncus Repens and other stems.But the algae, Staghorn Hair algae and BGA seamed to be winning.
The plan is, to have a wild looking patch of Juncus Repens, with San Paulo growing out of it and breaching the surface, with hair grass in the foreground.
But to the point of the post, after much searching, excluding the YouTube and instagram folk. there's actually not a lot around(discussion that is) except the same stuff repeated constantly.
Eventually I stumbled up an old thread in the Barrreport, 2012 discussing H2o2.
Where a few members were discussing the use of peroxide and the different ratios they were using, and the success or lackoff, on different types of algae.
Tom posted results of his trial, which I have followed the past few days and found so far its worked well, tried in 2 different tanks.
just thought I post her for interest and see others experiences.
Hopefully its ok, (quoting this here) this is Toms post in the thread " H202 as algae killer"
"June 5 2012
Okay, so I tried another method using the H2O2.
I am really giving this a shot to make sure there is some good usage from this method.
I had the CO2 gas tank run out and it was out for a day or two, not sure how long on the 120 Gal.
The thread algae was in remission but came back really aggressively during 2-3 days period.
I hit it with 120 mls worth of H2O2 3% and then did a 70% water change.
Then hit with another 70 mls after.
Then turned the filters back on.
I trimmed and cleaned some of the plants, others I left and tried to remove some.
I repeated this 2-3x doing one treatment per day for the last 3 days now.
This really worked well.
Was is the water changes and attacking it?
Or all the H2O2?
Not sure, but it would seem the H2O2 had some effect, whereas prior, when I just did water changes with the algae issue, it did not go away.
I repeated this on the 70 Gal which is almost all clear now.
So if one treatment does not work, keep doing it daily till it does.
This is a much better way than doing the double dosage etc, and risking frying your plants/shrimps etc.
This should work for most any type of algae.
Cost: relatively free.
Maybe 1-2$ for a large tank.
Labor: water change and trimming a bit. Dosing the H2O2. Certainly FAR easier/more effective than doing bleach dips.
Okay, I buy the method. It works. "
I don't have pics of the Algea prior, but some pics of the Tank, pre the reset and today.
ive found after 3 days I could have done another today, the hair algae has almost gone, and the stag horn seems to be easier to pull of the plants than before so assume its knocked back or dying. as a side note ive had a shrimp give birth during this week too, and each day seeing more a the baby's, so looks like they weren't to bother by the use of the H2o2, or the additional water changes.
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2221 views
Has anyone ever kept Dwarf Neon Rainbows (Melanotaenia praecox) with goldfish?
I have 4 fancy goldfish (either Fantails, Orandas, or some sort of hybrid of the two). They are around 4–5 inches each. I also have a school of 8 Dwarf Neon Rainbows in another tank (2 males, 6 females).
The rainbows are super sensitive to CO₂. The moment I cross around 30 ppm in my planted tank, I can see them struggling, so I’m thinking of shifting them to the goldfish tank, which has no CO₂.
The goldfish tank is 300 litres (4 × 2 × 2 ft / 80 gallons), and the rainbows are around 1.5–1.75 inches.
Usually people say no to goldfish tank mates, mainly because of a mismatch in temperature or temperament. But in this case:
I have 4 fancy goldfish (either Fantails, Orandas, or some sort of hybrid of the two). They are around 4–5 inches each. I also have a school of 8 Dwarf Neon Rainbows in another tank (2 males, 6 females).
The rainbows are super sensitive to CO₂. The moment I cross around 30 ppm in my planted tank, I can see them struggling, so I’m thinking of shifting them to the goldfish tank, which has no CO₂.
The goldfish tank is 300 litres (4 × 2 × 2 ft / 80 gallons), and the rainbows are around 1.5–1.75 inches.
Usually people say no to goldfish tank mates, mainly because of a mismatch in temperature or temperament. But in this case:
- The goldies cannot possibly eat the rainbows at their current size.
- The rainbows don’t fin nip, or at least I’ve never seen them do it.
- The water parameters in both tanks are quite similar.
- Goldfish tank: GH 6, KH 2
- Current rainbow tank: GH 4, KH 0
- Temperature is pretty much the same in both tanks: 24–25°C (74–77°F).
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35 views
Hello, can anyone running the ARC small acrylic reactor on a 40 breeder tell me what your outlet position is and what ph drop or co2 ppm you are getting?
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91 views
Journal Quantum Entanglement
My new scape. It’s been a while. I’ve been busy finishing my novel. It’s published now so back to scaping.
It’s a classic triangular scape and I’m calling it Quantum Entanglement. It’s a working title, so I might change that. Sorry mods.
The real star is the light. Off Amazon for around $130. Fully controllable with a remote. Great value. https://amzn.eu/d/0eRX5eCo
I want to plant it with mainly buces and small anubias spp. on the rocks and wood and MC carpet, with some crypt nevellii or C. X Willisii, and stauro in the shady parts and maybe a ludwigia mini super red highlight behind the last rock on the left.
It’s a classic triangular scape and I’m calling it Quantum Entanglement. It’s a working title, so I might change that. Sorry mods.
The real star is the light. Off Amazon for around $130. Fully controllable with a remote. Great value. https://amzn.eu/d/0eRX5eCo
I want to plant it with mainly buces and small anubias spp. on the rocks and wood and MC carpet, with some crypt nevellii or C. X Willisii, and stauro in the shady parts and maybe a ludwigia mini super red highlight behind the last rock on the left.
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375 views
Rockstar
I mention this plant on occasion, but no one ever comments. So I thought I'd make a post for others and me for future reference.
It is my favorite Erio. It is a darker green, doesn't get too big, and for me it has never sent up any seed stalks.
I find it easy to grow. I have high light but nothing crazy at 124PAR and high CO2, 50+ppm. It gets about max 3-4" and makes side daughter plants when large. I'm not sure my dosing scheme is. Sort of an EI daily dosing kind of thing.
What gets me is every autumn, it starts to melt. I'm not sure how it knows it's autumn with consistent light and a heater, but it must get a little cooler in the tank or something. The plant starts to turn brown and sends up (I'm not sure of the correct term) vegetative stalks with little plantlets on the ends. I've found you can plant these stalks into the substrate with the plantlet on top, and it will grow into a new plant. They've been easy to grow. This is the third year this has happened to me.
Pic of plantlets below. I'll try to get a better one sometime. All I had time for tonight was a crappy phone pic.
This year I divided one of the mother plants in hopes that it wouldn't fully melt and would regrow. That is still in progress.
Anyone else's experiences are welcome.
This plant is the same plant as the one on the right above.
It is my favorite Erio. It is a darker green, doesn't get too big, and for me it has never sent up any seed stalks.
I find it easy to grow. I have high light but nothing crazy at 124PAR and high CO2, 50+ppm. It gets about max 3-4" and makes side daughter plants when large. I'm not sure my dosing scheme is. Sort of an EI daily dosing kind of thing.
What gets me is every autumn, it starts to melt. I'm not sure how it knows it's autumn with consistent light and a heater, but it must get a little cooler in the tank or something. The plant starts to turn brown and sends up (I'm not sure of the correct term) vegetative stalks with little plantlets on the ends. I've found you can plant these stalks into the substrate with the plantlet on top, and it will grow into a new plant. They've been easy to grow. This is the third year this has happened to me.
Pic of plantlets below. I'll try to get a better one sometime. All I had time for tonight was a crappy phone pic.
This year I divided one of the mother plants in hopes that it wouldn't fully melt and would regrow. That is still in progress.
Anyone else's experiences are welcome.
This plant is the same plant as the one on the right above.
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49 views
Rockstar
Journal 22 gallon long bookshelf
Time to start a new thread.
I’ll fill in some details later, but I’m working on the hardscape now. Any and all criticism is appreciated. The vision is nothing more, and nothing less, than something appealing to the eye.
90cm x 30cm x 30cm Lifegard Aquatics ultra clear bookshelf tank. Buce and anubias on the hardscape, stems towards the back and center, mid to front carpet with some changes in shade and texture down to a flat grade on the right side of the tank.
Lily pipe inlet and skimmer will be in the back left corner with the outflow in the front left to hopefully achieve circular flow. I’ll be running an in-line diffuser. Light will be the P600 Pro that I regrettably did not upside to 900. Oh well. I’ll mount it high and hopefully it’ll have enough spread.
I have some dragon stone and red lava rock rubble I’ll use at the base to blend into the substrate, as well as some stratum I may or may not cap with.
I’ll fill in some details later, but I’m working on the hardscape now. Any and all criticism is appreciated. The vision is nothing more, and nothing less, than something appealing to the eye.
90cm x 30cm x 30cm Lifegard Aquatics ultra clear bookshelf tank. Buce and anubias on the hardscape, stems towards the back and center, mid to front carpet with some changes in shade and texture down to a flat grade on the right side of the tank.
Lily pipe inlet and skimmer will be in the back left corner with the outflow in the front left to hopefully achieve circular flow. I’ll be running an in-line diffuser. Light will be the P600 Pro that I regrettably did not upside to 900. Oh well. I’ll mount it high and hopefully it’ll have enough spread.
I have some dragon stone and red lava rock rubble I’ll use at the base to blend into the substrate, as well as some stratum I may or may not cap with.
299 Replies
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33490 views
Staff member
I Donated 2026
Founding Member
This is the future home for the announcements when someone obtains an achievement badge. Let the games begin!
2050 Replies
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75134 views
Staff member
I Donated 2026
Founding Member
Hello Welcome, Binnhim
Welcome to ScapeCrunch, @Binnhim!
We would love to get to know you. Please tell us about yourself. What tank do you have?
We would love to get to know you. Please tell us about yourself. What tank do you have?
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25 views
Hi everyone, I'm curious. My pH is 0 and my GH is 7. My pH is 5.5/5.6 all day. I use CO2 24/7. My pH drop is 1.6/1.7. I degas the water with an air pump for two hours, then I check every hour until the pH becomes stable. Why does the drop control always stay green? Isn't the pH drop high for a 0KH? Should it be yellow? Or am I wrong? Thank you very much.
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844 views
I feel i need to do a journal so I have a internet calendar on what's happened or Ill forget lol! This is now 4 months back into the planted tank world and I'm happy to be back yet lost on true aquascapingI I have a current 29g as a farm tank for future builds going. zrdr 4l co2 bought locally full setup for 40.00, 29g free. A 20long I just bought with metal stand, hygger decent new led light.new heater. few foam bubble filters, ar a nice dual air pump. some new stratum about 16lbs , tons of good food, etc etc and 6 live plants crypts, swords, anubis about 30 stems of rotundifolia 12" tall for 85,00 it was a decent deal with what is came with , I thought!
Original plans was a 29 and 20 long. Well 3 weeks forward to 3 days ago picked up a free 36 bow front with stand, foods.heater, some dragon stone, bubbler all working freeby deal of the year for sure! The tanks pretty clean, some light hard water stains lll razor blade off very clean. Did come with about 35lbs stratum and blk rocks mix.
I threw substrate in tank after light rinse. LOL it went to pitch blk even after 2 big filters with filter floss still blk water after 36 hours later its muck now the stratum is crap imo other than deeper substrate to cover up with build. I have no clue on any age of the stratum 2 months or 5 years no info was free on side of road literally. I decided today to dump the stratum its a dam mess! may strain the stratum with my several size buckets to strain out small materials away from the blk gravel and use it with eco!? Just got 2 20lb bags of eco complete for 55 shipped my 2005 go to, easy no breakdown and same cost as bulk gravel from pet stores in the end.
I Would do the blk blasting sand its cheaper but don't want all sand and in end as I still do some gravel clean monthly oops.. The eco complete last imo forever I have 20 year old eco now in tank. Yeah its inert but still whole rocks. I"Ill be posting many pics of the my dry scapes holy hell! And more as it goes. Its been 19 years since I've done a planted tank def not a newbie just don't remember as much as I did and things have changed any help appreciated for sure! Joe burr has been help sure thanks dutchscape god!
Posted few pics of old tanks 19 years ago when I didn't know what an aquascape was lol no co2 just dry ferts, metride 14 and power compacts it worked! algae was very null. Im calling my new tanks the cheap skape 20 and now 36g the freebie. I usually try to go cheapo as I can get Im not rich rather spend 30.00 on steaks at home than 30.00 on stems lol. I'm mr diy I only buy what I cant build usually.
Original plans was a 29 and 20 long. Well 3 weeks forward to 3 days ago picked up a free 36 bow front with stand, foods.heater, some dragon stone, bubbler all working freeby deal of the year for sure! The tanks pretty clean, some light hard water stains lll razor blade off very clean. Did come with about 35lbs stratum and blk rocks mix.
I threw substrate in tank after light rinse. LOL it went to pitch blk even after 2 big filters with filter floss still blk water after 36 hours later its muck now the stratum is crap imo other than deeper substrate to cover up with build. I have no clue on any age of the stratum 2 months or 5 years no info was free on side of road literally. I decided today to dump the stratum its a dam mess! may strain the stratum with my several size buckets to strain out small materials away from the blk gravel and use it with eco!? Just got 2 20lb bags of eco complete for 55 shipped my 2005 go to, easy no breakdown and same cost as bulk gravel from pet stores in the end.
I Would do the blk blasting sand its cheaper but don't want all sand and in end as I still do some gravel clean monthly oops.. The eco complete last imo forever I have 20 year old eco now in tank. Yeah its inert but still whole rocks. I"Ill be posting many pics of the my dry scapes holy hell! And more as it goes. Its been 19 years since I've done a planted tank def not a newbie just don't remember as much as I did and things have changed any help appreciated for sure! Joe burr has been help sure thanks dutchscape god!
Posted few pics of old tanks 19 years ago when I didn't know what an aquascape was lol no co2 just dry ferts, metride 14 and power compacts it worked! algae was very null. Im calling my new tanks the cheap skape 20 and now 36g the freebie. I usually try to go cheapo as I can get Im not rich rather spend 30.00 on steaks at home than 30.00 on stems lol. I'm mr diy I only buy what I cant build usually.
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1209 views
Supporting
I Donated 2026
Rockstar
I hadn't seen it mentioned by others that attended Aquashella, but if you hadn't already heard about it or seen it in Aquashella videos, ADA has come out with Amazonia Pro. It's not a replacement for Version 2, but an addition. It is essentially Version 2 on steroids with higher nutrients and of course the negative side effect of potentially higher initial ammonia leaching and, if your not prepared and skilled, more chance of algae. That's even from the mouth of Homma-san himself. The scaping competitors were using it in the competition and AFA was selling 9l bags at the show. They said it would be available on the website within the next couple weeks.
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1002 views