Fluconazole and corals

[MarshallB]

Good afternoon all,

I've looked around at all the threads related to this, but it looks like its been some time since the last discussion.

Has anyone had any coral loss treating your tank with Fluconazole? If you have used it with success, how long did you use it? Did you have any elevated levels? did you dose full strength?

Specifically, im using reefflux to battle some turf algae that just refuses to go away. I'm about 2 weeks into the treatment and my acros and montis are taking a hit. Alk consumption has also dropped significantly. It's hard to pinpoint the exact cause of the STN going on with my hard corals. ALK consumption has dropped which has increased my DKH. Was up to 11.6 but has been brought down to 10.5 on its way back down to 10 where I keep it. My Duncan has also stopped fully extending.

Phosphate also elevated which was expected due to algae die off. Went from .04 to .12 at peak. I cut my feeding and added phosguard. I've had spikes like this a few times before without any noticeable hits to corals. It's only been elevated for about 4 days.

At this point i'd say each hard coral has lost less than 1/4 of its tissue. I've added in some activated carbon to remove the reefflux. Killing that algae just isn't worth killing the coral. Hopefully this is the reason for the tissue loss and stopping treatment will prevent coral die off, but only time will tell.

 

[homer1475]

If you read the big thread on bryopsis in the algae section, it seems to be hit or miss, and no one knows why.

I've used it(don't remember the exact amount of time), and I had no loss in anything, and my tank never skipped a bit(raised nutrients a tad bit, not to the degree your seeing).

Poster a few pages back, lost everything and continues to lose corals.

We don't really know why it effects every tank differently.

 

[MarshallB]

If you read the big thread on bryopsis in the algae section, it seems to be hit or miss, and no one knows why.

I've used it(don't remember the exact amount of time), and I had no loss in anything, and my tank never skipped a bit(raised nutrients a tad bit, not to the degree your seeing).

Poster a few pages back, lost everything and continues to lose corals.

We don't really know why it effects every tank differently.

I appreciate it. Yeah that was conclusion I came to after reading a few threads. It's unfortunate.

 

[jeffww]

It was safe for me so long as I carefully managed alk. Fluc completely stopped all consumption and if I didn’t stop the doser the alk spike killed some sps. Softies were immune.

 

[Billys_reef]

Have done fluconazole before in my mixed reef 40 gallon with acros, lps, and softies. I think it was around 800mg over a 2 week period. Have not lost anything to it and it killed off all my gha and turf algae. Nutrients did spike a little but that was to be expected.

 

[MarshallB]

Quick update.

Tissue loss seems to have stopped or slowed enough not to notice. phophate is down to about .06, however nitrate is slowly creeping up. Normally around 20ppm, now 38ppm. Makes me believe the reefflux has all but stopped the growth of my chaeto. It's still very green and it doesn't look like there is any die off. Keeping my fuge light (kessil a360x) on for 18 hrs a day should be dropping it considering im running filter socks ( I normally don't) and lightly feeding.

 

[MaxTremors]

I have been using fluconazole for around 2 months, at full strength for a month and at about 1/3 strength for the second month. I have not noticed any ill-effects on my coral. I am also treating turf algae (I think cladophora), and it’s been slow going, but the fluc has definitely been beating it back, it’s just not nearly as fast as bryopsis or even GHA.

 

[Fla B]

I just finished a two week period of using Reef Flux for bryopsis/GHA on my 135 gallon LPS tank. That stuff worked great for me. I dosed exactly as the instructions said and did a 30% water change. It had been a six month battle, now my rocks are finally clean. No ill effect on any of corals other than a duncan that hasn't fully extended yet.

 

[MarshallB]

I just finished a two week period of using Reef Flux for bryopsis/GHA on my 135 gallon LPS tank. That stuff worked great for me. I dosed exactly as the instructions said and did a 30% water change. It had been a six month battle, now my rocks are finally clean. No ill effect on any of corals other than a duncan that hasn't fully extended yet.

No change in any of your parameters throughout the treatment? Nitrate/phosphate raise or any change in Alk/Calc uptake?

 

[Fla B]

I took out my carbon, rinsed my filter socks every other day, and tested my nitrate/phos every other day. I turned my skimmer off for the first 3 days. in between I manually removed as much bryopsis as possible. I only checked my Alk once during the two weeks, 9.1. I was careful about my feedings(mysis cubes every night) no reef roids or AB+ or Oyster feast during that time.

 

[GillMeister]

My experience with fluconazole was terrible. I lost all of my best corals with a single, reccomended dose and it took only 3 three days to wipe them out. I've spent the past several months doing massive water changes and changing carbon filtration. I just started introdicing new SPS last night.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Flux is acceptable for use as long as it is Not overdosed. Light reduction along with use is most effective.