[mad_dog01]

Was looking at the sponsors page and came across algone.....for water clarity. Has anyone used this product and was it sucessfull?

[Ninong]

What is it and how does it work? Always make sure you can answer those two questions before adding anything to your tank.

If a manufacturer refuses to identify the ingredients in a product, ask yourself why? Frequently it is because the ingredients are so simple and so commonly available at little or no cost that revealing what they are and how they work would kill sales of their product.

Here are the instructions for the use of that product. The manufacturer makes the following claim: "Chemical free Algone balances the aquatic environment, helping the aquarist maintain a beautiful tank."

So, what is it? And how does it work? The manufacturer claims that it is "chemical free," whatever that's supposed to mean.

What's in the pouch? Does it adsorb/absorb nutrients? Does it provide a carbon source for the growth of bacteria, which would in turn take up nutrients? The manufacturer claims that it "balances nutrients" in your tank but they don't explain how or even what they mean by balancing nutrients. In fact, their use of the very word "nutrients" is confusing, especially when they refer to a need to "balance nutrients."

Maybe you should ask them what it is and how it works before you buy it? If they won't or can't tell you, maybe you should pass?

Since the product seems to be mainly marketed to freshwater systems, it may be that it is designed to promote the growth of bacteria as a way to take up phosphate. There are photographs of a "greenwater" freshwater aquarium before and after treatment with this mysterious product.

Some people add carbon sources to their reef tanks as a way to boost the growth of bacteria to take up nutrients. This is obviously risky if overdone as the O2 could drop due to the bacterial metabolism. People who believe in this approach use carbon sources such as sugar, vinegar and vodka. There are also at least two zeolite based systems being marketed in the last few years that incorporate the addition of "bacterial food" as a means of boosting the growth of bacteria as a method for utilizing excess nutrients in the system. These people refuse to identify what's in their products and their explanations of how the benefits are achieved are confusing and misleading in some respects.

There are hundreds of magic potions and miracle cures being marketed in this hobby and very few of them are clearly labelled with their ingredients. I wonder why?

[wozza]

give it a quick sniff if it smells like vodka you can bet it probly is!!!

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by wozza

give it a quick sniff if it smells like vodka you can bet it probly is!!!

It can't be vodka, it comes in a flow-through pouch according to the manufacturer's online instructions.

[Sleepy Clownfish]

If I remember correctly it is meant to absorb phosphates and other impurities much like carbon.

I've never seen it do much more than what regular water changes would do.

[wozza]

It can't be vodka, it comes in a flow-through pouch according to the manufacturer's online instructions.

my bad