Good general rule after seeing various snake oils for over 30 years claiming to be algae killers etc:
if it does not focus on growing plants(not a plant nutrient), do not add it to your tank.
You should focus on why you have that algae, not the quick fix, take a pill mentality.
You do not learn nor does your horticulture skills improve.
Put another way: I can assure everyone, the algae does not grow from a lack of JBL algon, Bob's wonkey water algae miracle sauce, Bubba barley extract etc.
Algae grows because you failed to grow the plants well, no bottle is going to cure that.
It'll mask it for a time if you are lucky, but it does not help plants grow.
I could sell PO4 and claim it kills and cures GSA, I'd be right also.
I could sell KNO3 and claim it prevents BGA infection.
Etc.
Algae is a good way to tell that you have other issues going on, not that you need a special sauce. Peroxide, mild bleach solutions, Excel/Easy Carbon, copper all have a long history of use and are effective when used corretcly.
Excel at least adds some carbon, copper at low doses is a nutrient etc.
Still, I've yet to really need any of these items. A good pruning, identifying the algae allows me to know what is wrong in the tank(The EPA in the USA uses algae to determine the trophic state of streams etc) and take actions that focus on plant health.
If you do not take the root cause approach, then all that work is wasted.
So then you get desperate and start using the snake oils.
Learn to grow the plant well, keep up on things, spot the issue before it gets out of hand and take action then.
You'll do much better in this hobby and waste much less time/money.
Regards,
Tom Barr
