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The smarter way to treat algae.
Especially effective for BBA, hair/string/fuzz and most forms of filamentous algae.
Gently biodegrades completely.
Spot-dose up to 1ml per 10L every 24 hours.
Our signature Standard Pack comes with a calibrated spot-dosing pipette.
300ml.
APT Fix cleverly targets the fundamental weakness of algae- their comparatively less developed protective cell walls.
When spot-dosed, it instantly arrests algae growth while allowing plants to recover.
Above: single spot-dose of APT Fix. By Day 2, inactive BBA usually changes color to red and/or white. By Day 7, the leaf is now mostly free of algae.
Above: single spot-dosage of APT Fix via the drain-dose method. By Day 2, hair-algae has lost some color. By Day 5, all the hair algae has been deactivated.
This is an effective approach for removing algae on hardscape: wood and rocks. Avoid this method for plants.
This is our usual approach to treat algae on plants. To increase effectiveness, pause the filter during spot-dosing (just a minute or however long it takes you to spot-dose:) And don't forget to turn the filter back on! Avoid this method for treating algae on Mosses, Liverworts (Riccardia and Riccia etc.) and Vallisneria (Tape Grass).
If you have alot of areas to cover, you can exceed the 1ml per 10L limit. Spot-dose on affected areas, and perform a 50% water change after spot-dosing.
Most algae treatments use compounds that contain Copper, which is a powerful biocide.
The problem is that copper, like other heavy metals, accumulate over time and do long term damage to the tank's ecosystem.
APT Fix uses an active compound that biodegrades naturally within 24hours, with no nasty residues.
The best natural defence against algae is a healthy dominant plant mass. Tanks with alot of exposed, un-planted areas are far more susceptible to algae, in the same way that fertile open fields invite weeds to grow.
Aim to have at least 70% of the substrate planted. Plants are like trees in a forest. With the right conditions, they naturally outcompete algae.
The top algae trigger is organic waste and decaying matter. Never over-stock a tank in its early months. Livestock waste contributes significantly to algae issues in new tanks (< 3 months old).
Regularly change water the 2Hr Way and remove old/ decaying leaves. Stem plants require replanting of the healthy tops after trimming once or twice. Old deteriorating stems invite algae to bloom.
Yes, but this approach is alot less effective than spot-dosing or drain-dosing.
If your tank looks like the picture below, APT FIX will not make any visible / meaningful difference. You can use a copper-based algicide, which will indeed kill all the algae. However it will also destroy the tank's bacterial colony and other plants. For such a tank, we recommend a reset.
Yes. It is an effective treatment for cyanobacteria / BGA.
APT FIX contains a proprietary formulation of epoxy aldehydes.
The aldehyde components are protein crosslinkers that deactivate algae cells by binding to their proteins. The active component activates in water, but is quickly broken down by biological microbial action, resulting in no bio-accumulation in the aquarium ecosystem in the long run. This enables APT FIX to be a safe and effective inhibitor for various freshwater algae.
APT Fix biodegrades naturally over 24 hours. So you can repeat the recommended dosage very 24 hours.
Option 1: You can exceed the 1ml per 10L recommendation to cover all areas, and do a large (50%-70%) water change after that. Be careful to use dechlorinated water.
Option 2: You can spot-dose on 1 area today, and another area the next day. Do this over as many days as you need to cover all areas. Generally a single spot-dose will be effective for any particular area. This method is slower can can be used if you are keeping more sensitive livestock.
If you are introducing new plants, or have taken out your existing plants to re-plant, you can dip your plants in an APT Fix solution before planting:
1. Create a 5% APT Fix Solution by adding 20 parts water to 1 part APT Fix.
2. Dip plants in Solution for around 10 seconds, not more.
As usual, remember not to let the plants dry out.
The most effective way to avoid new-tank algae problems is to properly cycle the tank before planting and introducing fish.
Inadequate Cycling often results in Diatoms ( brown fuzz on the edges of leaves or thin, brownish spider-web like strands) or Green Water ( which is triggered by excess organic waste).
Read this post on tackling algae in new tanks.
While APT Fix will work against these forms of algae, it is better to simply have patience (in the case of Diatoms) or review the causes of Green Water as we describe in our guide below on the different types of algae.
Within the recommended dosage, no.
The exception? Plants that are already very weak.
Both algae and the plants will be similarly affected in such a case.
Also, avoid spot-doing on Mosses, Liverworts (Riccardia and Riccia etc.) and Vallisneria (Tape Grass) as their cell structures are much more similar to algae than other plants and are therefore more susceptible to being affected.
Perhaps. FIX gives plants a temporary unfair advantage against algae, and this helps them recover.
However, plants that are already very weak may not benefit. In fact, FIX may affect them the same way as it impacts algae.
In a very mature tank, the signs that your plants may be very weak include:
a) Very little, or no new leaves over long periods.
b) Widespread algae on leaves.
c) Melting leaves.
Overall they might still look 'OK' but are extremely fragile. In such cases, FIX might affect them the way way it impacts algae.
As a rule, old leaves do not recover as plants channel their energies towards new growth and naturally discard older stems and leaves. You can rid the older leaves of algae, and delay their deterioration, but the leaves will generally not regain coloration or sheen. For most aquatic plants, long term tank maintenance involves routine replanting of the healthy tops, and removing old stems and roots.
APT Fix does not harm healthy fish, shrimp and other livestock within its recommended dosage. Of course, if you keep very sensitive livestock, you should avoid all products that give you any concern.
APT Fix should be clear / grey in colour. During production, a purple dye is added as part of the manufacturing process, but fades quickly. If your bottle appears purple or off-white, don't worry- the colour would fade soon. The efficacy of the product is not affected by the change in colour.
APT Fix should be used within 2 years of opening / first use.
3% Epoxy Adelhydes
United StatesI have been struggling with black beard algae and brown spot algae for a while. The bba was all over decorations and live plants. I tried soaking decorations in peroxide and bleach. The bba still came back. I was trimming leaves and plants with bba. None of this worked. Until apt fix!!! I spot dosed when I did water changes and every once and a while during the week between water changes. I turned the filter off and used the wonderful pipette provided with the bottle. I spot dosed about 9 dropper fulls on certain areas. I am happy to say most of the bba is gone and continuing to disappear!!!
United StatesThis is the first time we have tried this product. After we have used this, we are very happy that the problem solved. We definitely recommend it.
AustraliaThe apt fix really works. It is gentle enough for the shrimp but deadly for the algae.
United StatesI spot treated staghorn algae with apt fix and it worked well. I did 3 treatments the 1st draining and it was a little harsh for me like that so the next times I left the water in filter off. It worked really well. My tank is now flourishing wish 2ml of apt complete daily.
United StatesExcellent product. Works incredibly well at getting rid of stubborn BBA. Would highly recommend every Aquarist keeps a bottle of this on hand. I've used this to fog the effected area and dosed as the bottle says and there have been zero negative effects on the flora and fauna in my tanks.
