# ADA Phyton Git - worth it?



## NeilW

Hello all  

Was considering purchasing some Phyton Git for my low-tech nano, but would you consider it something worth getting if you had the money?  Has anyone had tangible results?  Is it worth getting if you don't have the full ADA system?  Or is it just some more 'over-priced ADA snake oil'?


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## viktorlantos

massively using this in the past 2 years. 50ml last long especially if you use for your nano tank.

only have positive feedback if we're not talking about prices.

- Keeps light sand clear from algae, and help prevent BGA (cyano)
- helps with decors like stone wood when you have brush on them. you can overdose it will not harm your plant, fish or shrimps not like excel or carbo.
- you can wash your plants in it like anubias and others. you really can't do this with carbo/excel your plant will die off
- as an extra you got some freakin roasted bacon / smoke odor when you hit your stone decors with it at water changes   

combining with carbo or excel you can have great result with it and an algae free zone.
recommended stuff.

ps: brush red moor and probably other wood at setup will helps to eliminate fungus/white stuff on the wood on the first 3 week or so. just brush it before you put it to the tank.


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## NeilW

Thought you'd be the man to ask Viktor, cheers very much!

It does sound like good stuff, something else to add to my arsenal in the algae war without being nuclear strength EasyCarbo.



			
				viktorlantos said:
			
		

> - as an extra you got some freakin roasted bacon / smoke odor when you hit your stone decors with it at water changes


This made me proper laugh    I think I'm going to have to buy it just for the bacon experience!

Cheers again.


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## viktorlantos

50ml packages on ADA range means 500 drop approx or more. if you dose the regular dosage then 1 drop per 5 liter weekly. for massive algae handling may and brushing decors you use more, but still last long enough.

original booklet: http://adana.co.jp/_e_product/pdf/PHYTON_GIT.pdf

this product is allways part of my basic fert package: http://www.flickr.com/photos/viktorlantos/4935712734/
you can see that in the box next to my nano all the time  

cheers


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## NeilW

Thanks for the info mate    That is one lovely setup you have there, very much so my dream tank.  Your scape has really done that ADA gear justice, stunning.  

I managed to pick it up a bit cheaper off an Ebay seller from Hong Kong so it wasn't as painful as I thought which is good.


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## andyh

viktorlantos said:
			
		

> 50ml packages on ADA range means 500 drop approx or more. if you dose the regular dosage then 1 drop per 5 liter weekly. for massive algae handling may and brushing decors you use more, but still last long enough.
> 
> original booklet: http://adana.co.jp/_e_product/pdf/PHYTON_GIT.pdf
> 
> this product is allways part of my basic fert package: http://www.flickr.com/photos/viktorlantos/4935712734/
> you can see that in the box next to my nano all the time
> 
> cheers




Viktor

When using it to clear algae from wood with brush, do you out some in a bowl and literally paint onto the wood?
If i drain my water in my tank low enough to get to the wood will that be ok to do it in tank?

Andy


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## andyh

oh and viktor is right it does smell like bacon, reminds me of "frazzles" (bacon flavour crisps!)


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## viktorlantos

andyh said:
			
		

> Viktor
> 
> When using it to clear algae from wood with brush, do you out some in a bowl and literally paint onto the wood?
> If i drain my water in my tank low enough to get to the wood will that be ok to do it in tank?
> 
> Andy



cheers Andy  

Yup with existing setups at water changes when the level is down is ok to brush it. Use a small bowl, add phyton to that, if a large surface area need to be brushed you can mix with water a bit to have enough liquid. You also can add Phyton to the wood decor directly, but with moss covered wood this is not efficient. So bowl is better for wood.

Keep the phyton on the wood til you do your regular water change. If the wood / decor is algae infected phyton git will give a much stronger odor. Maybe this kills the algae with its smell i do not know.  
But the smell is stronger when you have brush etc algae. I usually keep there for 15-20 minutes. You may need to repeat that with future changes.

With fresh setup just brush the wood a little to clean it: 





then you can drop some phyton git to the wood and with a brush just spread it.

We used the second way on this tank, cleaned the wood at the setup.






and did not had the initial few weeks white floss on the wood.


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## Tom

So you can overdose straight into the tank without removing any decor and it will help get rid of algae, without harming any livestock? I'm tempted! I'm getting a bit of algae on my rocks at the moment. Would you have to brush the rocks, or can you dose into the water column and leave it running?

Tom


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## viktorlantos

Tom said:
			
		

> So you can overdose straight into the tank without removing any decor and it will help get rid of algae, without harming any livestock? I'm tempted! I'm getting a bit of algae on my rocks at the moment. Would you have to brush the rocks, or can you dose into the water column and leave it running?
> 
> Tom



I dosed this to my nano tank too where i keep shrimps. Without any issue. Dosing to the water column will help you mostly with the algae on the sand. Need to drop this to the decor when the water level is down to burn the algae.

For harder BBA still Carbo or Excel is more efficient dosing with an injection to the water column close to the infected area.

Sometimes need to use both of the products, keeping eye on the CO2 (clean diffusers, less surface movement) and do frequent water changes to reach the maximum effect.

But phyton had positive effect on my tanks since i use it.


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## Garuf

Viktor, what is it actually made up of? Does it have an ingredients list?


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## NeilW

For one it contains phytoncide.  Seems they dig it in China, Japan and Russia.  Sorry Garuf, I know that was directed at Viktor but I was already had a search last night


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## PM

Just ordered some on ebay, might help with my nano


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## plantbrain

So how's this any different than say H2O2 that cost 69 cents a liter?
I can brush this on and it will do the same thing. Also very safe when used correctly. Why do you have BBA on the wood or BGA in the first place? Excel also does the same thing if you use it this way.

So does clove oil diluted or bleach if you take it out, even hot scalding water, also any concentrated nutrient solution, osmotic shock-> strong salt solutions will kill algae.
But some do not need to use it to begin with.

Killing algae is easy. Prevention of it ever coming back keeps folks away from this type of stuff.
Then no more is ever needed.

That's the real root of the solution.
I've not changed this advice in 15 years, and it's held since that time.

regards, 
Tom Barr


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## PM

But you can't add these alternatives to the tank with shrimp in can you? Without risk of harming shrimp.

EDIT: Agreed about prevention, I just started low-tech with too much light so getting this to help clear up now i have reduced lighting.


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## GreenNeedle

Impatient on a low tec tank pm 

However BBA seems to be pretty normal on the hardscape in my experience.  No idea why.  In hitec and lo tec no algae anywhere exept a few lfluffy black patches on the wood.  Always been there and I don't worry too much about it.

Whats in phyton git?   Here's a link.  Don't know its accuracy but it doesn't list phytonicide unless that is another name for what they do list.  :
http://www.azaquaticplants.com/communit ... php?t=6402

AC


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## PM

SuperColey1 said:
			
		

> Impatient on a low tec tank pm



Haha, just impatient to get on top of my algae  low tech is all new to me, I thought things moved slowly, I must be growing algae at record rates then!


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## viktorlantos

plantbrain said:
			
		

> So how's this any different than say H2O2 that cost 69 cents a liter?
> I can brush this on and it will do the same thing. Also very safe when used correctly. Why do you have BBA on the wood or BGA in the first place? Excel also does the same thing if you use it this way.



Tom, you're right. There are many treatment stuff out there. And you always can find cheap solution for many issues. I never used H2O2 before, i know this works good, but i've seen many tank where people lost fish, damaged plants etc. Could be because they not used the right way, but this is not really a friendly solution. Like a Nuke. Would you use it with high grade shrimps too where shrimp cost 50-200+Euro / piece? No offense just intrested.   
Can you treat decor sand coloring too with it? H2O2 is mostly for spot attack if i am right.

Excel, Carbo works great when you add them to the water directly, but when you use them on plants when water level is down it's damage them. Of course you can mix that with water i never used this way.

Algae just comes no matter how much you care on the start and try to prevent it. Sometimes just come and we had to fight with it. Probably happens mainly because of a human fault, but noone is perfect. You could be lucky with a few setups especially with larger ones. I also had more issues with small tanks where the CO2 fluctuation is much bigger with lot of light.

Let's see this way. Both of the stuff we mentioned works.

Strongest (more dangerous) to less dangerous i would say:
H2O2 > Carbo > Excel > Phyton Git

Friendliest:
Phyton > Excel > Carbo > H2O2

FYI they all act differently. The above list not means they do the same effect.

There are many other stuff of course which could be useful. The whole topic is about the experience with this product, as there are not much feedback on it on the internet at least in English.


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## NeilW

For me I wanted a product that would help prevent algae in the time I'm taking to tweak fert levels and lighting but with a milder effect on both shrimp and Riccardia chamedryfolia.  As an off-the-shelf product this seemed to fit the bill.


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## plantbrain

PM said:
			
		

> But you can't add these alternatives to the tank with shrimp in can you? Without risk of harming shrimp.
> 
> EDIT: Agreed about prevention, I just started low-tech with too much light so getting this to help clear up now i have reduced lighting.



H2O2 most certainly, Excel most certainly.............you can and many do.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain

viktorlantos said:
			
		

> plantbrain said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So how's this any different than say H2O2 that cost 69 cents a liter?
> I can brush this on and it will do the same thing. Also very safe when used correctly. Why do you have BBA on the wood or BGA in the first place? Excel also does the same thing if you use it this way.
> 
> 
> 
> I never used H2O2 before, i know this works good, but i've seen many tank where people lost fish, damaged plants etc. Could be because they not used the right way, but this is not really a friendly solution.
Click to expand...


Could this not also be stated for CO2 and ferts and also lighting(too much??)
I mean if this is going to be the standard metric.............heck........the ruler you apply to dosing any algicide.........then adding too much, not following the directions, a huge factor of human error, impatience etc.........

These are human errors and have little to do with the actual real toxicity of the products and their application.
We can and should focus on reducing those errors and not blame it on the products themselves.
That is, simply put, not a fair or logical assessment.

I'm not bashing ADA either, they sell some nice products which are good for the hobbyist, but I do not give them a blank check either. 



> Like a Nuke. Would you use it with high grade shrimps too where shrimp cost 50-200+Euro / piece? No offense just intrested.
> Can you treat decor sand coloring too with it? H2O2 is mostly for spot attack if i am right.



My shrimps are CRS SS grades and few higher or lower.
The others are fire and then high grade cherries/amanos.

Since I breed them, they really do not cost me 50-200$/euros/pounds etc, so I'm less fearful.
I also am a very competent breeder and fish keeper, and have breed them for several years.
I can easily and have riled many shrimp zealots(they hate being called zealots, but   )
but the facts and results are what they are.

I've gone slow with risk assessment, but steady.








These are the culls I removed recently from my 60 Gal.

Fires and CRS's.

When a water change is done, the wood or rock is exposed, this is the best time to spray or brush on some Excel, or H2O2 etc........so good sized water changes are wise for that method. If you like to take the wood out or can easily, then it really does not matter what is used.

I've used peroxide, many many folks have.
Many folks have killed things with it, but also with Excel or with CO2 gas...........but folks do not use fear to say not to use CO2 gas....why a free pass on CO2 but not these others? NO3 is far less toxic than CO2........but folks go on about NO3 often times.

Point is.....poor management is the problem, not the methods or chemicals used.
This is no different for this product. And with poor management, comes poor horticulture/aquarium keeping.



> Excel, Carbo works great when you add them to the water directly, but when you use them on plants when water level is down it's damage them. Of course you can mix that with water i never used this way.



It is not to be used directly on plants out of water, it is to be used on wood/rock, non live materials.
H2O2 can be used in the water with the pumps off and squirted.

Try and it and see.
Do not use more than 10mls per 10 gal at any more than 2 hour intervals.



> Algae just comes no matter how much you care on the start and try to prevent it. Sometimes just come and we had to fight with it. Probably happens mainly because of a human fault, but noone is perfect. You could be lucky with a few setups especially with larger ones. I also had more issues with small tanks where the CO2 fluctuation is much bigger with lot of light.



So why use so much light and make management harder for yourself then?
Now you have to fight algae, buy and dose this stuff, not really focus on horticulture and the goal you have.
Why not use a non CO2 method?
Or Excel/easy carbon?

when used as directed.......this is not an issue, as for algae on plants.......you should be able to out pace algae on any plant. that leaves just algae on rocks/wood etc left, which can be brushed or spot treated easily with very cheap products. Excel is also economical for smaller nano tanks. CO2 is also stressful, toxic and harder to stabilize on nano tanks. Been there done that. PITA. My small tanks are non CO2, I can not keep up with the trimming etc because in 2-3 days, the plants would be at the top again. So non CO2 makes a lot more sense for me.

Excel is somewhat in the middle of this.
Or you could go emergent like this tank and can do all the water change and high purity water you want, but still have nice plants and look:





there's some ADA fanboy for you  



> Strongest (more dangerous) to less dangerous i would say:
> H2O2 > Carbo > Excel > Phyton Git
> 
> Friendliest:
> Phyton > Excel > Carbo > H2O2
> 
> FYI they all act differently. The above list not means they do the same effect.
> 
> There are many other stuff of course which could be useful. The whole topic is about the experience with this product, as there are not much feedback on it on the internet at least in English.



I think there is a massive amount of discussion on H2O2(see the TPT for example or APD post going back 15 years), you also do not have CO2 on that list, it kills more fish and shrimp than any single thing we use.

Some are oxidizers like bleach, some are cross linkers, some are likely who knows what, most are oxidizers as far as algae killers or abstract metals like copper(which cannot be used for algae killing in a shrimp tank).

Cross linkers are well studied and we have some good papers on inverts and Excel/Easy carbo AI:

http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext ... 050003.pdf

If you follow directions, the toxicity is at about 2ppm or so, well within the non lethal range, when folks 2x or higher the dosage because they are impatience and think/assume more = better/faster to kill, they end up killing their shrimp.

That is also exactly where we see the deaths begin.
Correlation?

Sure........likely? Seems very plausible.
Oxidizers like H2O2 are well documented on line by many users.

Simply because you have not tried these other products or methods does not imply they are any less safe or toxic in any way, nor implies much about the user. You have experience using one very over price algae cure all. My question to you is have you evaluated the other products personally and thus can make a fair assessment for a recommendation?

Can you say they are better or worse when you have not tried them?
Should the root issue of algae itself be addressed rather than a reactionary respose to algae and "take a pill, add another chemical" to the tank? I can only state what I have experience with, if I have not tried it, then I have some work to do.

And.........I might save some $$$ if I can get the same/similar results for 69 pence a liter vs 6 pounds for a few mls.
Also might improve the plant's health and those of the shrimp.

Since you do not know how toxic the Phyton Git really is or not(there's no ingredient's listing).....you cannot say much there. As far as Excel and Easy Carbo.......we can say something, they have tested it critically for toxicity. Peroxide has a long long history of use as well.

About every 6-12 months,a  new algae killer has come out.
The issues are always the same old, same old.
I do not buy into the notion that algae is always going to be a problem for all aquarist.

Good horticulture and management leads to hardly any such issues.
Non CO2........less light, good care.........trimming/pruning etc.....

I do not use much of these products any longer but like toxicity in research and in my professional field still.
Since these are often added to aquatic systems to control either algae or aquatic weeds, we MUST also study the effects on invertebrates, fish and downstream usage.

Real Algae problems are an indirect consequence of poor plant health/growth.
With good plant growth/health.........algae is hardly much more than a minor issue. With lots of shrimps?
Should be even less so.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain

Excel for algae:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/algae ... ences.html

H2O2
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/algae ... hread.html
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/algae ... -tips.html

APD:
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Algae/hyd ... oxide.html

As far as any non living thing, you can do it submersed or a large water change/or remove it and fry whatever is growing on the rock/wood etc.

Plenty of info and experiences out there.
I much prefer the poison that I know, vs assuming because it is a phytocide....it must be better while having no clue the active ingredient??? Some are very toxic, some might be no more toxic than peroxide which we use on ourselves and is extremely well tested.

Economics aside.......as well as availability (ADA shops are not that common, so shipping and ordering etc.....3% peroxide is available worldwide at most drug stores).

This is why many use DIY dry KNO3, etc.vs brand name stuff.
We know what's in it, and can test it and it's much cheaper.


Regards, 
Tom Barr



Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## viktorlantos

cheers Tom, wow i gave up the ball in the air for you  
anyway thanks for your time with the response. you made some really good point there.

thanks also for the references.   

i do use carbo on my tanks so i have more experience on that. but not with H2O2. probably will try that sometimes. carbo definatelly a stronger stuff then PG.

thanks for your feedback on shrimps too. looks like they are doing good with all the treatments you use. 



> So why use so much light and make management harder for yourself then?
> Now you have to fight algae, buy and dose this stuff, not really focus on horticulture and the goal you have.
> Why not use a non CO2 method?
> Or Excel/easy carbon?



currently i like much better the high light way with CO2 just because there are less limiation on plant use.
have 3 tanks currently (240l, 20l, 60l). running the 60l one tank with non co2 and 1.5g/w light, using carbo there, but the results are really far from what i can achieve with high light co2 tanks. i know it's my problem i choose the harder way. but i love challenges like many other folks  also this is a great learning curve to keep the ballance even in a small tank when CO2 is changing a lot having strong light, so all doors are open for algae  



> My small tanks are non CO2, I can not keep up with the trimming etc because in 2-3 days, the plants would be at the top again. So non CO2 makes a lot more sense for me.



There are many plants for small tanks which not need trimming 2-3 days even with strong light and CO2. so this is not the only option of course.

thanks again for the detailed response Tom.


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## Siege

An old thread but I used ADA Phyton-Git for the 1st time a couple of weeks ago.

The only algae I suffer from in my EA 600 is a patch of Cyanobacteria on the Monte Carlo carpet. It has slowly been spreading along the front for a few months. I have tried loads of tips to get rid of it, each time it goes but comes back visibly within a couple of days.

Thought I’d try it https://www.aquariumgardens.co.uk/ada-phyton-git-50ml-3424-p.asp

Well, blue green algae dead overnight!.

To get it to the cyanobacteria I had to squirt a bit into a small test tube type thing and then use a 1ml syringe to inject it directly to the spot. Did it at water change time, after draining water and filter was off. Used 3ml.

Next day shrimp were all under the carpet eating it and a week later I hoovered out the remainding dead algae (small bits of mulm).

I know it is expensive (I looked at for a month until buying) but certainly does it’s job. A plus is the Monte Carlo has taken off, and I thought it was good before! I assume the Cyanobacteria was under the carpet where I couldn’t see it also....

Thought I’d share my experience because I was dubious before but  it worked so well!

S.


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## aquascape1987

Resurrecting an old thread here but hopefully someone with experience of this product may be able to chime in. Does this stuff damage some plants when applied directly? I’ve recently been diluting 50 50 with water and have sprayed it onto my Anubias leaves to help keep them algae free. I’ve noticed some melt on one or two of my other plants leaves since then. Mainly hydrocotyle,myriophyllum guyana and Ludwigia mini super red. Seems to be doing the trick on the Anubias but I’m not sure if this melt is related to a bit of overspray


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## aquascape1987

@Siege have you any thoughts on this? Would really appreciate some advice from someone using it.


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## Tim Harrison

Any idea exactly what it's composed of? Maybe, flavonoids, triterpenoids, alkanes, amino acids, and alkaloids ?
Must be pretty potent.


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## aquascape1987

Tim Harrison said:


> Any idea exactly what it's composed of? Maybe, flavonoids, triterpenoids, alkanes, amino acids, and alkaloids ?
> Must be pretty potent.


 No. There’s ingredients  list provided unfortunately

It smells like BBQ sauce


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## Ed Wiser

It does smell funny. Kind of a strong medical smell. I just use it when trump g the plants it helps the plants or I wouldn’t use it.


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## aquascape1987

Plant trimming? But have you any experience where it’s spilled directly onto a plant and made it melt? My issue may be related to something else, I just suspect that this could have caused it that’s all.


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## Ed Wiser

Never had a plant meld from application.


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## Siege

Me neither. Never had need to put it directly on a dry plant though. currently using it in a tank that has verticillata and Guyana in it without issue.

I find it really useful. It’s expensive but just use it as an occasional thing so a bottle lasts for ages.

That and it smells lovely!


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