bryopsis/magnesium

[kbinkerd@verizon.net]

I've increased my magnesium level to nearly 2000ppm over about a weeks time. How long before I should see the bryopsis dieing off? I haven't seen any change yet.

 

[kbinkerd@verizon.net]

I had read on here by ;several posters that raising magnesium levels to 1600 or greater would cause bryopsis to die, however I am not seeing any change in the bryopsis in my tank. Are there any readers that have tried this and it failed for them as well? Do you think I have misidentified the type of algae I'm dealing with?

Anybody have any suggestions?

 

[Mandragen]

If you search the forums there are other threads on this subject. With that said, it is my understanding that most of the results are coming from using Tech M, but I have also heard the you can do Magnesium Sulfate. I will be trying it from the BRS supply of Mag Suflate.

I personally have raised it with Magnesium Chloride and seen no changes in Bryopsis. What are you using to raise levels?

 

[shaggss]

yes i have also heard that you use Kent Tech M.........

 

[samstersam]

Well if you think you've misidentified the type of algae, a picture would help.

As far as high magnesium, I've read users reports success with Kents magnesium techm specifically from what Ive read.

The old fashioned way is what worked for me when i had a problem years back. Water changes with base water from RODI, reduced nutrient input, gfo, and manual removal all done in overdrive....

 

[RVANANO]

From what I understand and from my experience. Tech M works. I got rid of mine w. tech M by raising Mag to 1700. Took about 2-3 weeks. At the 2-3 week mark it all dissapeared within a 2 day period like magic.

 

[OwenInAZ]

Some algae looks like bryopsis but isn't affected by increased Mg levels.

If you do have bryopsis, then you may want to let your Mg levels come back down and try hitting it with either Kent Tech M or Brightwell Magnesion.

Tech M is the classical remedy, but tends to be pretty spendy. Brightwell is a "new" remedy, although Steve Brightwell was the brains behind the Kent line of chemicals but has since gone on to start his own company. It may or may not be the same recipe, but it works as well. It also tends to be less expensive, especially if you buy the powder to mix yourself.

I initially tried raising Mg levels with BRS MgSO4/ MgCl2 in a 4:1 ratio with no luck. I let it come back down (too far, as luck would have it) to around 1000, then jacked it up to >2000 in the span of about a week with Brightwell Magnesion-P. I put 600 g into my 90 gallon, and the bryopsis turned brown, then grey, then melted away. There were still some other types of algae left behind, but my tang, snails and crabs are making headway on that.

Good luck

 

[RVANANO]

I bought Tech M by the gallon pretty cheap from Amazon. I actually bought two gallons to have some on stand by.

 

[Mandragen]

Awesome! Thanks for the heads up on the BRS stuff too so I don't waste more time on that. Will keep it around for just suppliment but will implement the Tech M this next go around.

 

[OwenInAZ]

I bought Tech M by the gallon pretty cheap from Amazon. I actually bought two gallons to have some on stand by.

I would have needed an entire gallon to treat my tank, at $30 per gallon from Amazon.

I got Brightwell Magnesion-P (the powder) for $16 bucks, and it treated the same volume. So yeah, half as expensive, half the time, and I actually supported an LFS :wavehand:

 

[kbinkerd@verizon.net]

Thanks guys the time frame is what I needed. I used the kent tech M and i just got the levels up to 2000 a few days ago, but I see from RVANANO that it will take a couple of weeks. I hope it works, This stuff just gradually covers all my rock. It is so difficult to remove manually it is rediculous, not like hair algea, but it doesn't grow near as quickly as hair algae either. It is like a slowly moving glacier that slowly consumes everything in its path.

 

[RVANANO]

I gradually upped my levels using about one full serving cup a day (on my 120). Make sure you shake up the bottle each time before you add it.

BTW, you may want to have your username changed if that's your real e-mail. I imagine you might get a lot of spam with it out in the open like that. Just a suggestion

 

[DevilBoy]

Yes, i had the same problem and raised my Mg to 1750ppm and kept it stable there for 4 weeks and the bryopsis fizzled away. The key is to check your Mg level regularly to make sure it does not drop. If it drops dose accordingly. I did use Kent Tech M also.

 

[seapug]

For what you'll spend on all that Magnesium, you might also consider a media reactor with GFO (granular ferric oxide). High Magnesium levels has killed bryopsis for many people, but it doesn't address the reason why it's growing in the first place (phosphate). The GFO will get rid of the phosphate, kill the bryopsis and keep it and many other nuisance algae species from ever growing in the tank, not to mention improving conditions for calcifying corals.

If you do decide to go with the Magnesium OD, keep an eye on your alkalinity. Magnesium plays an important role on the Alk - Cal balance in seawater.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[kbinkerd@verizon.net]

Thanks again, as for my email, its obsolete now. But I doubt I would consider anyone from RC that wants to talk with me spam.

 

[kbinkerd@verizon.net]

Can you put GFO in a skimmer and let it double as a skimmer/reactor?

 

[OwenInAZ]

You might find that putting anything in the skimmer besides what's designed to be in there obstructs the path of the bubbles, rendering the skimmer much less effective. But I've never tried it, so who knows