Elevated magnesium not killing briopsis

[whm1985]

I've been having problems with bryopsis in a propagation tank I'm running. The tank is about 6' x 18" x 12" and has a 3x150 HQI Halide fixture, bulbs 4 mo's old. The following parameters have been tested as such over the last week

pH 8.2
Alkalinity 11
Calcium 380
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
Phosphate 0
Ammonia 0
Salinity 1.022

It has a refugium, good water flow, 9 hour light cycle, and a sump full of liverock. Water changes about every 2-3 weeks, 15%.

I've been running the magnesium at about 1550-1600 (used salifert kits to check) for about a week now and the briopsis has shown no indications of slowing down, let alone dying. Is there something I'm missing? I've raised magnesium in my display 150 once before and it killed the bryopsis immediately. I just can't figure out what's going on with this thing. It's all over the eggcrate and all over every single frag. Any ideas? Suggestions? Is there any other information I should provide that might help?

 

[Myrddraal]

What are you using to add the mag? Epsom salts didn't work for me, it was only when I started using Kent Tech-M that the briopsis melted.

 

[Tswifty]

Tagging along here...

Just had an outbreak over the weekend, and other reefers told me that it is bryopsis... Tagging along... I've never seen anything like this before.

Take a look if you want:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1310919&perpage=25&pagenumber=22

 

[Tswifty]

Wrong thread... here it is:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1376900

 

[seapug]

get a phosban reactor and GFO. It killed off all my bryopsis infestation in 8 weeks and it never came back. It was the best $80 I've ever spent on my tank.

 

[whm1985]

I have been using a two part solution (much cheaper) to increase the magnesium. It is 5 parts magnesium chloride to 3 parts magnesium sulfate. Would this fall into the category you were referring to?

Not to sound arrogant, but how would a phosban reactor help if my phosphates consistently test out at 0. What is GFO?

 

[kayne_21]

Your phosphates could be testing 0 because the algae is using them as soon as they are introduced to your system. GFO is granulated feric oxide, otherwise known as PhosBan

 

[seapug]

Never trust Phosphate tests. If you have algae growing you have a Phosphate problem. It can't live without it.

 

[whm1985]

Fair enough. I will try the Tech M for the next week or so and go to the phosban reactor if that hasn't started to kill it yet. Thanks for all the input.

 

[Tswifty]

I read a ton of articles today and only saw 2 different methods that seemed successful:

1. Kent Tech M - Take Mag level to 1600

2. Add Scribbled Rabbitfish and/or Yellow Tang
http://www.marinedepotlive.com/ps_V...8941139-01.html

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Re: Elevated magnesium not killing briopsis

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12395005#post12395005 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by whm1985
Salinity 1.022
Is there any other information I should provide that might help?

are you running a protein skimmer?
If so, it will work much more efficiently at a S.G. of 1.025-1.026 which is closer to the average value of NSW

 

[BeesGoneWild]

Theres speculation that some species of bryopsis wont be effected by increasing magnesium. I would just run some phosban and stick to waterchanges. It will dies off eventually.