Finally an easy solution to bryopsis!

[wfrido]

05/23/2010
Hello Everyone, I am virtually free of Bryopsis (committed a folly) I cleaned all corals with a brush and took any early Bryopsida, even with treatment of Vodka and Biodjest thus eliminated definitively BRYOPSIDA my system .... in 15 or 20 days post here a new question if there was still some growth.

http://blumenau-reef.blogspot.com

 

[reeferMIAMI]

Ok I didnt think I would be on here talking about BRYOPSIS, but after years of a BRYOPSIS free tank, I now have it. I have been able to control it using Kents Mg. I got my mag up to 2100ppm with no ill effect on my corals, as a matter of fact I have seen my hard corals polyps extend more than ever. Even a hard coral that would never extend its polyps now has the polyps out all day...The bryopsis has faded away slowly..It turned brown then pale and then it dissapered. Hope this helps others with the same problem I had...PICS WILL FOLLOW SOON

 

[reeferMIAMI]

I cant imagine having to do this to my tank system, I would rather sell everything and give up than to bleach my rock!..(200 pounds of it)

 

[redfishsc]

The coral polyp extension increase you have seen may actually be an irritation reaction. Sometimes things in the water that irritate a coral can cause polyp extension as it tries to flush out the irritant. Anthony Calfo mentions this in his book regarding some "coral foods" that contain sugars and such that promote huge polyp extension due to irritation. I could easily see this happening with Tech M.

 

[DNA]

Don't remeber if I posted already, but soon after I started with Vodka Bryopsis faded away so It's gone now after years of battle.

 

[RVANANO]

Just wanted to chime in. I have had my 120 up and running for about 5 months. Started seeing Bryopsis about 2 months ago (must have been from my old tank as I started to neglect the 34 when the 120 project started). I started with a 16oz bottle of Kens Tech M. I was dosing a little bit at a time and my Mag went from 1350 to 1100 so I ordered a gallon. Then I started adding b/t 3/4-1 cup (serving size) per day over the last few weeks. I just noticed that 85-90% of my bryopsis went away overnight!!! It never started to change color and wilt, it just dissapeared!!! I tested last night and it was at 1550.

I will continue to dose 1/2- 3/4 cup per day and try and get it up to 1650 or so and keep it there for a month. I hope to report back with good news after a month or so. It was such a bummer when it showed up

 

[jefathome]

Another sucess story here...

I brought my Mg up to about 2600-2800 (almost two syringes of test solution to make the color change on Salifert) and now after a week or two I seem to be Bryopsis free. Upped my "Algae eating" crew as well (post Bryopsis) so that if anything starts to grow again it will be consumed before it can get out of control.

I did notice that at this level my LPS's got a little annoyed and wouldnt' extend the polyps. No deaths though. Bringing my levels down with a 50% water change.

 

[returnofsid]

I've recently heard that with Kent Tech M, it's not the final level of Mg that kills the bryopsis, but the sudden spike. So for instance, if your Mg level was at 800, a sudden spike to 1100 would work, OR, if your Mg level was at 1200, a sudden spike to 1500 would work. Does anyone have any information on this, OR is it actually a specific Mg level that must be reached? If it's the sudden spike, that has a negative impact on the bryopsis, it seems that no matter how high you raise your Mg, if you do it slowly, it won't work. How long does the high level of Mg need to be sustained?

So, I'm about to start treating, with Kent Tech M, in my 200. My Mg level is at 1275, currently, using Randy's 2 part. My question is, how should I go about this treatment? Should I attempt to raise it to 1500-1600 quickly, say over 3 days? Another question...once I get to, say 1600, does it drop quickly? I'm planning on buying 2 gallons. I'm wondering if this will be enough to cover the initial doses, to raise the Mg, and then to sustain it at that level?

Ugh, it's going to take almost 1.5 gallons, just to get me there!!!

 

[redfishsc]

Sid, things work differently for different folks. I know in my system I had nearly a 50/50 mix of seawater and Kent Tech M in my tank (well... ok.... that's an exaggeration) and the bryopsis eventually developed a resistance to whatever is in Tech M. It did die back but came back again.



Other folks report that all they had to do was say the phrase "Tech M" and the stuff wilted out of fear.


If you do choose to use the sudden "shock" method, be prepared to move your more sensitive corals AND euphyllias to a different system--- especially frogspawn. I've found some varieties of frogspawn to be very sensitive to Tech M.


And keep in mind it's not the magnesium. The active "herbicide" that's in Tech M is a mystery and likely does not last long in our systems--- so that even several weeks after dosing, your mag levels may still be high, but the active bryopsis killer is probably long gone. Water changes are due then to drop the mag level over the course of a week or two.

 

[Mental1]

After discussions with Kent what I have learned is that there is a mystery ingredient and the only way to get rid of the bryopsis for sure is to toothbrush every rock where the bryopsis was living. Or just dose for mag with Tech M. I have a terrible infestation. I just got my mag up to about 1550 and was hoping that would work. I have a 350g system so was putting in 350ml for 2 days. Now I don't know how to keep it steady without testing daily. Is there a simple answer? I know stupid question in this hobby! I know -- it depends on how much my system uses. I mostly have LPS in the 180 with some SPS. My 65 is softies. I have a RDSB, a fuge with a couple of nems in it, I run biopellets, carbon and GFO. My params are all 0 - trites,trates and phos. Sigh but I do a really good job of growing bryopsis. Came in on a piece of dry rock. Any ideas on how to keep it going? Was thinking of getting a dosing pump ....

 

[mfinn]

After discussions with Kent what I have learned is that there is a mystery ingredient and the only way to get rid of the bryopsis for sure is to toothbrush every rock where the bryopsis was living. Or just dose for mag with Tech M. I have a terrible infestation. I just got my mag up to about 1550 and was hoping that would work. I have a 350g system so was putting in 350ml for 2 days. Now I don't know how to keep it steady without testing daily. Is there a simple answer? I know stupid question in this hobby! I know -- it depends on how much my system uses. I mostly have LPS in the 180 with some SPS. My 65 is softies. I have a RDSB, a fuge with a couple of nems in it, I run biopellets, carbon and GFO. My params are all 0 - trites,trates and phos. Sigh but I do a really good job of growing bryopsis. Came in on a piece of dry rock. Any ideas on how to keep it going? Was thinking of getting a dosing pump ....

I doubt that even a wire brush would remove all traces of the bryopsis from live rock.
Now that you have the mag level up ( I ran mine up to 1800) it's going to be easier to keep it up. But I do think it is a test and dose thing.
Not sure a automatic dose system would be a good idea.

 

[Mental1]

I am not sure either about the automatic dosing but according to the Kent folks the "herbicide" is out of the tank in as little as a few days and at the longest, a couple of weeks.

There is no way I could ever successfully toothbrush bryopsis out of my tanks. So that's why I figure I will be a Tech M user for the life of the tank. The problem is that I travel and cannot trust additives to anyone at home -- my husband would give me one of those looks if I asked. So I am thinking about a really slow drip -- maybe on a timer? If I take the next few weeks when I am not traveling and test my uptake a lot perhaps I could figure it out?

 

[redfishsc]

I don't know if a slow drip would work or not--- but definitely worth a try.

Tech M doesn't always give a 100% elimination. In my case, long term, it was nearly useless ($75 later in Tech M). It killed it back some but the stuff always returned, even if I scrubbed.

I doubt that even a wire brush would remove all traces of the bryopsis from live rock.
Now that you have the mag level up ( I ran mine up to 1800) it's going to be easier to keep it up. But I do think it is a test and dose thing.
Not sure a automatic dose system would be a good idea.

Just want to say 100% agreed with every sentence. Wire brush against bryopsis is like swatting at a swarm of locusts with a push broom.

 

[Mental1]

My understanding with the toothbrush is that you do it after the Tech M has killed it back. Some have reported success that way. I will see what happens with my tank - I hope it works.

 

[mfinn]

My understanding with the toothbrush is that you do it after the Tech M has killed it back. Some have reported success that way. I will see what happens with my tank - I hope it works.

Outside of the tank,,,,right?

 

[redfishsc]

Definitely outside the tank, preferably outside the house, and if possible, outside of city limits.:hammer:

 

[ebross67]

I've tried the tech-m route with little success. This bryopsis algae is resilient. The only method was to remove the rock infected, and dry it, sand it (Dremel), bleach it, and cook it for 30 days. I put it back in my tank and no signs of bryopsis. This would work for a small infestation, but not a complete take over of the tank. It would be easier to start over.

 

[mfinn]

I was able to beat it ( now for approx. 6 months) using the Tech M method in my 240.
So it works for some and not so for others.

 

[Mental1]

I guess the thing is that you have to keep using the Tech M or else it will come back. Kent says it is gone from some tanks in a matter of days -- other several weeks. There are many different kinds of bryopsis or hair algae too. I have to get a new test kit -- my mag is up to 1600 but no signs of decay. I hope it weakens it and the tangs go to town on it. Fingers crossed. I will use the Tech M as my mag supplement if this works. Here's a picture of one part of my infestation.

 

[mfinn]

I guess the thing is that you have to keep using the Tech M or else it will come back. .

Once it died in my tank, it hasn't come back.
I stopped using the Tech M 6 months ago.