Roland Jacques
Premium Member
These contents dont have enough info to tell me what it is. Maybe a chemist would be able to tell how much of it Epsom salt. It sounds like saltwater to me.
Finally an easy solution to bryopsis!
- Thread starter TWallace
- Start date
These contents dont have enough info to tell me what it is. Maybe a chemist would be able to tell how much of it Epsom salt. It sounds like saltwater to me.
Peter Eichler
New member
You would have to use obscene amounts if epsom slats to "poison" it with suphate... I boosted my Mg by nearly 1000ppm with an accidental overodse of Epsom salts (I now more clearly label my supplements so I don't confuse them with topoff water :lol
. I didn't even realize I had done it until over a week later, and there were no visible signs of stress in any of the inhabitants. I think the only thing that has even been said about using Epsom salts exclusively as a Mg supplement is that is creates an imbalance that's not natural. I can assure you that imbalances with various elements exists in just about every reef aquarium out there.
Peter Eichler
New member
The only info I've seen relating to elevated Mg levels is the claim that levels above 8000 ppm will aid in shucking oysters. My Mg was well over 2000 ppm at one point and I saw no negative effects so most likely you bosting it another 200-300ppm with Epsom salts would be fine.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10284755#post10284755 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TWallace
I went through something similar. I tried Mag Flake in my QT and boosted mag to over 1900, no effect on bryopsis. So I ordered some more Tech M, which I knew already worked in my main system. Before adding it, I did a huge water change to lower the mag to about 1500. Then started adding Tech M. I didn't measure the mag this time, I just started dosing (it's only a QT after all, only inhabitants at the time were two astrea snails). Within days the bryopsis turned brown and started melting away. It's all gone now, and my beautiful valonia garden can be seen in all its majesty.
Now if you could only find a cure for valonia.... man I think that one would be thread of the century.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10287080#post10287080 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
You would have to use obscene amounts if epsom slats to "poison" it with suphate... I boosted my Mg by nearly 1000ppm with an accidental overodse of Epsom salts (I now more clearly label my supplements so I don't confuse them with topoff water :lol
Was your tank an all SPS tank...this would make a difference in my thoughts...
just my two cents.
Grant
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10287080#post10287080 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
You would have to use obscene amounts if epsom slats to "poison" it with suphate... I boosted my Mg by nearly 1000ppm with an accidental overodse of Epsom salts (I now more clearly label my supplements so I don't confuse them with topoff water :lol
I agree. It's the magnesium level, not the chloride level that causes bryopsis to crash. Saltwater is mostly sodium chloride, so we already have lots of chloride anions. Sulphate anions are less abundant, but certainly not harmful at these levels.
fyrfytr1717
New member
I'll be trying this starting today. Don't really have a good before picture as my bryopsis seems to be on its way out. It went from long, green, and lush to short, brown, and stubby over the past month or so just due to the addition of Tropic Marin Elimi-Phos in my sump, wetter skimming, more regular water changes (including vacuuming the SSB EACH time), plucking and removing what algae I can get to, and cutting back the feeding a little...
I do have a Lawnmower Blenny and two Turbo Snails, but they have been in there for two months and just can't keep up. Figure I'll give the Tech-M a try as I'm sure it couldn't hurt given that my Magnesium levels are lower than they should be anyways.
I do have a Lawnmower Blenny and two Turbo Snails, but they have been in there for two months and just can't keep up. Figure I'll give the Tech-M a try as I'm sure it couldn't hurt given that my Magnesium levels are lower than they should be anyways.
Roland Jacques
Premium Member
Anybody notice any other microalgae's effected by this high Mg method???
Peter Eichler
New member
Not all SPS but I had 4-5 different SPS at the time.
kypatriot
Premium Member
I just spent an hour reading this entire thread, when I have some major exams on Monday.
I've been battling this stuff since I added it on a rock - because I thought it was long-feather caulerpa that my tang would like to eat. It's also grown on the glass, as it has to others on here, and it's definitely bryopsis. I just got a lettuce nudibranch who is working on it for me, although too slowly it appears. I am placing an order from Foster & Smith tomorrow for some Tech-M and a test kit.
I tried to think of some possible explanations for why it works. I wonder if something in the Tech-M allows something else in the tank to grow rapidly - something like a kind of beneficial bacteria. This other thing growing could then deprive the bryopsis of a nutrient or essential element and cause it to fade.
To get a rapid change though, it would almost have to be toxic to the bryopsis directly, or stimulate something that grows very rapidly (like bacteria, which would not be even close to visible to our eyes), which then either outcompetes for nutrients or is toxic to the bryopsis.
Whatever the reason, I'm just hoping that I don't end up reporting the first failure with Tech-M. Thanks for everyone's input here - this is precisely the kind of dissemination of knowledge that makes RC such an awesome site.
Looks like I'll probably succeed in eliminating it, if long-windedness is a necessary component, huh.
I've been battling this stuff since I added it on a rock - because I thought it was long-feather caulerpa that my tang would like to eat. It's also grown on the glass, as it has to others on here, and it's definitely bryopsis. I just got a lettuce nudibranch who is working on it for me, although too slowly it appears. I am placing an order from Foster & Smith tomorrow for some Tech-M and a test kit.
I tried to think of some possible explanations for why it works. I wonder if something in the Tech-M allows something else in the tank to grow rapidly - something like a kind of beneficial bacteria. This other thing growing could then deprive the bryopsis of a nutrient or essential element and cause it to fade.
To get a rapid change though, it would almost have to be toxic to the bryopsis directly, or stimulate something that grows very rapidly (like bacteria, which would not be even close to visible to our eyes), which then either outcompetes for nutrients or is toxic to the bryopsis.
Whatever the reason, I'm just hoping that I don't end up reporting the first failure with Tech-M. Thanks for everyone's input here - this is precisely the kind of dissemination of knowledge that makes RC such an awesome site.
Looks like I'll probably succeed in eliminating it, if long-windedness is a necessary component, huh.
Travis
10 and over club
I believe it is the magnesium level that causes the bryopsis to die, not something else. Just follow the link at the beginning of this thread and you can read mojoreef's biological explanation as to why elevated magnesium levels work. But there does seem to be a different effect from using different products. Not sure what the heck the difference is. Would it be possible that one product could make the magnesium more "biologically available" (aka usable) than another product?
Neptune777
Premium Member
I don't think it is Mg exclusively that does it...rather it is higher metal concentrations in general. One thing Tech-M boasts over the DIY MG suppliments is a list of trace metals of unknown concentrations. Maybe it's not the MG at all but rather some other metal in the solution ....here is the list from the bottle: (magnesium, chlorine, sulfur, calcium, potassium, bromine, strontium, boron, fluorine, lithium, rubidium, iodine, iron, molybdenum, zinc, nickel, copper, manganese, vanadium, cesium, cobalt, tungsten, selenium, and chromium.)
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TWallace
New member
It's not just Tech M that works. I forgot the supplement, but someone else had success with some other supplement. I don't think anyone's had success with pure magnesicum chloride (Mag Flake), though. I think Peter Eichler said he used straight epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) and it worked. If I ever run into this again, I'll give epsom salt a shot to see if it works.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10298299#post10298299 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kypatriot
Is there a PhD who can get the individual ingredients of Tech-M, some grad students, and some bryopsis, and experiment with each component?
Or how about a grad student that would like a paper to publish?
I wish...look at how long a cure for acro eating flatworms is taking. Most people bury their heads in the sand to avoid talking about them or say they do not have...
This hobby tends to get easier and harder at the same time.
Grant
cichlid nutz
Well-known member
So refresh me....what is the mixture for Epsom Salt to water to make a decent additive?
cichlid nutz
Well-known member
bump
wilsonh
New member
Not quite sure how you mean cichlid nutz.
If you mean a mix that is in ionic balance, you mix 10 parts of magnesium chloride, with 1 part epsom salts, and disslove in water. This will have close to the same ionic balance as seawater.
But if you just want to use straight epsom salt as a magnesium supplement, just mix it with water, then dose to your tank as required to boost magnesium to whatever level you want. As epsom salt is Magnesium Sulphate, this will result in you getting a buildup of sulphate ions to a higher level then seawater, however as long as you don't overdo it, won't matter too much.
If you need a source of magnesium chloride, you can get really pure medical grade, fairly expensive, or less pure but very cheap grade that I use, from most swimming pool shops, around 15 bucks for a 60 lb sack.
Randall_James
Premium Member
