Acroholic's Kent Tech M Bryopsis Dosing Instructions

[skriz]

Seth The Wine Guy;598905 wrote: It's a long green fern looking things. Can get several inches. Robin thought it was Bryopsis when looking at the tank. I trust his judgement well beyond my own at identifying such things.

That description alone doesn't mean that it's Bryopsis for sure. I just got some algae introduced into my tank that I thought looked like Bryopsis. I sent a sample to the lab for ID and it came back negative for Bryopsis. If you were to look at it, it looks exactly like the photos of Bryopsis, but it's not. This would explain why some people have success erradicating it with Tech M (and other methods) and some do not.

FYI, I was almost hoping it was Bryopsis so I can test some ideas out on erradicating it. Now I'm at square one trying to figure out which method I'm going to attempt. :shout:

 

[seth the wine guy]

Seth The Wine Guy;598722 wrote: Before reading some threads on this today I was commenting to my wife that I was totally baffled at how my salinity levels had gotten so high when tested this AM. Is the salinity level really changed or is the specific gravity changed with elevated Mag levels?

I'm really baffled here. Last night I brought my salinity levels back to 1.025 over several hours. This AM I tested and it's at 1.028. There is little to no water loss and the readings were taken about 12 hours apart. Before I dump in more RODI water, I want to make sure this isn't just an oddly skewed reading as a result of the Tech M.

I'm not big on chemistry and physics but I don't think it's possible for the salinity level to go higher if there's not less H2O in the equation. Could it be that something in the Tech M bonds to the salt molecules making them seem denser/heavier? Thus throwing off the hydrometer?
I know that sea salt is comprised of Sodium Chloride. The three ingredients in Tech M areeionized Water, Magnesium Chloride and Magnesium Sulfate.

Any chemists out there to tell me what's going on? Are the two Chlorides getting together or something?

 

[lilrobb]

Put a cup of sugar in some water and test salinity - you'd be surprised...

What we measure is the refractive index of water, since we know we have saltwater in our tanks we know how to apply the scale.
Once you throw the balance off (ion-wise) you get funky readings from a refractometer...

 

[seth the wine guy]

LilRobb;598933 wrote: Put a cup of sugar in some water and test salinity - you'd be surprised...

What we measure is the refractive index of water, since we know we have saltwater in our tanks we know how to apply the scale.
Once you throw the balance off (ion-wise) you get funky readings from a refractometer...

So, should I disregard the readings or succumb to them and bring the salinity readings back to 1.025? What effects the living things in the aquarium more, specific gravity or actual salinity content?

 

[acroholic]

Seth The Wine Guy;598922 wrote: The three ingredients in Tech M areeionized Water, Magnesium Chloride and Magnesium Sulfate.

Take that label with a grain of salt (pun intended). There is more in Tech M that Mag Chloride/Mag Sulfate/and DI water.

Here is the list of ingredients (trace ions included) in Tech M from the old label they used until they put a new style label on their Tech M a year or two ago. Just because they only have three things listed, does not mean there are not traces in there. They are probably only listing what they legally have to list. I bolded what I believe to be the Bryopsis killer in the list.

http://www.aquacave.com/kent-marine-tech-m-brmagnesium-additive-143.html">http://www.aquacave.com/kent-marine-tech-m-brmagnesium-additive-143.html</a>
&gt;
Contents: deionized water containing the following elements (as ions): magnesium, chlorine, sulfur, calcium, potassium, bromine, strontium, boron, fluorine, lithium, rubidium, iodine, iron, molybdenum, zinc, nickel, [B]copper[/B], manganese, vanadium, cesium, cobalt, tungsten, selenium, and chromium.
&gt;

 

[seth the wine guy]

After close scrutiny and observation I'm disappointed to announce that what I thought were wonder snails eating any and all algae aren't. They don't eat the Bryopsis or hair algae. They do clean the heck out the the glass back wall though!

 

[markl]

Great write up dave.Im going to bookmark this just incase.

 

[acroholic]

Seth The Wine Guy;600065 wrote: After close scrutiny and observation I'm disappointed to announce that what I thought were wonder snails eating any and all algae aren't. They don't eat the Bryopsis or hair algae. They do clean the heck out the the glass back wall though!

Well, it was great to think about, Seth.

 

[acroholic]

MarkL;600074 wrote: Great write up dave.Im going to bookmark this just incase.

Glad to help...I hope you never have to use it!

 

[seth the wine guy]

Note to everyone... As I've mentioned in the thread I noticed weird reading with my salinity levels since using Tech M. The past two days I tested the salinity with a hydrometer then added 1/4 cup of Tech M to a 37g tank. I then tested the salinity just a few minutes later and it had risen from 25 to 27.
So WARNING, don't freak out and over react to high salinity readings on the tank when using this method. I would just make sure you have the salinity where you want it before you start the dosing, do the everyday top off if you don't have an ATO, and mix your salt water carefully to match. You might as well throw the refractometer or hydrometer in a drawer while dosing. It's not accurate and may lead to over reacting and salinity level problems.

 

[ralph atl]

bump for great info!

whatever you do, don't use carbon (or change carbon)....

I had Bryopsis 99% eradicated, changed my Rox carbon, it has come back with a vengeance! I'm now at Day 16.....Most of the Bryopsis is gone (75% or so) and the remaining Algae is stringy or short and spikey...This is going to take more than 2 weeks for me....(it's the curse of the Tank of the Month I tell ya!)