Bryopsis solution verified
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I've not completely read through this thread yet but here's my two cents worth. I had a severe outbreak of bryopsis that covered the entire overflow wall and back glass in my 93 cube. It's also on some rocks. I dosed heavily with SeaChem's Advantage Magnesium (purchased from Jenn) and within a few days, the bryopsis on the back glass and overflow wall was completely gone! I changed nothing else in my tank. When checked, ammonia, nitrate, nitrites, phosphates were all undetectable (I do run a denitrator too). I was not running any other materials (ARM, GFO, LSM, Carbon, etc) at the time. There is still some hanging around on the rocks though. All in all, this process killed about 90% of what was growing.
Now I'm switching to TechM to see if it will clear up the remainder. I don't know why the bryopsis on the glass died first and that on the rocks is still lingering on.
And.....if copper is the ingredient that is doing the trick here...why not just dose copper in the tank?
Now I'm gonna finish reading the thread if I can stay awake that long.
Now I'm switching to TechM to see if it will clear up the remainder. I don't know why the bryopsis on the glass died first and that on the rocks is still lingering on.
And.....if copper is the ingredient that is doing the trick here...why not just dose copper in the tank?
Now I'm gonna finish reading the thread if I can stay awake that long.
dawgdude;565601 wrote: Because this is Atlanta Reef Club and not Atlanta FOWLER ClubCopper will kill inverts and corals which is why its run in fish only systems. I am not so sure its the copper in the Tech M. I heard rumblings that it was another ingredient but who knows. I wonder how Seachem is coming along with that bryopsis preventative they were developing.
You know what would be REALLY interesting. Get your water tested by Aquarium Water Testing before you start treatment and then again after you do the treatment and see what levels (aside from Magnesium) are raised from the dosing.
Here is the list of trace elements in Tech M below. Take your pick. My vote is on copper. But Charlie, your guess is as good as mine!
The amount of Cu is probably so minute that it does not kill corals. Copper is the active ingredient in freshwater algaecides, and one of the side effects I noticed in my reef when I treated with Tech M is the loss of some snails, which are particularly sensitive to copper.
Deionized water containing the following elements (as ions): 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.
Also be sure to up the water changes. Stuff is dying and needs to be removed from the system. Doing the same fitration and additionally adding more nutrients will only be a temp fix and will eventually feed the algae back into a healthy population.
Copper-Hmmmm. Agree with Charlie. Please send a before and after water treatment off. I'll pitch in on shipping to see results
Copper-Hmmmm. Agree with Charlie. Please send a before and after water treatment off. I'll pitch in on shipping to see results
Just remember, there is copper in seawater as a natural trace element. So coral reefs are able to grow and thrive in whatever copper concentration occurs naturally. The behavior of the bryopsis and the effects on inverts like snails fit in with the copper model, but again, nothing I can prove.
But I seriously doubt that it is magnesium, sulfur, or chlorine that is killing the bryopsis. If it was we wouldn't need to pay $30 a gallon for Tech M. You could kill the bryopsis in a large aquarium for just a few dollars if that were the case. If not copper, then one of the other 16-17 traces mentioned.
But I seriously doubt that it is magnesium, sulfur, or chlorine that is killing the bryopsis. If it was we wouldn't need to pay $30 a gallon for Tech M. You could kill the bryopsis in a large aquarium for just a few dollars if that were the case. If not copper, then one of the other 16-17 traces mentioned.
No nothing we can prove but I think you guys are onto it. You are right copper is in trace elements of sea water. Really think that is a big key in this if not the key.
Always wondered why macro in a fuge hasn't been affected? Maybe it has. Anyone report this before?
Like I said I would happily go in on shipping for a full scale test on this.
As far as us dosing and measuring with our standard kits I still think it would turn it into The Atlanta Fowlr Club as jokingly mentioned.
Always wondered why macro in a fuge hasn't been affected? Maybe it has. Anyone report this before?
Like I said I would happily go in on shipping for a full scale test on this.
As far as us dosing and measuring with our standard kits I still think it would turn it into The Atlanta Fowlr Club as jokingly mentioned.
huttongd...in this case we're talking about adding a magnesium supplement that you would use anyways to increase your Mg levels. It's just that there's something about Tech-M that is highly effective on bryopsis.
What's starting to be questioned is what exactly is it in Tech-M that does the job....
What's starting to be questioned is what exactly is it in Tech-M that does the job....
There is no way anyone here is advising anyone to dose copper directly to a reef tank, just to be very clear on this. The $64 question is what trace element in the Tech M is killing the bryopsis, like Oil_Fan said?
I got rid of bryopsis in my system using Tech M about a year ago and it has not returned. I am very careful about inspecting the corals I add for bryopsis now, in addition to dipping in Coral Rx and an Interceptor bath.
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I'll have my tech m Wednesday, my bropsys is contained right now (low nutrients, nuke with alk and superglue), my mag is at 1400. Dave, please pm me exactly all the details with regards to how you used it? Do you think this was an issue when your corals started to bleach? What level and how fast did u raise it to?
Appeciate it!
Ahh, yeah, reading back through this morning, this post makes more since. It's been a while since I've had to add magnesium to my tank . . . maybe my Gainesville City water just has a lot maybe. IDK, but I've not had to add it since I moved here and began using this water. I also changed salt at the same time so maybe my reef salt mixture just has enough magnesium? I guess I've just been really lucky and never had to fight bryopsis either which I'm very thankful for.
This is the method that worked for me. Of course, you follow these at your own risk, etc.
1. Get enough Tech M to do the job. Do not use mag sulfate or mag chloride to raise the mag level so you don't have to use as much Tech M. If you do this you are not adding the trace element or whatever is in the Tech M that actually kills the Bryopsis. Start from whatever your mag level is and raise it only using Tech M.
2. Get a quality test kit, like an Elos or a Salifert. Test every day when you are raising mag levels and when you are maintaining mag levels. Salifert test kits only read to 1500 ppm, so when you know your mag levels are over 1500, you add 1 ml of the #3 reagent and then draw up another 1 ml per the instructions. When you get the color change, reference the chart for the ppm, then add 1500 to this for the total ppm.
3. If you use them, I would eliminate the use of any Poly Filters or the like during the time you are raising the Mag level to 1800 with Tech M until the time your mag level drops to 1350 as described in step 6. Poly filters can remove metals, and since no one knows, you might remove the trace element that is actually killing the bryopsis if you use poly filters. Carbon is fine.
4. Raise your magnesium with Tech M by 100 ppm/day until you reach 1800. Test every day and maintain this level in your reef for two weeks straight. Do not do any water changes during this time. If you do water changes, then make sure you add enough Tech M to the tank to maintain the mag at 1800. The idea is to get enough exposure time at that level so whatever trace element is killing the Bryopsis has enough time to work.
The 1800 mag level is an indirect indicator of the concentration whatever trace element in the Tech M is killing the Bryopsis. Length of exposure at the right concentration seems to be the key to eliminating vs just suppressing the Bryopsis.
5. If you have a lot of Bryopsis in your tank, manually remove as much as possible when it starts to weaken and die. This will eliminate/minimize an ammonia spike that can result from the decaying Bryopsis.
6. After you have maintained a mag level of 1800 for two weeks, start doing your normal water changes. Do not do them more often that usual. You will have elevated magnesium levels for a period after wards, several weeks probably. This is not an issue. Let the level come back to the normal 1350 or so thru regular water changes and use by the corals.
7. Possible effects on animals and corals. I had some turbo snails die in the time my mag levels were elevated. I also had some montiporas lightly bleach on me, but they recovered quickly. I lost no SPS, LPS or soft corals as a result of using Tech M in the manner I have just described.
Again, please keep in mind that the above regimen worked for me. Know that Kent Tech M is not manufactured or intended by Kent Marine as an algaecide against Bryopsis. The effect of Tech M on Bryopsis is a side effect of this product when it is used at a much higher than normal concentration, so all treatment regimens for Bryopsis by me or anyone else are based on anecdotal experience only.
1. Get enough Tech M to do the job. Do not use mag sulfate or mag chloride to raise the mag level so you don't have to use as much Tech M. If you do this you are not adding the trace element or whatever is in the Tech M that actually kills the Bryopsis. Start from whatever your mag level is and raise it only using Tech M.
2. Get a quality test kit, like an Elos or a Salifert. Test every day when you are raising mag levels and when you are maintaining mag levels. Salifert test kits only read to 1500 ppm, so when you know your mag levels are over 1500, you add 1 ml of the #3 reagent and then draw up another 1 ml per the instructions. When you get the color change, reference the chart for the ppm, then add 1500 to this for the total ppm.
3. If you use them, I would eliminate the use of any Poly Filters or the like during the time you are raising the Mag level to 1800 with Tech M until the time your mag level drops to 1350 as described in step 6. Poly filters can remove metals, and since no one knows, you might remove the trace element that is actually killing the bryopsis if you use poly filters. Carbon is fine.
4. Raise your magnesium with Tech M by 100 ppm/day until you reach 1800. Test every day and maintain this level in your reef for two weeks straight. Do not do any water changes during this time. If you do water changes, then make sure you add enough Tech M to the tank to maintain the mag at 1800. The idea is to get enough exposure time at that level so whatever trace element is killing the Bryopsis has enough time to work.
The 1800 mag level is an indirect indicator of the concentration whatever trace element in the Tech M is killing the Bryopsis. Length of exposure at the right concentration seems to be the key to eliminating vs just suppressing the Bryopsis.
5. If you have a lot of Bryopsis in your tank, manually remove as much as possible when it starts to weaken and die. This will eliminate/minimize an ammonia spike that can result from the decaying Bryopsis.
6. After you have maintained a mag level of 1800 for two weeks, start doing your normal water changes. Do not do them more often that usual. You will have elevated magnesium levels for a period after wards, several weeks probably. This is not an issue. Let the level come back to the normal 1350 or so thru regular water changes and use by the corals.
7. Possible effects on animals and corals. I had some turbo snails die in the time my mag levels were elevated. I also had some montiporas lightly bleach on me, but they recovered quickly. I lost no SPS, LPS or soft corals as a result of using Tech M in the manner I have just described.
Again, please keep in mind that the above regimen worked for me. Know that Kent Tech M is not manufactured or intended by Kent Marine as an algaecide against Bryopsis. The effect of Tech M on Bryopsis is a side effect of this product when it is used at a much higher than normal concentration, so all treatment regimens for Bryopsis by me or anyone else are based on anecdotal experience only.
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This thread is worthy of a sticky!
