Bryopsis-Trying to not Give Up!

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
I've not had much fun today surfing the net trying to figure out what I can do to get rid of the Bryopsis that has reared it's devilish head in my tank. :confused:
I've read on other forums (which I hate doing because they all talk mean to each other :mad:) all the bad news about Bryopsis. I'm starting this thread here at RS because I'd like to journal my experience from the beginning & hope it has a happy ending. I don't know yet if that's going to happen. If anyone has dealt with Bryopsis & can share here what you did that worked & didn't work...I would appreciate the input.

This little frag started out looking like it was growing a little GHA
4a640b0785f1dbfef20e79f935c7a711_zpsb82310db.jpg

I took it out of the tank, plucked the algae & put it back in...about a week later the above picture is what it looked like. I took it out then & trashed it.
Had noticed a little more green sprigs on a top LR...when on vacation for 8 days & come back to find this big blob of Bryopsis

Just makes me feel ill :waa:

Got out my old (was new but has never been opened) Red Sea Magnesium Pro Test Kit
And I can't figure out how to do this STUPID TEST :dunce:
So is there an easier to do Mg test??
...I only tried once but I am already frustrated that it is not easier to do. I will need to be testing my Mg every day as soon as my Kent Tech-M arrives.
From what I've read Tech-M is the only hope to get rid of this Bryposis that is growing in my tank.

I have too much to lose to let it win. I have corals & fish depending on me to take care of them.
I can't tear it all down with no place for them to go :(
I'll have lots of questions as this tread grows, I need help cause I'm feeling clueless right now.
Has anyone used a simpler Mg test than Red Sea Pro?
 

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
no 1st hand experience but a search suggest many like the Salifert Mag test & consider it pretty easy to use. See what others think...
 

Surfnut

Active Member
Depending on the size of your tank, get a Sea Hare or Dwarf Sea Hare: Or Several Dwarf Sea Hares. Irregardless Sea Hares are the only critter I have found that have consistently eaten every type of nuisance algae that rears it's ugly head; Even Bryopsis.

I had 3 sea dwarf sea hares in my 120g reef setup. They were more then enough to keep keep my tank free of unwanted algae. Including the nasty bryopsis outbreak that necessitated the sea hare's introduction it the first place.

I've generally seen both types priced around $25-$40
 

reefer gladness

Well-Known Member
Tech-M worked for me, or at least I think it did. I have an urchin but honestly don't think it ever touched the stuff so I give credit to raising mag.

Salifert is a little faster than the RS test kit from what I remember. RS kit you have to swirl 30 seconds after each of 5 drops where Salifert just asks you to swirl 30 seconds after putting all 5 drops in so its like maybe 2 or 3 minutes faster. I'd keep using the RS test kit until it runs out.
 

Coraljunkie

Well-Known Member
I tried the tech m but I believe it's reformulated, it turned the stuff brown but that's it. If you go this route make sure you remove carbon. I wish you luck
 

Snid

Active Member
Man... All this Bryopsis showing up in everyone's tanks is making me nervous! I like the idea of the sea hare. Just watching them in the LFS is entertaining, especially the one I saw that was the size of an air breathing hare. I tried talking them into letting my borrow it for a couple of days to eat my GHA, LOL!
 

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
I can't really start doing anything until I get some of the Kent Tech M. I have some ordered (not near enough from what I've been reading tho :( )
Things that are concerning to me right now are:
Will it wipe out my refugium of all the chaeto & red dragons breath macro algaes that are growing?
I have no where to re-locate them unless I go buy a new set up. Maybe like a 20 gal tank w/a HOB filter?
I will get some plans started tomorrow. I'm worried for my micro-brittle stars, snails, pods...ect :(
I could just take my refugium off-line & add a HOB to it :ponder2:
The only thing I know for sure is:
I will be glad when I'm past all this!!!
 

Snid

Active Member
Wait... Diana... Don't you have a QT somewhere? Could you move the good algae and some of the little guys into there temporarily?
 

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
I have a 10gal. tank that I could fill with tank water & add a HOB filter to....just thinking about the taking of my refugium off line to save sand bed snails & micro-brittle stars. I could easily relocate any snails that I see struggling. I don't want to lose my 2 Mexican Turbos....I've had them over a year :( kinda can't stand the thought of any of my creatures dying :(
 

Snid

Active Member
Why not try a dwarf sea hare or two first and have the Kent Tech M on standby as an alternative? I honestly don't know what the best option is, just reminding you that there are options. Hate seeing you going through this, and I can tell it is really stressing you out.

I have a couple of Caribbean Lettuce Sea Slugs that I got to help eat the GHA (they don't eat Bryopsis that I'm aware of). Originally my wife was like "Why are you getting slugs?" Now she loves them and always gets upset when she can't find one of them. You might have a similar reaction to a dwarf sea hare.
 

Mr.Reeefer

Member
Hey mate,

Remember giving up is not an option!

You'll beat it, just stay calm, think and try.

I look forward to reading about how you exterminated it.

Take care
 

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
I appreciate you guys!! Thanks Glenn for the link & Brock & Capt' Snid...you make me feel less alone with this.
I can't believe that a couple of algae spots are causing so much drama & fear in my head :stars:
I don't like the idea of adding anything alive (especial things the are listed as "difficult" care level") to my tank when I'm about to make the parameters far less than ideal. :(
What would be very good to know is: Has Kent changed their formulation on the Tech-M?
I have read that they may have & I have NOT been able to find any reading newer than 2011-2012 that suggests there has been success using the Kent Tech-M to kill Bryopsis.
I don't know how except maybe calling Kent Marine to find out & then will they even tell me honestly?
Too many "I don't knows" right now :confused:
 

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
Just got off of the telephone with Kent Marine Tech Support.
The technical support seems to be good & knowledgable :yehoo:
Said "They have NEVER changed the Kent Tech-M formulation"
I thought this was VERY GOOD NEWS! :)
Gives me a little more hope that it might work anyway.
Still scary & I still need to learn how to use a test kit for Mg
 

PSU4ME

JoePa lives on!!!
Staff member
PREMIUM
Salifert Test kit.......use the Tech M and you're set. I had some strands coming out and raised it to only 1500 and it melted away in 4 days. Don't jump all the way up to 1800 unless you need to.
 

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
Thank you Bryan!! That is very good to know & I appreciate all you can share about what I'm doing.
I plan on going to the not so LFS tomorrow to try & find some Tech M & an additional test kit to get started.
I will leave my refugium on-line for at least the initial dose as I don't think it will hurt it.
After that, I don't know. Also going to do a reg. WC & save the water from it to set up a tank in case I need to move stressed stuff out of my DT.
Should I leave the rock w/obvious Bryopsis in place as it is until I see it showing signs of dying?
I have a dremel tool on stand by but I don't want to take a chance of fragging off strands.
The rock can be moved out of the DT & I could treat it seperate but I'm afraid that my whole tank really needs to be treated. Here's what's on the LR that can't be removed:
1056dc2c-3a4b-4906-a506-cef7f96ee336_zps9089debf.jpg

I think everything else can be taken off.
No matter how many rinses with HP....still afraid of messing with the Bryopsis until it's weakened.
 

coralrama

Member
I just found a patch in my tank too! I have magnesium and the test kit so will start to raise it today....

The sea hare is a possibility but u hardly have any algae in my tank at all except for the bryopsis so I fear it would starve.

Here's my glamour shot
du6ute9y.jpg


We're gonna beat this thing together Diana!
 
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