bryopsis!!!!

[di0nysus]

i seem to have this pest algae in my tank and it wont go away its very fustrating... i read up on raising mag to 1600ppm should cure the problem but it says nothing about it affecting corals.
do you think it will be fine for my corals if i were to raise mag to cure the problem?

 

[Lotus]

The corals should be fine, but you may lose some snails/crabs from the high mag. Make sure you add it gradually over a number of days.

 

[Chris_A]

So I don't know this for sure but I think raising your Mg levels that high will have some effect on your calcium and alkalinity. Something or another will probably precipitate out of solution and it will probably be the Mg. My gut says you would also have to raise the Ca and Alk propotionately, at the same time.

Really, I don't think I would do it. But if you are going to try please do post the results!

Chris

 

[Lotus]

It's a fairly well established way to get rid of bryopsis. You won't need to increase your ca. and alk. with it, but they generally stay high with the increased mag.

I hope you're sure it is bryopsis, though. Increasing mag won't affect hair algae or caulerpa.

 

[quaddity]

I thought hair algae was a type of bryopsis? I had a hair algae problem for a while it started to decrease as the chaeto in the refug took most of the nutrients I think. Then I got lucky and added a yellow tang that loves all algae. It's always ripping hair algae out and eating it.

 

[Lotus]

Hair algae is not the same as bryopsis. A tang won't eat bryopsis. Hair algae is a single filament algae, bryopsis is a higher plant, I believe. It isn't easy to pull off rocks, and most fish/inverts won't eat it. With bryopsis, the usual methods of nutrient control won't help.

 

[di0nysus]

the majority of my cuc are hermit crabs, so if i go this route with the +mag i could wipe them all out?

 

[Lotus]

It's possible that some will die. I think crabs are less affected than snails, but it is a risk.