lets talk about magnesium?

[mnewby]

I have a problem with Bryopsis out break in tank how much magnesium will i need to elivate it to in order to get it under controll and what dose elivated levels creat concern with corals and other marine inverts is there a danger to snailes and or shrimp or corals and sea anenomes?

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
1500ppm will slow or stop the growth. Some species of anemone will not be too happy but I haven't seen any animals die from magnesium levels that high.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[Maxx]

Interesting about the anemones Kevin....which ones have you seen not liking that high of magnesium? I typically run my magnesium around 1550 and have seen no ill effects with H.magnifica, H. crispa, or M.doreensis.

Nick

 

[travis_]

what is the cheapest way to dose magnesium? I have a firestarter block made from magnesium, could I add some shavings to my water?

 

[Maxx]

I'm sure Kevin has some mag supplements in the store he likes to use in his tanks.

Nick

 

[kevinpo]

All of the major companies make magnesium supplements. I use Kent brand often because I can get in 1 gallon bottles. I have also used a combination of magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride in dry form dissolved in RO/DI water.

Here is an article that you may find helpful:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php

Regards,
Kevin
Note: Dow Flake can be high in bromide nowadays that might be detrimental to reef corals.

 

[kevinpo]

Hi Nick,
E. quadricolor was the species that shrunk down but it did not die.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[NC2WA]

mnewby,

the only Mg product that I've found effective to fight bryopsis is Tech M by Kent.
level needs to be 1600-1800 for a couple of weeks to kill the cycle..I only have LPS and rose anemomes in my tank..there was no ill effects on them or my inverts, shrimps.

However, treehugger did have some bleaching issues with SPS..so need to be careful.

I recommend buying the 1 gallon jug from marinedepot and dose accordingly.

depending on the severity of bryopsis, it can be very hard to get under control; on severe cases, most people end up breaking down the tank and starting over as it is just too hard to fight..

Kirk

 

[GrEeN rEeFeR]

agreed. battled it for 7-9 months. finally did muriatic acid dip to all rock. had rock as good as new back into tank, give or take 48 hrs and didnt lose any inverts coral or fish. it took coralline 4 weeks to regrow onto rocks to where i can see it

 

[NC2WA]

I plan on renting a pressure washer and going to town on the algae..im also considering purchasing a UV sterlizer..

 

[GrEeN rEeFeR]

i was under impression that bryopsis is fueled by excess nutrients. and once its established it is such a good nutrient resevoir that your test kits as far as nitrate and phosphate are useless. i dont recommend getting a UV sterilizer, i have one and use it but i think its a waste of money. as for pressure washing, i thing its a bad idea, if your going to remove rock anway.......make sure its gone. pressure washer and toothbrush seem as they are removing it but in actuality you are just spreading gametes spores and it will get worst. i believe you have two options bleach or acid. but understand that if you dont find the root to this problem(there are nutrients somewhere in your tank you just need to find where) and or dont run a refugium 24hrs(out competes other macroalgaes if given light all day) it is likely to return no matter what you do

 

[NC2WA]

if the rock is OUTSIDE the tank and is cleaned thorough and then rinse in RO water that is thrown away before it is placed back in the tank, how are the gametes spread?? I dont see the logic...

 

[GrEeN rEeFeR]

well thank goodness its relatively simple. the same reason you use live rock, porous in nature for good quick bacteria growth, is the same pores and holes that these invisible to the eye gametes( not actually at all, asexual reproduction is why this is able to spread so quickly) get lodged in when you blast the rock with high pressure or brush it with toothbrush. i am simply telling you from a year battle of bryopsis with many different methods if not all of them used. what i found is if you do not completely resolve the issue of bryopsis in your tank, you are fighting a never ending battle. also it is in your sand, ur pumps ur skimmer ur UV ur powerheads ur overflow etc...... even though it is not readily visible in all these places. i just hate to see fellow reefers spend time fighting something that, A. should have been controlled (Nutrients) before you posted, its undoubtedly too late. and B. spending money and time on **** that aint gonna work long term when it could be spent on **** that is gonna work in the long run

 

[mnewby]

well seem to be dieing off now and all the fish seems to be eating at it to now magnesium most add flavor or change it cause the fish are grazing on it really good two rabit fish three powder blue tangs and some damsels

 

[Aquanaut]

tough to treat

Best to add plenty of emerald crabs mine was pretty bad w/ byropsis and the crabs licked it in 3 Months. After struggeling for years to get chemistry up and dosing Gallons of Mag & reef builder, I bit the bullet to add a GEO 618 Calc reactor. Mag 1500 and DKH 12 reamain high w/ no further add. of chem. Still have to Kalk...SPS are very hungry. Still can't get above 320.

Deb

I have a problem with Bryopsis out break in tank how much magnesium will i need to elivate it to in order to get it under controll and what dose elivated levels creat concern with corals and other marine inverts is there a danger to snailes and or shrimp or corals and sea anenomes?

 

[morgan]

did u say 3 pbt!! thats cool