Effects of increased MG

[Allmost]

Hello all
so one of my friends tank has some bad algea growing, and its killing his cheato to get food, I know the solution is to jack up him MG, but want to make sure, as we recently filled his tank up with SPS frags from my tank, would elevated MG levels have any bad effects ?

maybe the coraline would look more pale or growth lessens, but I cant think of any other side effects, anyone ?

MG is right now about 1350, will be increasing it to 1500 PPM

thanks anyone with any opinion on this :)

[Stuart60611]

Not sure of any other effects, but it is my understanding that raising MG only works with killing birospysis (sp?) and not other other common algaes, like debersia. Someone please correct me if I am wrong b/c I keep reading suggestions from others to raise MG to battle algae problems when I think it only works with the foregoing species.

[Allmost]

yea not sure of the name of the algea, but I have removed them before in my tank using elevated MG, but at that time I was new and didnt have any corals.
(nor did I care for coralline :P )

[thebanker]

From what I understand, it isn't the Magnesium level that kills bryopsis. There is an impurity in the manufacturing process of Kent Marine Tech M, and it's that impurity that kills the bryopsis.

What does your friend's algae problem look like? How is it "killing" his chaeto? Something must be off...

[Allmost]

From what I understand, it isn't the Magnesium level that kills bryopsis. There is an impurity in the manufacturing process of Kent Marine Tech M, and it's that impurity that kills the bryopsis.

What does your friend's algae problem look like? How is it "killing" his chaeto? Something must be off...

excuse my broken English :)

by killing I mean, its growing, taking nutritions and not letting cheato grow ... I cant think of the correct word lol I guess they are competing and the bad algea is winning lol

I have had the same algea before, looks like hair algea but not quite hairy, lol and I know my solution will kill it, just need to know if elevated MG would have any side effects on the corals.

[glextank]

I don't think so. I was looking into this as well, and the anecdotal advice said that they were able to keep it at 15-1600 with no problems to corals or fish. I have not done this myself, but I would feel comfortable doing it in my own tank.

[thebanker]

The Mg level should be fine w/ the corals, just make sure your friend tests for Ca++ and alk to make sure those levels remain in balance.

That being said, you may want to have your buddy use a toothbrush and siphon to remove the algae physically. Also make sure his chaeto is getting high enough light and flow to stay alive. Sometimes the toothbrush method is all you need to give nature a head-start on letting the chaeto take over... just try to keep the hair algae on the bristles of the brush, and not floating all over the place :)

[Allmost]

thanks, as I have to do everything myself, I rather give MG elevation a shot lol

will post back how it went lol thanks everyone

[thebanker]

I'm telling you man, physical removal will be the most effective. Even Algaefix Marine has it's drawbacks, and thats the only thing that really "kills" algae. You will lose chaeto if you dose that stuff though.

Been there, done that.

[Allmost]

I'm telling you man, physical removal will be the most effective. Even Algaefix Marine has it's drawbacks, and thats the only thing that really "kills" algae. You will lose chaeto if you dose that stuff though.

Been there, done that.

appreciate the reply :) I guess I can give it another try, she has no skimmer, or I would have got rid of it in one day with Zeo lol

[thebanker]

No skimmer is okay. Hook up one of your many spare canister filters to her tank, so when you brush stuff off, the canister will catch it. Nitrate sponges won't be a concern if you're only running it for a day or two.

[maysorum]

Be careful. Super high magnesium may affect your LPS and paralyze your snails. It seems boosting to 1600 won't hurt the LPS or snails.

[Allmost]

No skimmer is okay. Hook up one of your many spare canister filters to her tank, so when you brush stuff off, the canister will catch it. Nitrate sponges won't be a concern if you're only running it for a day or two.

HAHA !!!! man !!! u remember better than I did !!! that's perfect Idea, I can get her to just scrape it and put floss in the canister so if it does spread the canister would catch it and ... lol, yeaaaaa that's much better than playing the MG and then try to get back to the equilibrium again., thanks :)

[HighlandReefer]

You need to be careful when increasing your mag level more than 100 ppm at a time. All mag supplements contain heavy metals, which can be toxic to coral at high enough levels. These heavy metals are also toxic to algae at high enough levels. Perhaps this is what actually kills the bryopsis. The problem with algae and heavy metals is that there is quite a variance in the level of heavy metals (like copper) that will kill them. Some algae will die at lower levels whereas other aglage can withstand pretty high levels. There is also interactions with heavy metals that can make them more toxic to coral and algae. Snails and invertebrates are very sensitive to heavy metals as well. :)

[thebanker]

HAHA !!!! man !!! u remember better than I did !!! that's perfect Idea, I can get her to just scrape it and put floss in the canister so if it does spread the canister would catch it and ... lol, yeaaaaa that's much better than playing the MG and then try to get back to the equilibrium again., thanks :)

I think that's going to be a better strategy. The Mg treatment for algae is on the fringe of accepted practices for dealing with that particular pest. And like Cliff said, there are some unknown heavy transition metals typically found in commercial Mg supplements. Also see if you can re-engineer her rockwork to cut out dead spots, increase flow, and cut down on the photoperiod. Just run actinics for a few days, see if the algae dies off. Also throw in some activated carbon and GFO. If she doesn't have access to a fludized bed reactor, put GFO in a bag in the canister.