Treating Bryopsis with Brightwell's Hydrat-Mg
 

Came across some good information and thought to share incase it helps someone. I'm wondering if anyone has successfully treated byopsis by increasing their magnesium level?

It is a very tough algae to eradicate, since many clean-up crew will not touch it.

The first step is to ensure that you can identify it as bryopsis
(This is not from my tank ??? Got these pics from another site)

Bryopsis looks like green hair algae from a distance
http://www.reefcleaners.org/images/n...ts/bstreep.jpg

and up close, it has a feather-like appearance
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...9/IMG_3176.jpg

I have read many threads about treating it by increasing magnesium levels to 1800 ppm and holding it there until the tips start to die and wilt away, sometimes it takes a few weeks.

People recommend using either Kent Tech-M or Brightwell's Magnesium.
I found some Brightwell's Magnesion-P and thought I would contact Brightwell to find verify the proper dosing for my water volume and whether this would actually work.

Chris Brightwell is the marine scientist and president of Brightwell. He corresponded to my question and recommended that I not use the Magnesion-P formulation and instead use Brightwell's Hydrate-Mg.

http://www.brightwellaquatics.com/pr...hydratemgt.php

Not sure if I will do it, since my problem isn't too bad, but just curious about others thoughts? I have read that many who have utilized this treatment experienced no adverse events with their sps, etc.

I've never heard of using Brightwell's product for that. The only one I've heard of was the Tech-M. It seems as though the effect is related to an impurity in the supplement and not the actual magnesium since increasing the mag with pure magnesium chloride and sulfate has been shown to have no effect.

If the Brightwell product turns out to work, please let us know. That may help us try to nail down the actual mechanism at work here.

I had a run in w byprosis and lucked out by just running gfo and plucking at it or getting after the affected rock with a toothbrush. Getting at it early is my answer.

I think it still is an impurity found within the hydrated formulation of the magnesium, (not anhydrous).
It's possible that Kent-M might consist of a hydrated formulation too?

Here is some information from the labeling...


Technical Background

In some instances, marine and reef aquarists may find it beneficial to maintain the magnesium concentration in their aquaria within a range of 1,500 - 1,800 ppm for prolonged periods of time. The period of time will vary between systems and is completely dependant upon the magnesium concentration that is maintained, as well as the extent to which maintaining the magnesium at an elevated concentration is associated with obtaining the desired results.


Additionally, evidence suggests that the specific magnesium salts utilized are important to obtaining the desired results. Hydrāt-Mg is a concentrated magnesium solution that makes use of these specific, hydrated (not anhydrous) magnesium salts, in proper ionic ratios. Brightwell Aquatics Magnesion and Magnesion-P are composed of anhydrous magnesium salts, which offer greater purity than hydrated salts; Magnesion is also more concentrated than Hydrāt-Mg. Regardless, the conditions that would dictate that the magnesium concentration in a reef system be maintained within a range of 1,500 - 1,800 ppm are, in most cases, more rapidly addressed with Hydrāt-Mg than with magnesium supplements composed of anhydrous salts. Choosing to maintain an elevated [Mg2+] for an extended period of time assumes that the aquarist understands the impacts and potential risks that doing so can have on a marine aquarium.

I was really frustrated by byprosis a few weeks ago to the extent that I have 2gallons of kent tech m standing by. As I mentioned, the gfo and diligence seem to have knocked it out or at.least WAY back.

What???? That's from Brightwell???

He says that the hyradted salts get you to those levels quicker? Am I reading that right? I think he misspelled "You'll buy more product and I'll make more money"

I think I see now why Randy doesn't speak well of him.

The only difference between using hydrated or anhydrous salts in water is how much you use. You'll use a lot more by weight of the hydrated product. But the instant it hits the water there is no longer any chemical difference.

The only way that makes sense is if the sulfate to chloride ratio were different and he's talking about not throwing something off with the large bump in mag. But then why is he talking about hydrated vs. anhydrous then? He should be clear about that if it is the case.

I agree that the "technical background" doesn't make any sense. I'd stick with Tech-M, although we don't know what's actually killing the Bryopsis, if anything.