Bryopsis Algae Control.

B1N4RY · 09/04/2013, 12:40 AM

It looks like the reef keeping gods have decided to test me with as many of the most common problems in starting a marine reef aquarium as possible. Now although I purchase Nutri-SeaWater as my already mixed saltwater I don't have an RO/DI unit (I just purchased one and I am waiting for it to be delivered) so my top off water for evaporation has been coming from my Poland Spring Water Dispenser. No I know bad me for not using RO/DI water from the start but it is what it is. So, this has contributed to a big Bryopsis Algae bloom in my aquarium. Although as pretty as it looked swaying back and forth in the aquarium I did notice how rapidly it was spreading on the rock. So I looked for the most natural solution possible, while avoiding solutions such as raising magnesium levels to extremely high levels. I think some of the many mistakes we make in this hobby, and I am by no means excluded from this is that we look to quick remedies to get fast results for issues in the aquarium. I am trying desperately to avoid this.

I did some research online and found that other hobbyist have had success in naturally removing the Bryopsis Algae using Mexican Turbo Snails and Lettuce Nudibranch. So I headed to Maximum Reef Aquatics in Yonkers, New York and they just happen to have some of the most beautiful looking Lettuce Nudibranchs and some almost gold ball sized Mexican Turbo Snails. So I purchased them and off I went with my solution in hand. After a drip acclimation period of about 1 hour for each species I placed them in my aquarium and they all went to work. It has been three days since I introduced them into my aquarium and 50% of the Bryopsis is gone. At this rate I will have to start supplementing their diet with Algae sheets by the end of the week.

Whiterabbitrage · 09/04/2013, 12:45 AM

Good luck with your Nudibrachs! They are great. And good for you for seeking a natural solution.

B1N4RY · 09/04/2013, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whiterabbitrage

Good luck with your Nudibrachs! They are great. And good for you for seeking a natural solution.

Thank you. They are doing well so far and I hope they continue that way.

terrypercula · 09/04/2013, 05:19 AM

You may have to supplement their diet when the natural food source runs out. They are great though.

Eric45 · 09/04/2013, 10:12 AM

What are your phosphate and nitrate levels? Might be better to treat the problem rather than a symptom.

B1N4RY · 09/04/2013, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrypercula

You may have to supplement their diet when the natural food source runs out. They are great though.

I figured that much. They are really pretty.

B1N4RY · 09/04/2013, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric45

What are your phosphate and nitrate levels? Might be better to treat the problem rather than a symptom.

My Nitrates are currently 2.5 ppm down from 10 ppm last week and my phosphates are 0.25 ppm down from 5 ppm last week. I currently use Poland Spring filtered water as my top off water and I figure that is where the Phosphates are coming from. As for as Nitrates my aquarium is just nearing the end of the cycle.

Michigan Mike · 09/04/2013, 11:51 PM

Pure top up water is very important. Every day when you top up you add more and more TDS (and whatever else) to the system.

RO/DI may be a good idea to combat the compounding of whatever bad stuff is in your top up water.

Also running more GFO may help.

FlyPenFly · 09/05/2013, 12:19 AM

good luck

B1N4RY · 09/05/2013, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michigan Mike

Pure top up water is very important. Every day when you top up you add more and more TDS (and whatever else) to the system.

RO/DI may be a good idea to combat the compounding of whatever bad stuff is in your top up water.

Also running more GFO may help.

I know... it was really dumb of me to make sure everything else was in place and hope that the Poland Spring water would work for a few. But we all make mistakes and I have made more than my fair share on this setup. I actually have a unit on its way currently.

B1N4RY · 09/05/2013, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyPenFly

good luck

Thank you.

NYCBOB · 09/05/2013, 05:14 AM

have u looked at dolabella seahare?

B1N4RY · 09/05/2013, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYCBOB

have u looked at dolabella seahare?

Is this for the Bryopsis or the Unknown Nudibranch.

Twistofer · 09/05/2013, 07:36 AM

It is a sea slug. They are good for algae control, but Don't live very long.

Eric45 · 09/05/2013, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B1N4RY

My Nitrates are currently 2.5 ppm down from 10 ppm last week and my phosphates are 0.25 ppm down from 5 ppm last week. I currently use Poland Spring filtered water as my top off water and I figure that is where the Phosphates are coming from. As for as Nitrates my aquarium is just nearing the end of the cycle.

Your phosphates are too high and algae problems will continue until you get it down. Try running gfo if you don't and reduce your hours of lighting if you use MH. And most of all, cut your feeding down. It will take a few months, but you'll see the algae disappear each week.

marietrg · 09/05/2013, 01:12 PM

I've been wrestling with bryopsis and it's still a battle. I'm winning slowly and gradually. What has worked for me is magnesium and vodka dosing. I've been using the Kent Tech-M solution like everyone posts about. Once I got my mag levels around 1600-1800 the byropsis stopped growing. Then it slowly gradually dies off. I think the vodka helps dry up its food source too which accelerates the process. I've had my mag levels around 1800 for several months and I've had a 95% reduction but there is still some left. I'm committed to keeping it elevated until its all gone.

B1N4RY · 09/05/2013, 01:54 PM

I will post a photograph later of the progress these little guys have made. I have no feeding schedule to cut down on as I only feed once a week and my RO/DI Filtration Unit for my evaporation top off water will be delivered on Monday.

B1N4RY · 09/14/2013, 01:18 PM

So it has been a few weeks since I have had some time to update everyone on my Bryopsis Algae issues that popped in up about 3 weeks ago. But I am happy to report that within a week of adding my team of three Mexican Turbo Snails and two Lettuce Nudibrachs their is no trace of the Bryopsis Algae at all and I have had to start supplementing my cleanup crews diet with dried seaweed sheets almost nightly because their appetite is so voracious. But I would rather than then further algae problems.

Bryiopsis algae issue which begin approximately 3 weeks ago in my aquarium.

A Mexican Turbo Snail eating some of the bryopsis algae within my aquarium.

B1N4RY · 09/14/2013, 01:19 PM

A Lettuce Nudibranch eating some of the bryopsis algae within my aquarium.

Bryiopsis algae issue 3 days after introducing the three Mexican Turbo Snail and two Lettuce Nudibranchs into my aquarium.

My aquarium with no visible sight of Bryopsis Algae after 1 week of introduction of the three Mexican Turbo Snails and two Lettuce Nudibranchs.

One of the Mexican Turbo Snails within my aquarium enjoying a sheet of dried seaweed as its supplemental diet.

KrisDM · 09/30/2013, 12:58 PM

Why Mg dosing treatment has to be Kent Tech M, is there a specific reason?

neuro · 09/30/2013, 10:31 PM

i don't think anyone has read your original post. i understand you're already getting the RODI which should help immensely along with water changes.

turbo snails got rid of my bryopsis within two weeks as the algae started to die off with water changes. I even placed them on top of the bryopsis and it was eating it away.

09/04/2013, 12:40 AM	#1
B1N4RY Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Bronx, New York Posts: 251	Bryopsis Algae Control. It looks like the reef keeping gods have decided to test me with as many of the most common problems in starting a marine reef aquarium as possible. Now although I purchase Nutri-SeaWater as my already mixed saltwater I don't have an RO/DI unit (I just purchased one and I am waiting for it to be delivered) so my top off water for evaporation has been coming from my Poland Spring Water Dispenser. No I know bad me for not using RO/DI water from the start but it is what it is. So, this has contributed to a big Bryopsis Algae bloom in my aquarium. Although as pretty as it looked swaying back and forth in the aquarium I did notice how rapidly it was spreading on the rock. So I looked for the most natural solution possible, while avoiding solutions such as raising magnesium levels to extremely high levels. I think some of the many mistakes we make in this hobby, and I am by no means excluded from this is that we look to quick remedies to get fast results for issues in the aquarium. I am trying desperately to avoid this. I did some research online and found that other hobbyist have had success in naturally removing the Bryopsis Algae using Mexican Turbo Snails and Lettuce Nudibranch. So I headed to Maximum Reef Aquatics in Yonkers, New York and they just happen to have some of the most beautiful looking Lettuce Nudibranchs and some almost gold ball sized Mexican Turbo Snails. So I purchased them and off I went with my solution in hand. After a drip acclimation period of about 1 hour for each species I placed them in my aquarium and they all went to work. It has been three days since I introduced them into my aquarium and 50% of the Bryopsis is gone. At this rate I will have to start supplementing their diet with Algae sheets by the end of the week.

09/04/2013, 12:45 AM	#2
Whiterabbitrage Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,338 Blog Entries: 1	Good luck with your Nudibrachs! They are great. And good for you for seeking a natural solution. __________________ ~Morgan Current Tank Info: 150 gall, 30 gall sump; 30 gall refugium

09/04/2013, 05:19 AM	#4
terrypercula Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Buffalo,NY Posts: 4,354	You may have to supplement their diet when the natural food source runs out. They are great though. __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: IM Nuvo Fusion 10, Kessil A160, Tunze Osmolator 3155, Ecotech Vortech MP10

09/05/2013, 07:36 AM	#14
Twistofer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Montana Posts: 371	It is a sea slug. They are good for algae control, but Don't live very long. __________________ See what is; See what is not; Find the True Way ...The Buddha Current Tank Info: 120 gal New Build Coming Soon

09/14/2013, 01:18 PM	#18
B1N4RY Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Bronx, New York Posts: 251	Bryiopsis Algae Control Update. So it has been a few weeks since I have had some time to update everyone on my Bryopsis Algae issues that popped in up about 3 weeks ago. But I am happy to report that within a week of adding my team of three Mexican Turbo Snails and two Lettuce Nudibrachs their is no trace of the Bryopsis Algae at all and I have had to start supplementing my cleanup crews diet with dried seaweed sheets almost nightly because their appetite is so voracious. But I would rather than then further algae problems. Bryiopsis algae issue which begin approximately 3 weeks ago in my aquarium. A Mexican Turbo Snail eating some of the bryopsis algae within my aquarium.

09/04/2013, 10:12 AM	#5
Eric45 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 725	What are your phosphate and nitrate levels? Might be better to treat the problem rather than a symptom.

09/04/2013, 11:51 PM	#8
Michigan Mike Freedom costs a buckofive Join Date: May 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,002	Pure top up water is very important. Every day when you top up you add more and more TDS (and whatever else) to the system. RO/DI may be a good idea to combat the compounding of whatever bad stuff is in your top up water. Also running more GFO may help.

09/05/2013, 12:19 AM	#9
FlyPenFly SPS Killer Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,490	good luck

09/05/2013, 05:14 AM	#12
NYCBOB Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NYC Posts: 1,768	have u looked at dolabella seahare?

09/05/2013, 01:12 PM	#16
marietrg Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Chesapeake, VA Posts: 444	I've been wrestling with bryopsis and it's still a battle. I'm winning slowly and gradually. What has worked for me is magnesium and vodka dosing. I've been using the Kent Tech-M solution like everyone posts about. Once I got my mag levels around 1600-1800 the byropsis stopped growing. Then it slowly gradually dies off. I think the vodka helps dry up its food source too which accelerates the process. I've had my mag levels around 1800 for several months and I've had a 95% reduction but there is still some left. I'm committed to keeping it elevated until its all gone.

09/05/2013, 01:54 PM	#17
B1N4RY Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Bronx, New York Posts: 251	I will post a photograph later of the progress these little guys have made. I have no feeding schedule to cut down on as I only feed once a week and my RO/DI Filtration Unit for my evaporation top off water will be delivered on Monday.

09/14/2013, 01:19 PM	#19
B1N4RY Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Bronx, New York Posts: 251	Bryopsis Algae Control Update Continued... A Lettuce Nudibranch eating some of the bryopsis algae within my aquarium. Bryiopsis algae issue 3 days after introducing the three Mexican Turbo Snail and two Lettuce Nudibranchs into my aquarium. My aquarium with no visible sight of Bryopsis Algae after 1 week of introduction of the three Mexican Turbo Snails and two Lettuce Nudibranchs. One of the Mexican Turbo Snails within my aquarium enjoying a sheet of dried seaweed as its supplemental diet.

09/30/2013, 12:58 PM	#20
KrisDM Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Seattle Posts: 51	Why Mg dosing treatment has to be Kent Tech M, is there a specific reason?

09/30/2013, 10:31 PM	#21
neuro the cat did it Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: bay area Posts: 976	i don't think anyone has read your original post. i understand you're already getting the RODI which should help immensely along with water changes. turbo snails got rid of my bryopsis within two weeks as the algae started to die off with water changes. I even placed them on top of the bryopsis and it was eating it away.