Bryopsis Cure: My Battle With Bryopsis Using Fluconazole

[Jose Mayo]

What is the consensus on running a skimmer? Will it pull too much of the medication out or have people successfully run theirs during this time? I have mine currently off

What is recommended is not to turn off the skimmer, but to withdraw its cup, so that it remains connected and acting in the oxygenation of the water; this is important for stony corals, especially if in a poorly circulated environment.

There is some evidence that Fluconazole can be eliminated by the skimmer: it can be dissolved in water, so it is a polar molecule (such as proteins), and when Fluconazole is administered to the aquarium, skimmer activity increases greatly, which makes it Fluconazole there ... however, even if it is taken away by the skimmer, some people who forgot or did not want to remove the cup from the skimmer also had good results, others not so good, which suggests that maybe we are working with a concentration beyond what is necessary for algae control.

The recommended dosage is 20 mg / gallon in only one time, SINGLE DOSE, but... there are also dosage reports well above the recommended level, such as 20 mg / gallon PER DAY, for several days, without corals being minimally affected, which reinforces the idea that Fluconazole is safe enough to be useful and that it is necessary to "look at the whole" in case of adverse effects, before first pointing the finger to Fluconazol ...

There is no way to say that, in specific aquariums that work at the limit of what animals can withstand in terms of light, circulation and chemical parameters, any change, such as simple shutdown of a skimmer or defect in a circulation pump, can not cause a disaster.

Best regards

 

[zack801]

In my previous posts when I mentioned having some issues with RTN. I forgot another potential cause that I've since taken the steps to fix. It was suggested to me that stray voltage could also be the culprit so I've installed a grounding probe. I just started Flucanzole for the second time last night and I'll update this thread if I have any of the same issues. Fingers crossed I won't

 

[Triggreef]

If you use Viagra on SPS corals, do you get better Polyp Extension?[emoji1][emoji38]

Someone somewhere will try this.

 

[coralcruze]

In my previous posts when I mentioned having some issues with RTN. I forgot another potential cause that I've since taken the steps to fix. It was suggested to me that stray voltage could also be the culprit so I've installed a grounding probe. I just started Flucanzole for the second time last night and I'll update this thread if I have any of the same issues. Fingers crossed I won't

I have to ask about the obvious here (with a smirk on my face). Ask yourself how long you ran your tank without grounding probe?

1. Before you started floucon did you have a grounding probe connected?
2. During Floucon dosing did you hook up a grounding probe?
3. Did you install a grounding probe immediately after first dose of floucon?

If
1. NO
2. NO
3. NO

We can pretty much summarize that stray voltage is NOT what caused the RTN in your tank...

However, Jupiter and Uranus were not aligned and that's something you and the good Dr. might want to look at, LOL

 

[Triggreef]

My day one pics, added the night of the 27th. Pics from Dec 28...

dosed 12000mg (no typo) Dec 30th. 360g estimated system volume.

No coral loss or issues. Following corals in my system include: acros including orange passion, pink Floyd, wd, pearl berry, rp, bonsai, tri color and some others. Ponape bn, bop bn, purple stylo, styloceonelias, monti, lobos, acans, chalice, gorgs, shrooms (many bounces, jb etc), loads of zoas, brains, blastos, candy canes, enchinatas, pocci, leptos, psammos, galaxea and probly a ton I'm forgetting.

Outcome: no clue. Some variables... noticed day 2 or 3 that skimmer was kind of functioning because I left it so that collection cup would drain back to tank. But it skimmed initially and never made it to the point of draining back to tank. I turned it up and allowed that gunk to return back to the tank and it has been doing so since that day. I manually removed a lot of algae but i think some did die off too. Or was eaten. Today is technically day 12. Here are some pics from today. I'll be starting back water changes.

Note I'm trying this for some strain of hair algae nothing will eat. And I've tried every critter or there for it. You can see some patches of algae look perfectly healthy. Massive declines in other spots.

 

[Triggreef]

Stray voltage is a total myth. I had a tank in my garage that measured 118 and tingled your fingers when you touched the water. All corals and fish inside were completely fine. If the floor was wet you wouldn't want to touch the tank.

Stay volt in your tank has no where to go. So it can't go anywhere. Can't go through your corals and fish. Until you install a grounding probe anyhow. Then it's like connecting a wire. Now electricity is flowing. Helps you not get shocked though because the probe is a better conductor than you are.

 

[Triggreef]

What is recommended is not to turn off the skimmer, but to withdraw its cup, so that it remains connected and acting in the oxygenation of the water; this is important for stony corals, especially if in a poorly circulated environment.

There is some evidence that Fluconazole can be eliminated by the skimmer: it can be dissolved in water, so it is a polar molecule (such as proteins), and when Fluconazole is administered to the aquarium, skimmer activity increases greatly, which makes it Fluconazole there ... however, even if it is taken away by the skimmer, some people who forgot or did not want to remove the cup from the skimmer also had good results, others not so good, which suggests that maybe we are working with a concentration beyond what is necessary for algae control.

The recommended dosage is 20 mg / gallon in only one time, SINGLE DOSE, but... there are also dosage reports well above the recommended level, such as 20 mg / gallon PER DAY, for several days, without corals being minimally affected, which reinforces the idea that Fluconazole is safe enough to be useful and that it is necessary to "look at the whole" in case of adverse effects, before first pointing the finger to Fluconazol ...

There is no way to say that, in specific aquariums that work at the limit of what animals can withstand in terms of light, circulation and chemical parameters, any change, such as simple shutdown of a skimmer or defect in a circulation pump, can not cause a disaster.

Best regards

I see now that I dosed double the recommended amount then.

 

[Jose Mayo]

I see now that I dosed double the recommended amount then.

You worked twice as often as the effective dosage, but I had worked with the dose of 34 mg / gallon on several occasions, especially against Derbesia algae, also with no problem ... although Derbesia is much slower than Bryopsis in respond and disappear with Fluconazole.

Congratulations on the good result!

Best Regards

 

[zack801]

I have to ask about the obvious here (with a smirk on my face). Ask yourself how long you ran your tank without grounding probe?

1. Before you started floucon did you have a grounding probe connected?
2. During Floucon dosing did you hook up a grounding probe?
3. Did you install a grounding probe immediately after first dose of floucon?

If
1. NO
2. NO
3. NO

We can pretty much summarize that stray voltage is NOT what caused the RTN in your tank...

However, Jupiter and Uranus were not aligned and that's something you and the good Dr. might want to look at, LOL

Could it not have been a combination of factors though? I'm just stating all of the things I can think of that could have caused it. Im not saying it wasn't flucanzole but I'm not entirely convinced that it was either.

 

[coralcruze]

Could it not have been a combination of factors though? I'm just stating all of the things I can think of that could have caused it. Im not saying it wasn't flucanzole but I'm not entirely convinced that it was either.

Of course it could be combination of things. I have been in the hobby long enough (19yrs) to know that when things go south its usually a combination of things. However, it almost always is caused by one trigger which sets off a chain reaction.

Some have stated that its not the Floucon but the rising Po4 and No3 that is released back into the water column because of the effect of Floucon killing bryopsis(cause and effect). However, if thats the case and the trigger was floucon than we are dosing it all wrong. Perhaps smaller increments/doses (even the Dr stated that it may be effective in smaller dosages) and perhaps over time so ULNS systems can recover. perhaps a small dosage of floucon allowed to fester in the water column for 3 days with three days of skimmate following dosing of floucon.

Do I think your grounding probe had anything to do with your SPS RTNing >>> NOPE and anyone telling you this simply has no understanding of how electricity flows in saltwater. The stray current killing or stressing corals is HYPE to sell you a $15 device. In fact, there is some articles out there which state that plugging to open ground can actually be dangerous to you. might as well be taking a shower in a lighting storm than your hands in the tank at the same time at least freshwater is less conductive. NEVER TAKE A SHOWER IN A LIGHTING STORM. I have been told the best thing to do with electricity around water is plug everything into a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter).

 

[Idaho-reefer]

I misread the directions and overdosed my sps reef tank by over 7 times the recommended dose. I had a few corals bleach out but almost all recovered colored back up and after 6 months my tank looks better than ever. No briopsis.

I had a clam and that was completely unfazed. This treatment works and even if you overdose the effects are minimal.

 

[Jose Mayo]

Stray voltage is a total myth. I had a tank in my garage that measured 118 and tingled your fingers when you touched the water. All corals and fish inside were completely fine. If the floor was wet you wouldn't want to touch the tank.

Stay volt in your tank has no where to go. So it can't go anywhere. Can't go through your corals and fish. Until you install a grounding probe anyhow. Then it's like connecting a wire. Now electricity is flowing. Helps you not get shocked though because the probe is a better conductor than you are.

In fact the voltage in a tank will not flow unless it has a grounding, but the voltage in a tank will always be a strong sign that there is some contact between an electric wire and water. If it is a copper wire (more common), there can be problems over time.

A tank grounding protects the user, but not the biology that is in; the grounding from the saltwater tank can act as an electrolysis cell and can produce chloramines in the "electrodes", from dissolved organic matter and chlorides. Chloramines are powerful biocides.

Ideally, if voltage is discovered in the tank, it is not grounding, but find out the cause and correct it.

Best Regards

 

[AB_Reefer]

Ok..so I did the treatment as per the guidelines and it worked like magic.. 100% of byropsis gone in 7-9 days only.. around 50-60% of hair algae is gone but it's been around 18 days and I might continue the treatment a few more days to try and kill it all..
Now the down side.. for some reason the bubble algae has had a major explosion in population. It seems to be growing everywhere now and even in top of corals and pumps..
Anyone else with any similar experience ??

 

[Triggreef]

Need a good tang to keep the bubble algae off pumps. Over time I've learned that tangs won't eat it when they are small but once they get some size they eat it like candy. Which probably accounts for all the "my tang won't touch it" comments about bubble algae. I have great luck with a boat load of mithrax crabs as well but they won't get anything off the pumps.

 

[Acartia]

There is going to have to be a ton of die off in 24 hours if it is all going to be killed in 14 days. Will to a water change and then another dose of fluconazole.

 

[Jose Mayo]

There is going to have to be a ton of die off in 24 hours if it is all going to be killed in 14 days. Will to a water change and then another dose of fluconazole.

These algae are not Bryopsis, it looks like Cladophora sp. to me. The photo of the 13th day shows that it is beginning to be attacked by Fluconazole, but it may take another one or two weeks to disappear. Partial water exchange may be done, by adding Fluconazole to the exchange water, in the same proportion as the first dose.

Best Regards

 

[coralcruze]

I misread the directions and overdosed my sps reef tank by over 7 times the recommended dose. I had a few corals bleach out but almost all recovered colored back up and after 6 months my tank looks better than ever. No briopsis.

I had a clam and that was completely unfazed. This treatment works and even if you overdose the effects are minimal.

May I ask... what sps corals bleached and... how long did it take those corals to gain their color back?

 

[Idaho-reefer]

May I ask... what sps corals bleached and... how long did it take those corals to gain their color back?

I had a few montis, a favia and a few no name acros. They took a few months to look completely back to normal.

 

[bcarl77]

Jumped on board. Today marks Day 8, not much difference in algae so far. Hoping to see some results this week. Definitely going to be a double dose.

Day 3

Day 8

 

[saltwater newby]

hello, I am on day 2. I did not remove filter floss from my media cups in my sump. Is that also required for the treatment to work?