Bryopsis Cure: My Battle With Bryopsis Using Fluconazole
- Thread starter NCreefguy
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I just completed a 14 day Bryopsis elimination treatment of my tank using Reef Flux HD (fluconazole). I treated at the originally suggested amount of 20mg/gal - so it took 3 bottles to treat my 300 gallon system. I did a 15% water change before I started (note I do 10% per week on average). I removed carbon from my system and turned my skimmer off. I treated on a Saturday AM. When I left for a business trip on Monday...the algae was still there but you could tell "something" was happening. I got back home on Thursday and you could see a HUGE difference. The following Saturday (7 days after I dosed the system) I turned my skimmer back on. I left on another trip that Monday AM and the algae was looking really stringy. When I got home on Thursday the Bryopsis was 100% gone. Not a single trace of it anywhere. Absolutely amazing. The following Sunday I did a 20% water change and put Carbon back in the system. My tank looks great again. What a great treatment. Thanks to all that have documented their progress with this treatment (and to the author for the first detailed description of this process) - it was a huge help and how I learned how to solve this problem. My advice to others - keep some Fluconazole on hand - the hardest part for me was getting it to treat my tank. Everyone was sold out. I finally got it from Bulk Reef Supply and I ordered enough for 2 doses.
DeepBlueSeaV1
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Going to have to have a 3rd round and I'll most likely run low dosage thereafter for a while. The most persistant spot that continues to 'come back'... I removed that rock and gave it a spot treatment with hyrdorgen peroxide and a toothbrush scrubbing. Looks like i've taken care of that spot, but now I have a few more patches growing, so it's still 'in' the system.
I feel ya I just finished my third treatment a couple weeks ago, it has come back twice but not in all the places it used to be. Last 2 times I dosed half the recommended amount and it’s worked fine, the first time I did the recommended dose and lost some acros, with these half doses no coral has been affected. I’m watching certain spots like to see if if it starts coming back but 2 weeks plus and no sign although it took around a month both times it started coming back. If it does I might try half of a half dose and just leave it in as with the lower dose my corals actually seem to have a positive reaction if that’s possible.
1st time I used the full recommend anount it effect some acros, so when it came back again I used half the dose killed it just as fast and left it in for 28 days since no corals where being affected. After a couple weeks it started showing back up in some places, I immediately started another treatment with the half dose, and let it go for a month since no corals were affected. I think it's been 3 week now since I removed the med and have not seen a strand start growing yet, hoping the 3rd time is the charm.
CMO
Valuable Member
So I'm at 21 days and all my bryopsis is dead except for spots on the sand bed in very low light areas which don't seem to be dying off. Will additional time take care of this or is the treatment ineffective if not enough light is present? Thanks
No idea, if you can move into more light, but I have no clue,
pecan2phat
Valuable Member
I've dosed 1.5x the amount without any negative effect on any of my SPS but I dosed .5 each week over 3 weeks, not all at once.
pecan2phat
Valuable Member
FWIW the 1st time I dosed 10mg per gallon a week apart totaling the recommended dosage of 20 mg per gallon. It worked on all of the bryopsis and hair algae but it took 4~5 weeks total. I waited another 2 weeks before I added a skimmer (I don't normally run a skimmer in this system) and carbon to remove the Fluconazole. In the following 10 days afterwards, the algae came back in force worst than before.
On go around two, I started again with the half dose of 10 mg per gallon and dosed 3x over three weeks. Again, it took quite some time (4~5 weeks), not like the couple of days that were read for some. This time around though, I have not actively taken any of the Fluconazole out either by using carbon, skimmer or water changes. My system has had the Fluconazole in without active removal since Columbus day without any adverse effects on clams, SPS, zoas, leather, lobo & gorgonian.
On go around two, I started again with the half dose of 10 mg per gallon and dosed 3x over three weeks. Again, it took quite some time (4~5 weeks), not like the couple of days that were read for some. This time around though, I have not actively taken any of the Fluconazole out either by using carbon, skimmer or water changes. My system has had the Fluconazole in without active removal since Columbus day without any adverse effects on clams, SPS, zoas, leather, lobo & gorgonian.
Interesting you’ve had it in for so long with no adverse effects, maybe it’s completely broken down by now and not really in there anymore but best news is it hasn’t come back! It’s been 38 days since I removed the med, I think the 3rd time was the charm, knocking on wood as I type.
pecan2phat
Valuable Member
The way I saw both types of algae rapidly growing back after the first treatment made me gun shy about removing the meds so quickly.
You are quite possibly right that there is no longer any "effective" Fluconazole in the system but I'm super proactive on anything new I place into the tank especially snails. I find that snails harbor a lot of nuisance algae on their shells. All frag mounts and disks get tossed and the corals get remounted!
You are quite possibly right that there is no longer any "effective" Fluconazole in the system but I'm super proactive on anything new I place into the tank especially snails. I find that snails harbor a lot of nuisance algae on their shells. All frag mounts and disks get tossed and the corals get remounted!
West1
Valuable Member
After stumbling upon this, I have ordered some Reef Flux Fluconazole.
I have read the first few pages but quickly realized this thread is triple digit.
My question is, I am running DIY NoPoX, should I stop treatment once I start Fluconazole or run them together?
I have tried NoPoX for about 2 months and I don't see a reduction of Algae. Turbo snails, Emerald Crabs and Lawnmower Blenny pay no mind to the Bryopsis.
I have read the first few pages but quickly realized this thread is triple digit.
My question is, I am running DIY NoPoX, should I stop treatment once I start Fluconazole or run them together?
I have tried NoPoX for about 2 months and I don't see a reduction of Algae. Turbo snails, Emerald Crabs and Lawnmower Blenny pay no mind to the Bryopsis.
Poseidon03
Well-Known Member
I'm having a problem with GHA, and I was told reef flux would kill it. I'm on my second week from the reef flux, and I haven't seen anything good yet. It has actually grown some. I dont feed much. I also stopped using reef roids during the treatment to keep the nitrates and phosphates low, but the GHA is still growing. Is this normal?
I've been looking into investing in GFO and an algae reactor to try to outcompete. I've tried most other things and nothing has helped.
I've been looking into investing in GFO and an algae reactor to try to outcompete. I've tried most other things and nothing has helped.
Should have never opened my mouth, knocking on wood didn’t work, I found a couple small spots where it’s growing again today. Gonna hand prune it for know for a month or so just to see if it comes back in other places it grew before, before I try treatment #4.
Before the 1st treatment it was in alot of areas but I would just RIP it out. Then I started contemplating the fluconazole treatment and one day decided to do it and within 9 days I could not find any it worked quick, that time i followed the exact directions the OP posted. Then a month after it started showing up again, so I changed to half the dose and only turned off the skimmer for a day and it was gone just as quick as the 1st time. Though this time I left it in for 28 days. The third treatment I did the same as the 2nd one but left it in for 38 days. It took roughly a month before it grew enough in a couple spots before I noticed it yesterday. Gonna start treatment #4 in a couple weeks probably the same way as the last 2 and leave it in for maybe 2 months this time cuz it does seem to not come back in all the same places when it is back. I have alot of corals and fish and haven't seen any negative effects on them the last 2 treatments. Hope that answered your question.
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