Bryopsis Explosion

[JCM]

fluconazole is a miracle cure for bryopsis, forget any other means of dealing with it. Know that it will probably come back eventually though.

I do wish there was a test to determine how much is in a system. I've been running my carbon and skimmer like normal and putting a small amount in my water change water each week in hopes of keeping a low maintenance dose in the tank long term.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Whenever there is a rare person who said "x" killed my corals or something, the odds lean towards the user messing up or (more likely) something completely unrelated caused an issue

The reports are more than rare. Personally I’d rather warn someone and let them research it/figure it out than claim that without fail there will be no ill affects. Some reports are linked to reduced Alk consumption, which I personally have noticed on two occasions. If your not paying attention and the Alk spikes something could possibly happen. Yes, it would have been the Alk spike that caused the issue, but the reason for the reduced consumption may be linked to the medication. Some have not had reduced consumption, and still had unexplainable stn. Again, I’m no expert, I don’t claim to be, for all you know I sell bracelets made from banana leaves at the beach.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

fluconazole is a miracle cure for bryopsis, forget any other means of dealing with it. Know that it will probably come back eventually though.

I do wish there was a test to determine how much is in a system. I've been running my carbon and skimmer like normal and putting a small amount in my water change water each week in hopes of keeping a low maintenance dose in the tank long term.

Several people have been running low dose Fluc long term with no issues. I don’t think they’ve updated the article though. I’m curious to know how that worked out over the course of several years. Some people much smarter than I do warn that overuse of fluc, is similar to over use of antibiotics and may lead to more resistant strains as things evolve down the road. I’m curious if fluc will become unavailable without prescription in the future like cipromax which was commonly used years back.

 

[JCM]

Several people have been running low dose Fluc long term with no issues. I don’t think they’ve updated the article though. I’m curious to know how that worked out over the course a several years. Some people much smarter than I do warn that overuse of fluc, is similar to over use of antibiotics and may lead to more resistant strains as things evolve down the road. I’m curious if fluc will become unavailable without prescription in the future like cipromax which was commonly used years back.

I haven't had any issues (only been a couple months) but it would be nice to know exactly how much is in the water. Is the carbon removing it all immediately? Is the carbon having no effect and I'm slowly accumulating the medication in the water? I don't think anyone really knows.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I haven't had any issues (only been a couple months) but it would be nice to know exactly how much is in the water. Is the carbon removing it all immediately? Is the carbon having no effect and I'm slowly accumulating the medication in the water? I don't think anyone really knows.

I don’t think the long haulers were running carbon. My personal opinion based on absolutely nothing, is that carbon removes it fairly quickly. I’m only saying this as I do not do the massive water changes post treatment. I just restart my auto water changes, and run carbon. Some corals of mine would have reduced polyp extension for the duration of treatment but after adding carbon the polyps extension improves and at about three days of carbon (and three 1.5% auto water changes) they are back to normal. Again, just observations, nothing scientific

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

+1 for this

+2

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I must have got an old batch then. When I bumped my magnesium to 1500 my GHA and briopsis turned white on the ends and became easy to remove and my cleaners attacked it then but my chaeto did get affected too but subsequently grew back bigger then ever.

I suspect you didn't actually have bryopsis but possibly a more stubborn GHA.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I have what can only be described as an explosion of Bryopsis algae in the past week or so. It's has been "hanging around" the past few months. I've been trying to keep in check by pulling it out manually, increasing water changes, adding Microbacter Clean, bought some Tangs (which I've since learned do not usually eat Bryopsis), etc. but nothing seems to stop it from coming back. Now it is everywhere.

It's a 92 Gallon tank set up for about a year. All parameters seem in check (fully understanding that my Phospate may be in check, because of the Bryopsis). Only about 15 corals in there at this point. Some LPS. Mushrooms, and Zooanthids.

It seems like I need to take a more aggressive approach and I'm looking for recommendations. From looking on the forum and watching BRSTV, it looks like Reef Flux, which I just purchased from BRS, may be the best options. Do most agree with this? or have any other recommendations?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Just be aware that if you have macro in your sump/fuge, flucanozole will likely also kill it.

 

[JCM]

I don’t think the long haulers were running carbon. My personal opinion based on absolutely nothing, is that carbon removes it fairly quickly. I’m only saying this as I do not do the massive water changes post treatment. I just restart my auto water changes, and run carbon. Some corals of mine would have reduced polyp extension for the duration of treatment but after adding carbon the polyps extension improves and at about three days of carbon (and three 1.5% auto water changes) they are back to normal. Again, just observations, nothing scientific

It's certainly possible! So far, this method is keeping the bryopsis away for the most part with no ill effects on anything else, so I'm hesitant to change the routine. That's nothing scientific either though, just my experience so far.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Those freakin capsules can be a pain to open if you have sausage fingers ! Ha

Exacto knife ;)

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

The reports are more than rare. Personally I’d rather warn someone and let them research it/figure it out than claim that without fail there will be no ill affects. Some reports are linked to reduced Alk consumption, which I personally have noticed on two occasions. If your not paying attention and the Alk spikes something could possibly happen. Yes, it would have been the Alk spike that caused the issue, but the reason for the reduced consumption may be linked to the medication. Some have not had reduced consumption, and still had unexplainable stn. Again, I’m no expert, I don’t claim to be, for all you know I sell bracelets made from banana leaves at the beach.

Can I get one of those bracelets?

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

It's certainly possible! So far, this method is keeping the bryopsis away for the most part with no ill effects on anything else, so I'm hesitant to change the routine. That's nothing scientific either though, just my experience so far.

Oh and it can come back….years later even! My recent experience for example. I treated my tank for bryopsis about two years ago and it never came back. I recently upgraded lights and within two weeks, here’s a patch of bryopsis…..in the exact spot it was two years ago. My uneducated guess is that the light hit old roots that were previously not exposed to light now that I have more powerful lights mounted in different locations than the previous. I would say spectrum could have had an effect, but it was from Kessil to Kessil so probably not.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I don’t think the long haulers were running carbon. My personal opinion based on absolutely nothing, is that carbon removes it fairly quickly. I’m only saying this as I do not do the massive water changes post treatment. I just restart my auto water changes, and run carbon. Some corals of mine would have reduced polyp extension for the duration of treatment but after adding carbon the polyps extension improves and at about three days of carbon (and three 1.5% auto water changes) they are back to normal. Again, just observations, nothing scientific

Do you think the main mechanism of action of the carbon in this case is the added mechanical filtration it provides? I don't recall hearing about bryopsis releasing any unwanted chemicals when it dies... Aside from possibly bound phosphates and nitrates, but carbon wouldn't affect this.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Oh and it can come back….years later even! My recent experience for example. I treated my tank for bryopsis about two years ago and it never came back. I recently upgraded lights and within two weeks, here’s a patch of bryopsis…..in the exact spot it was two years ago. My uneducated guess is that the light hit old roots that were previously not exposed to light now that I have more powerful lights mounted in different locations than the previous. I would say spectrum could have had an effect, but it was from Kessil to Kessil so probably not.

I had the same thing happen. I was bryopsis free about 6 months switched from ai sols to radions with diffuser and a couple patches came back that were previously very shaded.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Do you think the main mechanism of action of the carbon in this case is the added mechanical filtration it provides? I don't recall hearing about bryopsis releasing any unwanted chemicals when it dies... Aside from possibly bound phosphates and nitrates, but carbon wouldn't affect this.

You know, I don’t think I’m qualified to answer that. My experience is limited. I had very small outbreaks, and removing the rockwork to remove it was not in the cards. The very small patch, like those old troll toys, a golfball with a crazy mohawk probably had zero effect as far as nutrients. I first tried manual removal in the tank, but when I felt the popping I knew I effed up. A couple days later I had a couple little shoots here and there and I decided to bring out the nuclear football. My observation with carbon was solely medication removal and not nutrient related. But that’s an interesting question….hopefully one of the smarter kids up front has an answer!

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I had the same thing happen. I was bryopsis free about 6 months switched from ai sols to radions with diffuser and a couple patches came back that were previously very shaded.

Ugh! I hate bryopsis!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

You know, I don’t think I’m qualified to answer that. My experience is limited. I had very small outbreaks, and removing the rockwork to remove it was not in the cards. The very small patch, like those old troll toys, a golfball with a crazy mohawk probably had zero effect as far as nutrients. I first tried manual removal in the tank, but when I felt the popping I knew I effed up. A couple days later I had a couple little shoots here and there and I decided to bring out the nuclear football. My observation with carbon was solely medication removal and not nutrient related. But that’s an interesting question….hopefully one of the smarter kids up front has an answer!

As I understand it, flucanozole is deactivated by light so removal is not necessary.
Along those lines, I recall that it's better to add the medication during ramp-down or after lights are out.

Edit: I believe I have posted incorrect info here. See my reply (to myself, lol) with additional information

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

As I understand it, flucanozole is deactivated by light so removal is not necessary.
Along those lines, I recall that it's better to add the medication during ramp-down or after lights are out.

It’s possible. I was under the impression that light reacts with fluc within the cells of the algae. Without light, the reaction would not take place, or be reduced to the point of not being effective. As far as free floating fluc floating around being degraded by light, I really don’t know but it seems perfectly plausible. Again…I’m not really qualified to answer this. My research is usually limited to determining the effects of cold beer and tacos on the average, middle aged man

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

As I understand it, flucanozole is deactivated by light so removal is not necessary.
Along those lines, I recall that it's better to add the medication during ramp-down or after lights are out.

As I was reading the first post of the "original" bryopsis/flucanozole thread, I saw this comment: ****This treatment seems to work best in well lit areas of the tank. Some people are noticing quicker results by adding light to the shaded areas of their tank.*****

Incidentally, this makes a lot of sense given what others have said about lighting changes bringing it back and that pulling it out before the meds are used causing the roots to be unaffected.

I stand corrected ;)

 

[JCM]

As I understand it, flucanozole is deactivated by light so removal is not necessary.
Along those lines, I recall that it's better to add the medication during ramp-down or after lights are out.

If that's the case, why does it take 5-6 days for it to work? I don't have an answer, just curious.

I'm not sure if the carbon is removing the medication or not, but I know the bryopsis hasn't exploded again. That **** is the devil, I'm sure of it.