Fluconazole for Bryopsis... Also have GHA, Bubble, & Turf Algae

kkgaskin90 · Mar 1, 2017

I've read through the massive thread @NCreefguy started about the magic cure for Bryopsis and today I drank the Kool-Aid. I dosed my 75g mixed reef + 20g sump with 8 capsules, approx 20mg/gal. I turned off my skimmer, turned off my GFO reactor, and removed my filter sock. I intend to do a water change after 14 days, then repeat the dosage. I am hopeful that this will affect not only the Bryopsis, but also the green hair algae. Turf algae would be a bonus, but I'm not optimistic as that stuff is the devil and has been slowly taking over for well over a year.
I run a ULNS via carbon dosing. Reefbreeder LED's, ATO, Coralbox D700, no macro currently - I had a mini-crash in November which allowed all the algae to take hold and killed my macro. My inhabitants are:
Tomini Tang
Lyretail Anthias
3 Blue Star Leopard Wrasses
2 Clownfish
Flame Hawkfish
Sleeper Goby
Brittle Starfish
Peppermint Shrimp
Harlequin Shrimp
Pincushion Urchin
Nassarius Snails
Hermit Crabs
Mexican Turbo Snails
Rock Flower Anemone

I have included pictures below and will update as changes occur. Fingers crossed, wish me luck!

wkscott · Mar 1, 2017

Isn't this treatment really hard on snails and sea stars?
Wishing you good luck. Please post after pics when the treatment is complete.

Rick.45cal · Mar 1, 2017

It didn't bother any of my snails or brittle stars or my sand sifting starfish.

kkgaskin90 · Mar 1, 2017

wkscott said:
Isn't this treatment really hard on snails and sea stars?
Wishing you good luck. Please post after pics when the treatment is complete.

I've read quite a few threads and recaps. I've seen 2 urchins and a single nassarius lost from others who have done the treatment-unable to corroborate if the deaths were due to treatment but certainly can't discount it. I certainly haven't read that it's "hard" on anything other than algae. I will be sure to update with any losses if I have them.

wkscott · Mar 1, 2017

Rick.45cal said:
It didn't bother any of my snails or brittle stars or my sand sifting starfish.

Glad to hear that.

prsnlty · Mar 1, 2017

I had no loses of any kind, urchins (pincushion and tuxedo) no snails or hermits harmed and no corals or fish either

NCreefguy · Mar 1, 2017

Good luck with your treatment. Hopefully it will clear that algae out quick for you.

kkgaskin90 · Mar 6, 2017

I'm five days in and not seeing much change, but I'm not pessimistic as I believe a large majority of mine is GHA. Pics just for comparison purposes:

noclav · Mar 10, 2017

Here is my 29 gallon biocube that I have been battling bryopsis for several years. I started the treatment on 03/04/2017

Day 1

Day 5

Still no difference besides my emerald crabs eating the bubble algae.

I used fluconazale from a prescription that was 100 mg tablets I crushed 6 of them into a powder and mixed with RO water and then added directly to display tank. That is why the first pic is cloudy. After 14 days if no difference I will do another dosage with the capsule version to see if that makes a difference.

prsnlty · Mar 10, 2017

noclav said:
Here is my 29 gallon biocube that I have been battling bryopsis for several years. I started the treatment on 03/04/2017

Day 1

Day 5

Still no difference besides my emerald crabs eating the bubble algae.

I used fluconazale from a prescription that was 100 mg tablets I crushed 6 of them into a powder and mixed with RO water and then added directly to display tank. That is why the first pic is cloudy. After 14 days if no difference I will do another dosage with the capsule version to see if that makes a difference.

Green hair algae takes about 21 days or so. If you pull with tweezers as much out as you can before your water change and 2nd dose, it should knock it out

kkgaskin90 · Mar 15, 2017

I am seeing no change in GHA (or bubble or turf, but not anticipating changes there) after 14 days. My system is fine as far as nitrates and phosphates are concerned... I'm wondering if I should skip the water change and manually remove as much GHA as possible then add the second dose... thoughts?

jason_mazzy · Mar 15, 2017

manually removing it seems to make it less responsive. seems the more actual length the quicker it is effected

kkgaskin90 · Mar 15, 2017

That was my original plan but it's holding strong and some of these strands are around 8" long!

jason_mazzy · Mar 15, 2017

dose again, be sure any purigen or resins are out of the system and turn off the skimmer if possible

Rick.45cal · Mar 15, 2017

Are you using capsules or tablets? The tablets seem to be hit or miss with this stuff!

In your case, I might consider pulling some of the longer stuff before redosing, especially if it is 8" long. Definitely make sure you aren't running purigen, that seems to remove the fluconazole completely before it can affect the algae.

There is another possibility that your algae doesn't utilize ergosterol in it's structure/cellular function. In which case the fluconazole might not work on it. (It seems to work on most of them though). I wouldn't give up hope yet!

Some people have seen no effect until 18-21 days! Especially in heavily infested tanks.

prsnlty · Mar 15, 2017

Rick.45cal said:
Are you using capsules or tablets? The tablets seem to be hit or miss with this stuff!

In your case, I might consider pulling some of the longer stuff before redosing, especially if it is 8" long. Definitely make sure you aren't running purigen, that seems to remove the fluconazole completely before it can affect the algae.

There is another possibility that your algae doesn't utilize ergosterol in it's structure/cellular function. In which case the fluconazole might now work on it. (It seems to work on most of them though). I wouldn't give up hope yet!

Some people have seen no effect until 18-21 days! Especially in heavily infested tanks.

+1 There is over 50 species of bryopsis and even more than that of green hair algae.

kkgaskin90 · Mar 15, 2017

I'll keep at it

I'm using the capsule form. No purigen, skimmer cup off, no carbon... just letting it do its thing.

kkgaskin90 · Mar 23, 2017

Update: I turned my skimmer back on 5 days after adding first dose. I turned it back off 3/16 (15 days after first dose) to add a second dose. I then turned it back on 5 days later (3/21). Today I am going to do a water change as my nitrate level is causing losses. I added a few emerald crabs that have been working on the bubble algae. There was one area of algae that has completely disappeared, so I'm assuming it was Bryopsis, but it was in a spot I could not get a picture. I have not noticed any changes in the rest of the algae.
I have lost a Sunset monti frag and all other corals slowly dying. My nitrates are at 15. I usually run ULN so as the nitrate level rose I brought my alk up as well.
I was hoping this would eventually kill off my GHA, but it's Day 23 so I think mine is particularly hardy.