Confirm ID, bryopsis?

[jccaclimber]

Does this look like bryopsis to you all? I'll go the Fluconazole route if so.
I can put a few pieces under a microscope if that helps.
If not bryopsis, what do you think it is?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Does this look like bryopsis to you all? I'll go the Fluconazole route if so.
I can put a few pieces under a microscope if that helps.
If not bryopsis, what do you think it is?

Sadly yes, it does appear so

 

[Benga]

definitely is bryopsis. I had some too and reefHD or reef flux whatever it's called now worked perfectly. (aka fluconazole)

 

[jccaclimber]

I'll actually call this good news. I already have the Fluconazole on hand, and I feel a bit less bad about failing to kill it off other ways.

 

[Benga]

I'll actually call this good news. I already have the Fluconazole on hand, and I feel a bit less bad about failing to kill it off other ways.

Nice pretty good timing then, just make sure to use it correctly.

Per my bottles instructions: "Turn off skimmer for first 3 days. Activated carbon and phosphate remover can be used after 3 days, but remove other chemical filtration. Empty 1 capsule for every 10 gallons of tank water(20mg per gallon) into high flow area in sump. After 14 days perform a minimum 30% water change. Do not overdose. Filter socks are recommended during use in order to help clean the aquarium during treatment."

Also says do not use if you have Caulerpa.

 

[jccaclimber]

I wonder what the caulerpa issue is? I've seen comments online that it doesn't not generally cause issues to macro algae, although I guess we'll see. I do have three types of caulerpa as well as chaeto in my sump, although the total of the three caulerpa types is small enough that it won't cause me any issues if it dies off. I've been adding 1-1.5 PPM of nitrate to the tank daily for months now, which maintains it in the 2-5 PPM range, so I'll cut that back unless the system still pulls nitrate to zero.

Carbon reactor, which hasn't been changed in the last couple weeks anyways has been removed.
Skimmer cup is off.
No other chemical filtration in use.
Between the actual water level of the display, sump, and overflow box I'm getting around 570 gallons minus any rock (no sand). I'm thinking somewhere in the 10 g to 10.5 g range, although from this thread a minor overdose isn't going to be an issue:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bryopsis-cure-my-battle-with-bryopsis-using-fluconazole.285096/

 

[jccaclimber]

A total of 52 capsules later (10.4 g) I have a pile of empty pill cases that will take some explaining. I ended up needing about 1.5L per gram to make it dissolve. I suspect some still in suspension as it would slowly settle. Pouring it in to the display in front of a powerhead was the highest flow option. The cloudiness went away at about the same rate as quickly pouring in a liter of kalk*, ie a foot or two from the powerhead was already clear. Nothing seems bothered, although the lights just went off. We'll see what it looks like over the coming weeks.

*Not that pouring it in by the liter is a particularly great way to dose kalkwasser, but it's an easy visual.

 

[kirstyflash]

..I have a pile of empty pill cases that will take some explaining.

Bahahahahha

 

[Bill_Moorman]

Looking forward to your update.

 

[Neoalchemist]

Worked great for me. Cheato growth actually increased while my bryopsis disappeared. Hated the look of the tank while treatment was active but it was so nice to see bryopsis melt away. I've beaten bryopsis in previous tank with the elbow grease and magnesium method and wasn't sure I could outlast the bryopsis this go. But Reeflux worked a champ this time around. I never even water changed the fluconazole out of the system about 4 months now. (It's a Triton method without the Triton products at least until Tritons supply problems smooth out for at least a year.) No hair algae what so ever now and it seems that the biological system got a huge boost since the bacteria don't have to compete with bryopsis or gha. I have to feed a lot now just to see any color in my nutrient tests.

 

[jccaclimber]

That's good to know. Can I just leave it in was going to be a later question, although when the skimmer and/or carbon go back in I suspect it will get pulled out.

I beat it once before in a 29 gallon Biocube. It took about a month of heavy (>1 ml per gallon) H2O2 spot treating after months of trying other things. I tried that this time, but it was causing problems for my chalices so I ended up backing off.

 

[Neoalchemist]

That's good to know. Can I just leave it in was going to be a later question, although when the skimmer and/or carbon go back in I suspect it will get pulled out.

I beat it once before in a 29 gallon Biocube. It took about a month of heavy (>1 ml per gallon) H2O2 spot treating after months of trying other things. I tried that this time, but it was causing problems for my chalices so I ended up backing off.

I left it in and saw no Ill-effects. On one of the major threads there is a lengthy discussion as to whether the flux needed to be removed and the general consensus was that it seemed to dissipate or at least become inert after a matter of time. There was also talk of one or more major suppliers using a full time maintenance dose. So I figured if I leave it in I won't risk having to dose a second time which a few people seemed to need after water changes and carbon. I only dosed once a few months ago and that was all I needed.

 

[jccaclimber]

At two days in I thought I was seeing white tips on the algae, but I couldn't get it to show up in a picture. I went ahead and spent 30 minutes sucking out algae via a siphon from the tank down through a net in the sump. At day 3 I got home too late to see anything. The 4 full day point is tonight, and the algae is definitely getting pale with white tips, so things are looking good. The coral PE looks good, but not great. Not bad, and I'd probably be happy if I didn't know how it normally looks, although the lights just came on so that may be why.

 

[jccaclimber]

On a positive note, the bryopsis did in fact all die out. Unfortunately the hair algae that I was dealing with proceeded to get worse.
My chaeto which had been growing poorly went from barely growing, to doubling in a week, or so it seemed. This lasted about a week, and then it went back to being sort of stagnant.
I opted to wait longer for the hair algae to go away. Unfortunately over the next several weeks the hair algae began taking over the tank, so I ended up turning the skimmer back on. The hair algae has continued, but I'll start another thread on that.

Edit, here is the new thread:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/which-hair-algae-and-what-to-do-about-it.465881/