Bryopsis/Hair Algae/TechM

[Flame Angel]

Okay, so the process begins. I spent four hours last night removing 99% of the Bryopsis/Hair Algae from my tank. It is amazing how just one spec can grow into an ocean full greenery. I really should have taken a before and after picture for comparison.

I started off mixing up some water to do a water change. While that was setting up and leveling off I went crazy cleaning the glass, rocks and sand bed.

I used a gravity fed gravel filter, 2 micron filter sock and a return pump. I removed all the power heads and overflow box to clean them up. Now that I am thinking about it I will have to remove the hose from the overflow box to the sump and clean that up as well.

No mater how hard you try you will always be spreading things around during a clean up. But by repeatedly rinsing the filters and filter pads that were catching all the loose debris. Plus using the gravity fed gravel vacuum to get the bulk of the bryopsis/hair algae out of the tank. The water almost looked polished and the tank was 99% cleaner.

So the next step I tested the water... especially the MAG level before using the TechM. Now that I have a starting point of where my MAG level is. I can start bringing my MAG level up to the required levels... slowly.

If this does not work... I will just have to get off my butt and start working on the big tank finally.

Wish me luck!

 

[reefkeeper2]

Good Luck! It's not the magnesium level that kills the Bryopsis, but some other ingredient in the Tech M. Hopefully your mag level is a little low so you can add lots of the stuff. It worked good for me when I used it but the Bryopsis that survives become resistant to the treatment. Try to kill it all because the next time it won't work so well.

 

[JTM4UG]

I just used tech m also and it worked great. My tank is bryopsis free. Bought a sea hare and my hair algae is almost gone now too.

 

[reefstarter]

Bringing mag up is tricky you need to put tons in to raise it try not to exceed 100 ppm per daybut you'll be surprised what that will take

 

[JTM4UG]

I used almost a gallon over 3 weeks

 

[newenglandreef]

My whole tank spread with hair algae. I ran a phosban reactor for two weeks--not a trace of it left. Just starve it out.

 

[wpeterson]

+1 for positive results using Tech M to kill off and scale back green hair algae in our first 29gal reef.

In our new 90gal, we've never had any green hair algae due to a few things:
- Refugium with large chaeto ball started at system cycle - grow chaeto instead of GHA
- Nutrient export to keep phosphate at 0.03 ppm or below (skimmer, GFO reactor, carbon reactor)
- high power, low flow UV kills algae spores in the water column (Turbo Twist 12X running ~ 280gph)

 

[evan.lundberg4]

I had a really bad bryopsis and hair algae problem forever and just about gave up but I was able to kill it off by using those combo GFO/bio pellets.

 

[ReeferSutherland]

Yes I had bryopsis and GhA and was able to get rid of it thru a combination of the aforementioned methods. The sea hare worked the best but it did not do well against the powerhead...

 

[fishmommy]

Tech M worked for me.

 

[Flame Angel]

Well it has been just about a week and a half. I have to test the Mag tonight and see where it is at.

Since doing the major cleaning and adding the TechM. Growth/spread of the Bryopsis/Hair Algae seems to have come to a halt. I will assume that is a good thing as before you could see it multiply day by day.

I will more than likely do another water change before the end of the week and try removing more of Bryopsis/Hair Algae mechanically that I was not able to get the first time around.

I keep up dosing with TechM.

Note to self-purchase another bottle before the end of the week to ensure I do not run out.

 

[reefkeeper2]

I wouldn't do a water change until the bryopsis has died. You will dilute out the Tech M. You will know it's working when you see it turning white.'

 

[Flame Angel]

I wouldn't do a water change until the bryopsis has died. You will dilute out the Tech M. You will know it's working when you see it turning white.'

Thanks for mentioning that... I was wondering that myself?

 

[Owen386]

following along currently dealing with some bad HA. Things I have done as of now to eradicate, keep good husbandry weekly WC, using a skimmer now, light schedule down, running gfo, and I just started dosing algae-fix marine tomorrow will be my second dosing.

Good luck to you!