I have been battling bryopsis for the last two years in my 54g soft coral reef tank. Nothing seemed to destroy it, i tried everything from creatures (sea hare,lettuce nudibranch, etc.,) to adding hydrogen peroxide, increase alk., decrease ambient light, and even constant manual removal (maintain pristine water conditions, all phosphate gone).Marvin saw the tank when he was at my office and he suggested just removing the rock and start over. scavdog also saw the extent of the infestation. i just lived with it.
Now, two weeks ago I went on the family 10 day vacation with the usual worries about my tanks. i did not trust the caretaker with dosing so it halted for 10 days. also when i returned the water level was evaporated about three inches and the returns were blowing tons of air bubbles into the tank.
The Good ,amazing thing was that all bryopsis had released from the rocks.etc. and was floating around the tank! I lifted it out, removed the bits left in the nooks and crannies, hence no more bryopsis!
The bad, four fish were covered in white "sugar" two percula's,kole tang,royal gramma and flame angel. within the week all were dead. So far the hippo ,midas blenny ,green coral goby, and citrus goby are doing fine.
The soft corals have never looked better.
The Ugly, my chemistry is all off, low ph and alk, large water changes, dosing resumed, hope not top revive bryopsis or hurt soft corals.
Well any way the lessons learned
1. demonstrates small tanks can change quickly
2. to defeat hopefully permanatly bryopsis, tank has to become dangerous to the fish. Bryopsis actually has cellular structure more closely related to a living organism rather than a coral or seaweed. that is why it could repsond to high levels of hydrogen peroxide,tricky not to affect the fish with its levels i was not succesful.
3.don't take vacations and i am sure many other lessons
4. still not exactly sure what killed bryopsis, low ph & alk?.
Hope this info. my help someone else that is suffering from bryopsis.
Now, two weeks ago I went on the family 10 day vacation with the usual worries about my tanks. i did not trust the caretaker with dosing so it halted for 10 days. also when i returned the water level was evaporated about three inches and the returns were blowing tons of air bubbles into the tank.
The Good ,amazing thing was that all bryopsis had released from the rocks.etc. and was floating around the tank! I lifted it out, removed the bits left in the nooks and crannies, hence no more bryopsis!
The bad, four fish were covered in white "sugar" two percula's,kole tang,royal gramma and flame angel. within the week all were dead. So far the hippo ,midas blenny ,green coral goby, and citrus goby are doing fine.
The soft corals have never looked better.
The Ugly, my chemistry is all off, low ph and alk, large water changes, dosing resumed, hope not top revive bryopsis or hurt soft corals.
Well any way the lessons learned
1. demonstrates small tanks can change quickly
2. to defeat hopefully permanatly bryopsis, tank has to become dangerous to the fish. Bryopsis actually has cellular structure more closely related to a living organism rather than a coral or seaweed. that is why it could repsond to high levels of hydrogen peroxide,tricky not to affect the fish with its levels i was not succesful.
3.don't take vacations and i am sure many other lessons
4. still not exactly sure what killed bryopsis, low ph & alk?.
Hope this info. my help someone else that is suffering from bryopsis.
