Best resolution to GHA?
- Thread starter daveydoodle
- Start date
On the old label for tech m a trace amount of copper was listed in ingredients. That being said there is I lot of rumor going on that if you use all tech m you can crash your tank. New train of thought is. Raise mg up with something else and dose last 100-200ppm with tech m.
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AlgaeFix has copper right? Can't find the info online, does someone would have a bottle to reference?
Did more digging, Tech M ingredients are: DI water, magnesium sulphate, magnesium chloride. However, further digging turns up: Deionized water containing the following elements (as ions): magnesium, chlorine, sulfur, calcium, potassium, bromine, strontium, boron, fluorine, lithium, rubidium, iodine, iron, molybdenum, zinc, nickel, copper, manganese, vanadium, cesium, cobalt, tungsten, selenium, and chromium.
There also seem to be two theories about what really kills the bryopsis: copper and the sulphate in magnesium sulphate. Many experiments have been performed and it seems Tech-M and SeaChem Reef Advantage Magnesium seem to work.
Found this as well, maybe I'll wait for the Tech M to start raising levels...
1. Get enough Tech M to do the job. Do not use mag sulfate or mag chloride to raise the mag level so you don't have to use as much Tech M. If you do this you are not adding the trace element or whatever is in the Tech M that actually kills the Bryopsis. Start from whatever your mag level is and raise it only using Tech M.
2. Get a quality test kit, like an Elos or a Salifert. Test every day when you are raising mag levels and when you are maintaining mag levels. Salifert test kits only read to 1500 ppm, so when you know your mag levels are over 1500, you add 1 ml of the #3 reagent and then draw up another 1 ml per the instructions. When you get the color change, reference the chart for the ppm, then add 1500 to this for the total ppm.
3. If you use them, I would eliminate the use of any Poly Filters or the like during the time you are raising the Mag level to 1800 with Tech M until the time your mag level drops to 1350 as described in step 6. Poly filters can remove metals, and since no one knows, you might remove the trace element that is actually killing the bryopsis if you use poly filters. Carbon is fine.
4. Raise your magnesium with Tech M by 100 ppm/day until you reach 1800. Test every day and maintain this level in your reef for two weeks straight. Do not do any water changes during this time. If you do water changes, then make sure you add enough Tech M to the tank to maintain the mag at 1800. The idea is to get enough exposure time at that level so whatever trace element is killing the Bryopsis has enough time to work.
The 1800 mag level is an indirect indicator of the concentration whatever trace element in the Tech M is killing the Bryopsis. Length of exposure at the right concentration seems to be the key to eliminating vs just suppressing the Bryopsis.
5. If you have a lot of Bryopsis in your tank, manually remove as much as possible when it starts to weaken and die. This will eliminate/minimize an ammonia spike that can result from the decaying Bryopsis.
6. After you have maintained a mag level of 1800 for two weeks, start doing your normal water changes. Do not do them more often that usual. You will have elevated magnesium levels for a period after wards, several weeks probably. This is not an issue. Let the level come back to the normal 1350 or so thru regular water changes and use by the corals.
7. Possible effects on animals and corals. I had some turbo snails die in the time my mag levels were elevated. I also had some montiporas lightly bleach on me, but they recovered quickly. I lost no SPS, LPS or soft corals as a result of using Tech M in the manner I have just described.
Hope this helps someone.
Did more digging, Tech M ingredients are: DI water, magnesium sulphate, magnesium chloride. However, further digging turns up: Deionized water containing the following elements (as ions): magnesium, chlorine, sulfur, calcium, potassium, bromine, strontium, boron, fluorine, lithium, rubidium, iodine, iron, molybdenum, zinc, nickel, copper, manganese, vanadium, cesium, cobalt, tungsten, selenium, and chromium.
There also seem to be two theories about what really kills the bryopsis: copper and the sulphate in magnesium sulphate. Many experiments have been performed and it seems Tech-M and SeaChem Reef Advantage Magnesium seem to work.
Found this as well, maybe I'll wait for the Tech M to start raising levels...
1. Get enough Tech M to do the job. Do not use mag sulfate or mag chloride to raise the mag level so you don't have to use as much Tech M. If you do this you are not adding the trace element or whatever is in the Tech M that actually kills the Bryopsis. Start from whatever your mag level is and raise it only using Tech M.
2. Get a quality test kit, like an Elos or a Salifert. Test every day when you are raising mag levels and when you are maintaining mag levels. Salifert test kits only read to 1500 ppm, so when you know your mag levels are over 1500, you add 1 ml of the #3 reagent and then draw up another 1 ml per the instructions. When you get the color change, reference the chart for the ppm, then add 1500 to this for the total ppm.
3. If you use them, I would eliminate the use of any Poly Filters or the like during the time you are raising the Mag level to 1800 with Tech M until the time your mag level drops to 1350 as described in step 6. Poly filters can remove metals, and since no one knows, you might remove the trace element that is actually killing the bryopsis if you use poly filters. Carbon is fine.
4. Raise your magnesium with Tech M by 100 ppm/day until you reach 1800. Test every day and maintain this level in your reef for two weeks straight. Do not do any water changes during this time. If you do water changes, then make sure you add enough Tech M to the tank to maintain the mag at 1800. The idea is to get enough exposure time at that level so whatever trace element is killing the Bryopsis has enough time to work.
The 1800 mag level is an indirect indicator of the concentration whatever trace element in the Tech M is killing the Bryopsis. Length of exposure at the right concentration seems to be the key to eliminating vs just suppressing the Bryopsis.
5. If you have a lot of Bryopsis in your tank, manually remove as much as possible when it starts to weaken and die. This will eliminate/minimize an ammonia spike that can result from the decaying Bryopsis.
6. After you have maintained a mag level of 1800 for two weeks, start doing your normal water changes. Do not do them more often that usual. You will have elevated magnesium levels for a period after wards, several weeks probably. This is not an issue. Let the level come back to the normal 1350 or so thru regular water changes and use by the corals.
7. Possible effects on animals and corals. I had some turbo snails die in the time my mag levels were elevated. I also had some montiporas lightly bleach on me, but they recovered quickly. I lost no SPS, LPS or soft corals as a result of using Tech M in the manner I have just described.
Hope this helps someone.
Is this what Cinderela felt like? I've been scrubbing Bryopsis and GHA off every rock since this morning! Finally got what was visible off, and started my forst dose of Tech M today. I'm going to reduce feeding somewhat, and reduce the daylight time on the tank. Is anyone going with a different dosing amount than what is on the bottle? I assume it's specific to what your Mag levels are prior to first dosing. "1mL (1/4 tsp) per gallon of aquarium capacity" seems high. I started today with the maintenance dose of 2 tsp per 50 gallons. 75 gallon tank, 30 gallon sump, I just call it 100 gallons. So that's 100 mL or 25 tsp. Essentially this 16oz bottle will last me 4 days. Sound right?