Sea Hare and Urchins

[Bill B]

After quite a period of neglect, I was trying everything to get my tanks cleaned up. Except for a bad case of bryopsis I think they are pretty much back, so it's time to get rid of some of my cleaners. I will probably keep one of the urchins but I'll let your choices decide which I keep. So up for offer are:

1 Sea Hare - medium size - GONE

1 Black Spine Urchin - getting up there. Some of it's spines are around 4"

1 Tuxedo Pink Urchin - 1"-1 1/2" (not very pink) - GONE

1 Algae Eating Urchin? - 1 1/2" - 2" Looks similar to a tuxedo but its rows of spines are not quite a neat as tuxedo and are multicolored tans

I am asking $10 for each except the 'Algae' @ $5.

I respectfully reserve the right to choose the buyers, if there is more than one - friends, acquaintances and fast pickups will be given first consideration. Please PM or call 784-4475.

Thanks

Bill Brister

[Kolos185]

Pm'd on tuxedo

[+C Lo Slice]

What kind of algae was your "algae eating urching" munching on? I may be interested

[+Mitch]

just curious what was your approach for dealing with bryopsis? tech m dosing? which critters munched on it? etc

[Bill B]

Just to be clear it is definitely not a 'was' approach on the bryopsis. I still have it. In fact, it may be common knowledge to some but I am developing an opportunistic theory about nuisance algae. = namely that removing one or more types of algae may clear the way/competition for others to take a better hold. In my 29 I had some pretty bad hair algae, the bryopsis and some cyano starting in. The hair and cyano are pretty much gone but the bryopsis seems to be getting worse faster. In my 75 I had some hair, some dino and a little cyano. I think all of those are gone but I have some cotton candy which is getting really happy in my sump. I was really shotgunning both tanks including extra turbos and a small amount of hermits. Of all my critters possibly the best eater was the algae urchin in my 75 but they move slowly. They move much faster but It's hard to tell how much the sea hare helped. Frankly he didn't seem night and day effective in my sight, but I didn't see him for about 10 days right after I got him, so he may have been eating up bunches of stuff on the back and underside of my tank and reducing the spore making population. If he was eating something. As I understand it if he wasn't eating pretty good he would likely be dead after 10 days. He still would be at least 2nd as far as being able to see before and after effects. As Steven A Smith sez HOWEVA - I really think what helped the most was my vodka and vinegar dosing. I have read that vinegar dosing in particularly can lead to more cyano outbreaks if you overdo it. I may have overdone the vinegar and that may have been the biggest seed for the cotton candy algae.

As far as the bryopsis I had really elevated my Magnesium to about 2000 but with little effect. It was only recently that I read that it might be some unknown trace element in Tech M that might be doing the damage and flake Mg wouldn't do it. I just got some today from RCA, but will have to reduce my Mg levels before I can add more. I was just using epsom salt. I recently read 2 people purporting that 50/50 on H2O2 would fry it. I am dubious by I did try this on a single frag yesterday. It did not seem to have much effect and it definitely did not 'fry' it on the spot. But today it seems to be gone. So I will probably proceed with trying both methods, unless anyone has other suggestions. As I understand it, there are over 50 varieties of bryopsis so what has or has not worked for others may not do the same for you and I. I do admit my manual removal has been less than stellar at times. Any other suggestions?

btw the Sea Hare and Tuxedo are pending.

Thanks

Bill

[+Mitch]

i'm also at the tail end of dealing with bryopsis and some hair algae. i used a combo of tech m and algaefix, plus my existing cleanup crew of tuxedo urchin and turbo snails - not sure how effective, if any, these critters were. i have one rock that still has bryopsis that's not disappearing (but also not growing). anyways, just trying to accumulate other peeps experiences. thanks for sharing.

[Michae52]

Bill the H202 will work. I had a couple of mushroom rocks that have it and I applied some H2O2 and the next day it was gone.

[+Mitch]

hmmm... what's the method for treating with H202? what dilution is used?

[Michae52]

I use 70 percent seawater and 30 percent H2O2. You can dip for a minute or if you are worried about whats on the rock use a syringe at 50-50 and apply to the area. Works for me and I know that it will work on Bill's.

[Bill B]

Michael's syringe sounds safer, but the anecdotal stories I read actually submerged their rock for 5 minutes in a 50/50 solution of water and hydrogen peroxide (as did I, hence only 1 frag so far). I guess this would have the side benefit of being a prophylaxis dip as well ?? Frankly I also read one story that a sea hare had worked in their instance. My 29 has waaay too many little frags in it for that kind of problem solving.

[10gReef]

I am very interested. pm'd