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As I write this article my systems are for the first time in years, "Hair Free".  OK, so I have not really had a "Hair Algea" problem even though I thought that I did, more about that as we progress.  About 3 years ago I started to have horrid infestations of what I thought was "Hair Algea".  The infestation required scrubbing the rocks, frags and the tank each week just to keep it presentable and alive.  Then as the coral farm started to take off I began to see the problems there also .  Each week I would find new losses to this plague, suffocated mini colonies of  rare micromussa,  Rest in piece "Orange UFO" , "OJ Simpson" and many others.  I tryed everything! Enormouse Skimmers, Decreased Bioloads, Increased flow patterns, Decreased flow patterns, Increased water changes, Chemical brand and salt changes, Decreased feedings, PO4 removers, RODI, Carbon, Increased filter changes, Refugiums, Mangroves, Manual removal, Algea eating fish, Sea Hares, snails and extensive cleaning crews all to no avail the infestation just returned.  This plague had me wanting to, "Pull my hair out!" LOL  sorry,  I had to go there.  Three weeks ago a friend and peer, Dave Whitham visited my farm and as he looked at my main show tank he said, "Oh I see that you have a bit of a Bryopsis battle going on"  Somewhat insulted that he had found error in my freshly scrubbed masterpiece, I informed him no not really but that I had been battling hair algea for years.  He proceeded to inform me that that,  "No"  that was not hair algea but instead it was "Bryopsis", he then was able to magically tell me the entire history of my battle having never even been to see my system before? He told me that he also had fought this battle and that extreme levels of Magnesium cause this reef plague to quickly become transluscent and totally dissolve. He said that my current Mg levels @ 1350mg/L were Ok for day to day replication of natural sea water but that I needed to "Bump" my Mg by about 100mg/L  each day and then hold it at 1800mg/L for a week or two, 1800mg/L WOW! thats high.  I had questions?  would it kill things? my corals? my cleaners? inverts?.  Dave stated that the life would do just fine and that he has had the best high dose response from Kents Tech M.  This information was really far to good to be true and I was very sceptical, but I figured that I would just go slowley and watch for untoward reactions within my system.  I ordered 3 gallons for my 800gallon system and as it arrived the next week I started.

The Tech M arrived and I tested prior to starting so I would have a baseline and found that my Mg was @ 1200mg/L .  I then added to my system 3200ml each day ( The doses for this system will probably be nowhere near to your dosing schedule!!!). I tested each day and watched as the Mg went 1380mg/L , 1440mg/L, 1580mg/L, 1660mg/L then I ran out of the Tech M GGRRRR  so I started usuing my good ol' Mag Chloride mixed with Mag Sulfate as I use in my daily doser and it seemed to work just fine.  As the level hit 1800mg/L I watched.....  Nothing much happened for a day or two,  all of the livestock seemed to actually like it, softies flourish.  On day three it happened, large clumps of the "Bryopsis" appeared grey to transluscent as promised and then the next day it began to drop off floating away to be captured in my filter socks.  I have just finished 1 full week @ 1800mg/L and I see absolutely no detrimental effects within the system.  I am free of the "Hair Agea"  No Bryopsis!!  The tank is clear.  I will be continuing the 1800 for another week and I believe that I will leave my Mg levels about 1500mg/L after that BUT WOW!  If you have a pestering, strong green , hairy looking menace in your tank this could be the solution.

Thank You Dave!

riptide - October 24, 2009 wow great post!!! this has to be what I have been battling in my wifes tank for months I've tried everything!!!! I was going to start her tank over ,I even covered it for 5days its still there thank you doc hope this works

Doctor - October 24, 2009 Yes I believe that it may work! It has been literally MIRACULOUS for my systems. Good Luck

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