bubble alge infestation!!!

diaman · 04/19/2008, 07:45 AM

Bubble alge is rapidly spreading in my 125 reef. What are the best methods to eradicate this pesky stuff?

rbursek · 04/19/2008, 08:05 AM

What are your water params? Nitrate, phosphates?

rbursek · 04/19/2008, 08:06 AM

Are you using RO/DI water? What is the final TDS reading?

diaman · 04/19/2008, 09:24 AM

Nitrates .2 Phosphates 0

I use DI water from a commercial unit at my store.

I don 't know what TDS is or how to measure it.

diaman · 04/19/2008, 09:25 AM

Correction on nitrates .02

Duff Man · 04/19/2008, 09:29 AM

I've been fighting it for some time myself. I have had some success by manually picking it out. Be careful not to break it. If one is really stuck, I just leave it and try again next time. Some say that emerald crabs will go after it, but I have never seen either of my 3 even look at the stuff.

rbursek · 04/19/2008, 09:46 AM

Maybe the no lights on for 3 days and more flow.

mokeyz · 04/19/2008, 10:18 AM

Emerald crabs might help ---

spleify · 04/19/2008, 10:33 AM

I have had some luck with manual removal. But the stuff multiplies like crazy. I have also heard a lot of mixed reviews about emeralds. I've never tried them, so I cant comment on success or failure.

Thank the saltwater gods, It hasn't made its way to the display yet though, it stays in the refugium and sump/frag tanks.

Here is a pick from a few months ago, It was like a massive bloom, it seemed like in a week this all of a sudden happened. It took like 3 hours to pick this much out by hand, and finally I had enough and tore down the sump and took it out back and hosed it out. That seemed to help.

HTH

Spleify

sjm817 · 04/19/2008, 10:44 AM

I feel for you. BA will grow just fine with great water parameters. I had an infestation in my previous tank and never found a cure. When I set up the new tank, I did not reuse any of the old LR for fear of it infesting my new tank.

Good Luck with it.

diaman · 04/19/2008, 10:59 AM

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I read somewhere about being able to siphon it out during water changes. I am going to take the gravel siphon attachment off & just us python hose & see if the suction is strong enough to pull the little buggers off.

I will report my findings next week.

Toddrtrex · 04/19/2008, 11:02 AM

Mine story is pretty much the same as "sjm817's" My 58 was over run with the stuff. Water, flow, etc. was great. Ended up taking all all the live rock and starting over. Cleaned out the sump too, the whole nine yards. Best thing I ever did. Still have a few bubble in the overflow that I couldn't get too. Once in a great while I will notice one or two in the main display, but my emeralds take care of them. I have found that they work when you have a few, but if the tank if overrun they can't keep up.

Quiet1 · 04/19/2008, 11:09 AM

BA is a pain. Manual removal along with good water parameters is the surest way to remove it.

Emerald crabs are nocturnal and tend to eat the smaller bubbles. Once the bubbles get past a certain size, Emeralds leave them alone.

I have a Two Bar Rabbit fish that eats BA in my tank, but I think it's a lucky chance that it does.

Quiet1

PBITAWA

nhlives · 04/20/2008, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Duff Man
...Be careful not to break it...

This REALLY a concern or just one of those urban myths. I doubt that the emerald's are wolfing them down whole. Just wondering...

chrismunn · 04/20/2008, 10:33 AM

when you break the valonia open it releases spores into the water column that end up settling in different parts of your tank, and spread the problem....

Hop · 04/20/2008, 10:36 AM

I was lucky and only had it on a couple rocks and in a couple large groups. I grabbed 3 emerald crabs and not one of them was ever seen near, on or eating the stuff

Then one day my Naso decided that he liked it and I have not seen another bubble in over two years.

Obviously I don't recommend a naso for a 125, but another tang may be a reasonable choice. Otherwise I think that sjm817 had the right idea. Maybe not the idea you were hoping for, but a good idea nonetheless.

Gdevine · 04/20/2008, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by diaman
Thanks for all the replies everyone. I read somewhere about being able to siphon it out during water changes. I am going to take the gravel siphon attachment off & just us python hose & see if the suction is strong enough to pull the little buggers off.

I will report my findings next week.

I had a few that I siphoned out. It was easy and it erratics them right quick!

andrewkw · 04/20/2008, 02:20 PM

I tore my tank down several months ago. One of the things I did was manually remove 1000s and 1000s and 1000s of bubble algae a lot more then in the above bucket.

Things looked great for a while but now a few months in its back with a vengence. I change phosban every 2 weeks use a lot, RO/DI 0TDS, weekly water changes good flow ect this stuff will grow in good conditions.

Once you have an infestation i think its too late.

nhlives · 04/20/2008, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chrismunn
when you break the valonia open it releases spores into the water column that end up settling in different parts of your tank, and spread the problem....

I know that is the story. I guess I will check around to se if there are any research references. I just find it interesting that this discussion always goes along with natural controls. I would think natural controls would end up spreading the spores.

nhlives · 04/20/2008, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nhlives
I know that is the story. I guess I will check around to se if there are any research references. I just find it interesting that this discussion always goes along with natural controls. I would think natural controls would end up spreading the spores.

This reference only states, "Vegetative propagation via fragmentation probably occurs"

This is interesting and supportive of the argument but isn't scientifcally valid.

Another scientific reference that states, "The species also reproduces sexually by freeing flagellate reproductive cells through pores in the walls of the vegetative cells of the thallus." This would seem to confirm although this seems to be a "it takes two to tangle"

Anyway, just wondered if this was a myth. Although I can't find (didn't spend a ton of time) exact confirmation, at least one scientific and one otherwise would be supportive of that postiion.

nhlives · 04/20/2008, 04:43 PM

A study on how effective emerald crabs are for valonia control.

BLKTANG · 04/20/2008, 04:50 PM

IME with BA

Every once in a while I find one or 2,& I just manually remove them,sometimes breaking them open,& never had a problem with them spreading or rapid reproduction from popping them in the display.I use tweezers for the hard to reach ones.

04/19/2008, 07:45 AM	#1
diaman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 50	bubble alge infestation!!! Bubble alge is rapidly spreading in my 125 reef. What are the best methods to eradicate this pesky stuff?

04/19/2008, 10:33 AM	#9
spleify Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 9,579	I have had some luck with manual removal. But the stuff multiplies like crazy. I have also heard a lot of mixed reviews about emeralds. I've never tried them, so I cant comment on success or failure. Thank the saltwater gods, It hasn't made its way to the display yet though, it stays in the refugium and sump/frag tanks. Here is a pick from a few months ago, It was like a massive bloom, it seemed like in a week this all of a sudden happened. It took like 3 hours to pick this much out by hand, and finally I had enough and tore down the sump and took it out back and hosed it out. That seemed to help. HTH Spleify __________________ Make it a Great Day!!!! Current Tank Info: 60 gal SPS cube, with 25 gal refugium, 400W MH, DIY Lumenarc III, DIY skimmer, DIY stand and canopy. 40 breeder LPS with 40 gallon sump, DIY stand, 250W MH

04/19/2008, 10:44 AM	#10
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	I feel for you. BA will grow just fine with great water parameters. I had an infestation in my previous tank and never found a cure. When I set up the new tank, I did not reuse any of the old LR for fear of it infesting my new tank. Good Luck with it. __________________ - Scott

04/19/2008, 11:02 AM	#12
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	Mine story is pretty much the same as "sjm817's" My 58 was over run with the stuff. Water, flow, etc. was great. Ended up taking all all the live rock and starting over. Cleaned out the sump too, the whole nine yards. Best thing I ever did. Still have a few bubble in the overflow that I couldn't get too. Once in a great while I will notice one or two in the main display, but my emeralds take care of them. I have found that they work when you have a few, but if the tank if overrun they can't keep up. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

04/20/2008, 10:33 AM	#15
chrismunn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 4,200	when you break the valonia open it releases spores into the water column that end up settling in different parts of your tank, and spread the problem.... __________________ Marine Aquarists Association of South Texas Austin Reef Club PBITAWA... Current Tank Info: 14g bio cube

04/19/2008, 08:05 AM	#2
rbursek Moved On Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: germantown,wi Posts: 2,339	What are your water params? Nitrate, phosphates?

04/19/2008, 08:06 AM	#3
rbursek Moved On Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: germantown,wi Posts: 2,339	Are you using RO/DI water? What is the final TDS reading?

04/19/2008, 09:24 AM	#4
diaman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 50	Nitrates .2 Phosphates 0 I use DI water from a commercial unit at my store. I don 't know what TDS is or how to measure it.

04/19/2008, 09:25 AM	#5
diaman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 50	Correction on nitrates .02

04/19/2008, 09:29 AM	#6
Duff Man Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Chicago's far NW burbs Posts: 629	I've been fighting it for some time myself. I have had some success by manually picking it out. Be careful not to break it. If one is really stuck, I just leave it and try again next time. Some say that emerald crabs will go after it, but I have never seen either of my 3 even look at the stuff.

04/19/2008, 09:46 AM	#7
rbursek Moved On Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: germantown,wi Posts: 2,339	Maybe the no lights on for 3 days and more flow.

04/19/2008, 10:18 AM	#8
mokeyz Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 371	Emerald crabs might help ---

04/19/2008, 10:59 AM	#11
diaman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 50	Thanks for all the replies everyone. I read somewhere about being able to siphon it out during water changes. I am going to take the gravel siphon attachment off & just us python hose & see if the suction is strong enough to pull the little buggers off. I will report my findings next week.

04/19/2008, 11:09 AM	#13
Quiet1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 261	BA is a pain. Manual removal along with good water parameters is the surest way to remove it. Emerald crabs are nocturnal and tend to eat the smaller bubbles. Once the bubbles get past a certain size, Emeralds leave them alone. I have a Two Bar Rabbit fish that eats BA in my tank, but I think it's a lucky chance that it does. Quiet1 PBITAWA

04/20/2008, 10:36 AM	#16
Hop Carpe Noctem!!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 8,548	I was lucky and only had it on a couple rocks and in a couple large groups. I grabbed 3 emerald crabs and not one of them was ever seen near, on or eating the stuff Then one day my Naso decided that he liked it and I have not seen another bubble in over two years. Obviously I don't recommend a naso for a 125, but another tang may be a reasonable choice. Otherwise I think that sjm817 had the right idea. Maybe not the idea you were hoping for, but a good idea nonetheless. __________________ Hop Current Tank Info: 300-gallon in-wall system (mixed reef)

04/20/2008, 02:20 PM	#18
andrewkw Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: St. Joseph Island Posts: 1,069	I tore my tank down several months ago. One of the things I did was manually remove 1000s and 1000s and 1000s of bubble algae a lot more then in the above bucket. Things looked great for a while but now a few months in its back with a vengence. I change phosban every 2 weeks use a lot, RO/DI 0TDS, weekly water changes good flow ect this stuff will grow in good conditions. Once you have an infestation i think its too late.

04/20/2008, 04:43 PM	#21
nhlives Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 247	A study on how effective emerald crabs are for valonia control.

04/20/2008, 04:50 PM	#22
BLKTANG Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Never,Never Land Posts: 7,061	IME with BA Every once in a while I find one or 2,& I just manually remove them,sometimes breaking them open,& never had a problem with them spreading or rapid reproduction from popping them in the display.I use tweezers for the hard to reach ones. __________________ We the few have done so much,for so long,for so little.That we are now qualified to do anything with nothing. ____________________________________________________________________________ Current Tank Info: RR 90 Maganvore sump,250w Hamilton fixture,VorTec's ASM skimmer.