Bubble Algae

Mikeb76 · 01/22/2018, 12:48 PM

Hello I wanted to get some advice on getting rid of Bubble Algae in my tank. I noticed a while back I had some bubble algae on one of my rocks. I took the rock out of the tank and scrapped it all off raised the rock with hot water then RO water, then put the rock back in the tank. All was good for a while, but now the bubble algae has grown back

on half of the rocks and on some of my coral plugs.I was able to remove from the algae from my corals and made a rack to get them off the rock for now.

I recently added 1 emerald crab to eat the algae but looks like I might need more. I also thought about getting a Fox face to see if he would eat the bubble algae too

Worst case I was thinking of taking all the rock out of the tank and pressure washing the heck out of the rock then let them dry in the sun for a while , then let it soak in RO/ID water for a few days then put it back. In the mean time I would take all the pumps apart to make sure there is no algae growing on them and do a 50% water change would this hurt my tank?

Thanks

Hydrus · 01/22/2018, 01:10 PM

I've always just used emerald crabs. I can't say I'd ever want to pull out and kill off all my live rock. Keep in mind it does take time to resolve

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AlSimmons · 01/22/2018, 01:26 PM

I got rid of mine by ripping out as much as I could before each water change. Popping them was of no concern. It was definitely a little tedious, but they're gone now.

Mikeb76 · 01/22/2018, 01:36 PM

Hydru how many EC should I have for a 90gal? Also I heard that they will attack peppermint shrimp did you have this issue?

crawling junk · 01/22/2018, 01:52 PM

Vibrant got rid of all the bubble algae in my tank. But it came with a price. Now im trying to get rid of cyano

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Randyz · 01/22/2018, 08:20 PM

I would go with emerald crabs and possibly zebra hermits

Tripod1404 · 01/23/2018, 02:47 PM

What is your nitrate and phosphate levels? I have several bubble algae in my tank but they grow extremely slow. If they are growing that fast, you might have a nutrient problem.

If so it would be very hard to achieve biological control.

Hydrus · 01/23/2018, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikeb76

Hydru how many EC should I have for a 90gal? Also I heard that they will attack peppermint shrimp did you have this issue?

I put in 4, but when it was gone I gave them back to fish store and kept only 1. And they never attacked my peppermint shrimp but did kill my anemone crab.

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flooddc · 01/23/2018, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlSimmons

I got rid of mine by ripping out as much as I could before each water change. Popping them was of no concern. It was definitely a little tedious, but they're gone now.

^^^
This is best way to get rid of it. I used to have them and manually removed whenever I see them. Also, for future reference I'd highly recommend that you don't use hot water on your rock or anything out of the tank. Palytoxin is deadly. While some people might not have paly or zoa in their tank, there might be a chance of hitch hiking on a frag, a rock, etc. you never know.

organism · 01/23/2018, 04:17 PM

Have you seen this one? Guy wiped out a ton of it in a few weeks.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2665273

01/22/2018, 12:48 PM	#1
Mikeb76 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 47	Bubble Algae Hello I wanted to get some advice on getting rid of Bubble Algae in my tank. I noticed a while back I had some bubble algae on one of my rocks. I took the rock out of the tank and scrapped it all off raised the rock with hot water then RO water, then put the rock back in the tank. All was good for a while, but now the bubble algae has grown back on half of the rocks and on some of my coral plugs.I was able to remove from the algae from my corals and made a rack to get them off the rock for now. I recently added 1 emerald crab to eat the algae but looks like I might need more. I also thought about getting a Fox face to see if he would eat the bubble algae too Worst case I was thinking of taking all the rock out of the tank and pressure washing the heck out of the rock then let them dry in the sun for a while , then let it soak in RO/ID water for a few days then put it back. In the mean time I would take all the pumps apart to make sure there is no algae growing on them and do a 50% water change would this hurt my tank? Thanks

01/23/2018, 04:17 PM	#10
organism code monkey Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: south bay Posts: 6,223	Have you seen this one? Guy wiped out a ton of it in a few weeks. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2665273 __________________ I don't always grow frags... but when I do, I prefer Dos Acros

01/22/2018, 01:10 PM	#2
Hydrus Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Minnesota Posts: 98	I've always just used emerald crabs. I can't say I'd ever want to pull out and kill off all my live rock. Keep in mind it does take time to resolve Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

01/22/2018, 01:26 PM	#3
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	I got rid of mine by ripping out as much as I could before each water change. Popping them was of no concern. It was definitely a little tedious, but they're gone now.

01/22/2018, 01:36 PM	#4
Mikeb76 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 47	Hydru how many EC should I have for a 90gal? Also I heard that they will attack peppermint shrimp did you have this issue?

01/22/2018, 01:52 PM	#5
crawling junk Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 88	Vibrant got rid of all the bubble algae in my tank. But it came with a price. Now im trying to get rid of cyano Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01/22/2018, 08:20 PM	#6
Randyz Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 53	I would go with emerald crabs and possibly zebra hermits

01/23/2018, 02:47 PM	#7
Tripod1404 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,821	What is your nitrate and phosphate levels? I have several bubble algae in my tank but they grow extremely slow. If they are growing that fast, you might have a nutrient problem. If so it would be very hard to achieve biological control.