Help: Bubble Algea

Civicman86 · 10/30/2018, 07:05 PM

Looking for some help. I have a 75g tank that is almost 2years old. Everything was great until I brought a snail home that formed some bubble algea. Trying to be precaution I took the snail out and removed the algea from his shell. Did a quick rinse and put him back in the tank (terrible mistake). I now have a tank FULL of this junk! Looking for any help. I tried in the beginning to remove it but needed up popping more than I removed. I now have two emeralds and neither is making a dent and has killed my skunk cleaner. The tank looks so bad I’m about ready to just throw the towel in.

I thought about a One spot of face but worry the tank is to small - and if him and my yellow eye can coexist. Any help is appreciated, I miss my beautiful tank!

Sk8r · 10/30/2018, 07:25 PM

Generally it's a transient pest---IF it's not getting a nutrient that lets it run riot. You've got a fowlr and it may be nutrient rich. First thing to do is a set of water changes, starting witj a 30%, then 3 days on do a 20%, and do that once a month to see if that helps. Do you have a skimmer, and how good is it? There are things that one can do IF there's a good skimmer, but meanwhile the heavy water changes may help curtail the pest. If it's any consolation, visitors often admire the stuff as pretty and think it's a coral. But I'm betting your actual issue is water quality.

Green Chromis · 10/30/2018, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Civicman86

Looking for some help. I have a 75g tank that is almost 2years old. Everything was great until I brought a snail home that formed some bubble algea. Trying to be precaution I took the snail out and removed the algea from his shell. Did a quick rinse and put him back in the tank (terrible mistake). I now have a tank FULL of this junk! Looking for any help. I tried in the beginning to remove it but needed up popping more than I removed. I now have two emeralds and neither is making a dent and has killed my skunk cleaner. The tank looks so bad I’m about ready to just throw the towel in.

I thought about a One spot of face but worry the tank is to small - and if him and my yellow eye can coexist. Any help is appreciated, I miss my beautiful tank!

I was working on my refugium and found a lot on the bottom side of a few pieces of live rock, I asked some of my friends , and was told to use Vibrant to get rid of it, and it totally worked. The Algae disappeared in a month or so, and it never came back.

Civicman86 · 10/31/2018, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Generally it's a transient pest---IF it's not getting a nutrient that lets it run riot. You've got a fowlr and it may be nutrient rich. First thing to do is a set of water changes, starting witj a 30%, then 3 days on do a 20%, and do that once a month to see if that helps. Do you have a skimmer, and how good is it? There are things that one can do IF there's a good skimmer, but meanwhile the heavy water changes may help curtail the pest. If it's any consolation, visitors often admire the stuff as pretty and think it's a coral. But I'm betting your actual issue is water quality.

Thanks, I'm actually no longer fowl - have a couple coral but nothing crazy. I am going to try to do the water changes as you suggested as I would prefer to do it naturally instead of with chemicals (vibrnat may happen though depending on success).

I do have a skimmer (reef octopus) and I think it works really well. I don't skin super wet but pull lots of really dark crud.

We are having Xmas for my family here and would really love to have this under better control by then. Also feel like it's pushing out some of my polyps.

billdogg · 11/01/2018, 02:04 PM

After going after it very aggressively for almost a year, I tried Vibrant with a “nothing to lose” attitude. I went with about 1.5x dosage on my SPS dominate tank. It did not affect a thing other than the BA. It took 4-6 weeks but eventually eliminated every trace. I now give a 1x dose about every 2 weeks just to prevent its return.

Hth

Fourstars · 11/02/2018, 12:10 PM

I always have a small patch here or there. I just leave it alone. If it starts to take off, I know I have more then just BA issues.

10/30/2018, 07:05 PM	#1
Civicman86 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 138	Help: Bubble Algea Looking for some help. I have a 75g tank that is almost 2years old. Everything was great until I brought a snail home that formed some bubble algea. Trying to be precaution I took the snail out and removed the algea from his shell. Did a quick rinse and put him back in the tank (terrible mistake). I now have a tank FULL of this junk! Looking for any help. I tried in the beginning to remove it but needed up popping more than I removed. I now have two emeralds and neither is making a dent and has killed my skunk cleaner. The tank looks so bad I’m about ready to just throw the towel in. I thought about a One spot of face but worry the tank is to small - and if him and my yellow eye can coexist. Any help is appreciated, I miss my beautiful tank! __________________ -Dustin Current Tank Info: 75G FOWL Build

10/30/2018, 07:25 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Generally it's a transient pest---IF it's not getting a nutrient that lets it run riot. You've got a fowlr and it may be nutrient rich. First thing to do is a set of water changes, starting witj a 30%, then 3 days on do a 20%, and do that once a month to see if that helps. Do you have a skimmer, and how good is it? There are things that one can do IF there's a good skimmer, but meanwhile the heavy water changes may help curtail the pest. If it's any consolation, visitors often admire the stuff as pretty and think it's a coral. But I'm betting your actual issue is water quality. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

11/01/2018, 02:04 PM	#5
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	After going after it very aggressively for almost a year, I tried Vibrant with a “nothing to lose” attitude. I went with about 1.5x dosage on my SPS dominate tank. It did not affect a thing other than the BA. It took 4-6 weeks but eventually eliminated every trace. I now give a 1x dose about every 2 weeks just to prevent its return. Hth __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

11/02/2018, 12:10 PM	#6
Fourstars Registered Member. Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Third rock Posts: 291	I always have a small patch here or there. I just leave it alone. If it starts to take off, I know I have more then just BA issues.