Anyone have solutions for bubble algae?

[Tanster2]

I have a mild outbreak of bubble algae I've noticed. It's very maintainable right now, and I would prefer a natural means of removal. I would like to avoid emerald crabs, and want to know if there are any other inverts that consume it? I could do a 2-3 day blackout, but I have some other delicate algae that I wouldn't want to risk dying due to a blackout.

Anyone have some solutions that have worked for you in the past?

 

[ichthyoid]

Majano/aptasia wand, hydrogen peroxide injection, kalk injection, strong red lasers (use caution & wear correct eye protection)...

Or, just pick them off by hand

FWIW, I never had a bad problem with valonia, but never had anything that would eat it either (even emerald crabs)

 

[Tanster2]

Majano/aptasia wand, hydrogen peroxide injection, kalk injection, strong red lasers (use caution & wear correct eye protection)...

Or, just pick them off by hand

FWIW, I never had a bad problem with valonia, but never had anything that would eat it either (even emerald crabs)

I've never had an issue either strangely enough. It popped up all of a sudden a few weeks back and has been spreading. I have no idea what I did to kickstart it, or where it came from.

I've had problems with emeralds eating my fish in the past. One killed my favorite fish; a ruby fairy wrasse. That fish was like a dog. She'd sit in my hand and beg for attention. Ever since I've been cautious about emeralds, but I'll give it another go before I break out the kalk.

 

[wake125122]

Foxfaces will eat it as well as emerald crabs. Best is manual removal though. Stop all pumps and get a small siphon going and cut it off the rocks.

 

[Tanster2]

Anyone know what causes it to spread? I'll work on removing it, and wanna make sure it doesn't come back.

 

[wake125122]

Popping it supposedly caused it to spread. Just have to make sure to get it all off. Otherwise it will just refill.

 

[Steve Burton]

I've had good luck with manual removal, and I had an emerald that kept a few larger bubbles from spreading once I manually removed most of it. Personally I have serious doubts about even longer blackout periods having noticeable affects on almost any algae, their survival mechanisms make more extreme tactics necessary.

 

[Tanster2]

Thanks. Reluctant to get an emerald because I've always read they rarely do the right job. But I'll give it a go and visit my LFS after work. Do you know if anyone sells red mithrax?

 

[lmm1967]

reefcleaners sells emeralds guaranteed to eat bubble algae - and they do.

I love emeralds - but I do manually feed them whenever I see them out and I am feeding and I think that helps keep them from going rogue.

 

[Tanster2]

How do they guarantee them to eat bubble, never heard of that? Sounds like my kind of crab

Edit: Just checked them out. These guys have everything!

 

[lmm1967]

Emerald/Ruby Mithrax Crab

Resides : Rocks and horizontal surfaces Consumes : Hair Algae, Complex Macroalgae and Turf Algae Max Size (Carapace): 1 or 25mm Origin : Caribbean Availability:...

www.reefcleaners.org

 

[Tanster2]

Emerald/Ruby Mithrax Crab

Resides : Rocks and horizontal surfaces Consumes : Hair Algae, Complex Macroalgae and Turf Algae Max Size (Carapace): 1 or 25mm Origin : Caribbean Availability:...

www.reefcleaners.org

I'm on their site now. It's been a while since I've replenished my CUC, so I'm gonna go ahead and do a bulk order. I'll take some before and afters of the bubble to verify just how good their emeralds are.

 

[bluesy1213]

I had to resort to using Vibrant. But you have other algae that you want to save. Therefore I understand why you want to stay with natural methods. I was lazy and chose not to try manual after reading that you shouldn’t pop them in your tank....I do not recommend this...manual removal is probably your best bet with emerald crabs if they will consume it. But in the end Vibrant worked very well for me.

 

[Tanster2]

I see vibrant as a last resort. Luckily I’ve never had to use it in any of my tanks over the years. Reefsavers actually has a money back guarantee on their emerald crabs, so I’ll give them a go first.

 

[dasianguy]

I know this is an oldish thread, but I wanted to say that I struggled with bubble algae for a couple years... until I tried Vibrant. Emerald crabs and manual removal never put a dent in it for me (plus I caught emeralds picking at coral). The Vibrant worked like magic though!

 

[Tanster2]

I know this is an oldish thread, but I wanted to say that I struggled with bubble algae for a couple years... until I tried Vibrant. Emerald crabs and manual removal never put a dent in it for me (plus I caught emeralds picking at coral). The Vibrant worked like magic though!

I just started dosing vibrant this week! I'm testing it on my 10g first to see how it does before I put it in my 30. Only down side is the huge bunch of graci I have growing in my display. I may have to crank my skimmer back on to make up for the lack of nutrient export when it starts to die lol.

 

[Steve Burton]

My Magnificant Foxface eats it

 

[Tanster2]

My Magnificant Foxface eats it

I wish they made those in nano sizes lol

 

[gainesvillereef]

Vibrant is the only thing I have used that actually eradicates it. I have eliminated it in 2 separate tanks and it has not come back. Give it a couple of months to be completely gone.

 

[bluesy1213]

I think I treated for 3 months to make sure it was gone. On the plus side, it really does clean the aquarium.