How to get rid of Bubble Algae?

[seth the wine guy]

I'm seeing bubble algae pop up in more and more places in my tank. I see where Dave G had success with a Naso. I'm interested in what other people have had success with. I don't want to put something in the tank that I will just have to remove later a short while later. I would like an option of permanent resident candidates.
Thanks

 

[mockery]

I've got a little bit and am going to try emerald crabs.

 

[dasugaman]

I used emeralds crabs, It took a while for them to start to eat the bubble algae but they did at a slow pace.

 

[smoothie]

Scrubbing off in a seperate tub o water always worked best for me when I bought "good coral"

 

[acroholic]

I have not had success with emeralds, and IME they get hungry for fish when they get larger, at least I had a couple unexplained disappearances after my emeralds got some size on them. I pulled them and no more missing fishies. I don't know if this is true or not, but I have also read reports that emeralds sometime tear the tentacles off of Euphyllias.

The Naso was the best, and my 100 gallon has been free of bubble algae for months now.

 

[ripped tide]

Naso huh? I have plenty in my reef tank. The small emeralds pick at the bubble algae every now and then. I used to have a foxface that ate it, but, (RIP{ped}), he passed. My reef tank is cursed for tangs and tang-like fish. I have hair algae too, I fight the good fight, but im getting tired of that.

I haven't tried a small naso... maybe that is the key.

 

[jmt]

I picked up an anemone a few months ago from my LFS and discovered it had some bubble algae on the attached rock (which I only saw after I put it in my tank). Within a week the rock was clean. I am not sure what cleaned it; however, I believe it had to be either my Black Sailfin Blenny or my Yellow Tang. I have not seen any bubble algae ever since .... hope that helps

 

[seth the wine guy]

Acroholic;702357 wrote: I have not had success with emeralds, and IME they get hungry for fish when they get larger

From what I've read this seems to make sense. They just seem to get hungry for EVERYTHING. I'm afraid there would be so many other tasty morsels in my tank they would want before some bubble algae.

 

[ripped tide]

Acroholic;702357 wrote: I have not had success with emeralds, and IME they get hungry for fish when they get larger, at least I had a couple unexplained disappearances after my emeralds got some size on them. I pulled them and no more missing fishies. I don't know if this is true or not, but I have also read reports that emeralds sometime tear the tentacles off of Euphyllias.

The Naso was the best, and my 100 gallon has been free of bubble algae for months now.

Did you have male or female emeralds? It seems like most male crabs get larger and are way more aggressive. I have three females, and maybe they are just slow, but they target the bubble algae over the fish. I wonder if there is a difference between the effectiveness(against bubble-algae) of a female and a male...

 

[cbj25]

put an emerald (possibly multiple) and the rock in a piece of Tupperware in your system and they will get hungry. common lfs practice.

 

[acroholic]

Ripped Tide;702363 wrote: Did you have male or female emeralds? It seems like most male crabs get larger and are way more aggressive. I have three females, and maybe they are just slow, but they target the bubble algae over the fish. I wonder if there is a difference between the effectiveness(against bubble-algae) of a female and a male...

Not sure what sex the crabs were, and didn't know there was way to tell. How do you tell the difference between the boys 'n girls?

 

[jennm]

Males have huge claws.

Rabbitfish are also good for bubble algae, if your tank is big enough to house one.

Jenn

 

[mockery]

Good to know about emeralds. on to plan B

 

[falos]

I have a scribled rabit fish he won't eat bubble hair of film alge I thank its the foxface that will eat it or mines just lazy
I just use a peace of ridged tubing and cut the tip so it has little points all around it wire cutters work good make sure its longenuf to reach your bucket
Put the hoes jently around the bubble and then twist or scrape it off usuly you can got a small peace of rock out with it
Just don't pop the bubbles in the tank suck them out
Also works with the bad nems bristles and monties

 

[seth the wine guy]

Acroholic;702357 wrote: I have also read reports that emeralds sometime tear the tentacles off of Euphyllias.

That's what you said happened to your torch right? I would hate to loose mine. Not to mention that frogspawn. How's your little orange guy doing? I think mine has doubled or more in size. Not sure how to measure good growth in them.

Edit:

JennM;702380 wrote:
Rabbitfish are also good for bubble algae, if your tank is big enough to house one.

I guess that depends on who you ask. I suspect you would say no. It's a 120g.

Edit:

cbj25;702365 wrote: put an emerald (possibly multiple) and the rock in a piece of Tupperware in your system and they will get hungry. common lfs practice.

Not an option. A couple of the rocks are probably 25-35lbs and at the bottom of my reef structure.

 

[ripped tide]

You can also flip the emerald upside down and look at the shape of it's abdomen. The females are wide and more rounded. Males generally start wide near the back and then taper in to a point as it gets closer to it's face. Same goes for most species of crabs. Jenn is right as well, males generally have much larger claws.

 

[johnmackay70]

Are you running a refugium? If not would you consider adding one?

I can't say it would stop the bubble and hair algae, but at least there would be something there competing for the nutrients - I would guess it would at least slow them down.

 

[mph84]

red sea sailfin!! mine is doing some good work on BA

 

[seth the wine guy]

johnmackay70;702531 wrote: Are you running a refugium? If not would you consider adding one?

I am running one actually. About a 50g fuge on a 120g display. A 2'x2' 6"DSB with enough Chaeto to fill a 5g bucket.

 

[johnmackay70]

Good sized fuge...I figured you were, but it was worth asking. I also assume you are testing phos and trates...

Btw, there is an interesting thread about hair algae that just started up within the last few days...there is a pretty interesting hypothesis about low levels of phos actually being embedded in live rock...low enough that it doesn't register on tests because it gets used up by the algae on the rock before being testable...interesting read if you haven't looked at it yet.

Seth The Wine Guy;702584 wrote: I am running one actually. About a 50g fuge on a 120g display. A 2'x2' 6"DSB with enough Chaeto to fill a 5g bucket.