I HATE Bubble Algae!!

AT_Hiker · 07/21/2018, 12:50 PM

I’m getting ready to tear down the 2nd tank that I ruined by turning a small bubble algae issue into a HUGE bubble algae issue by trying to remove it. Is there anyway to safely remove bubble algae without creating a bigger problem?

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dabob79 · 07/21/2018, 01:39 PM

Pop them while doing a water change, hold the siphon over them as you pop them to suck everything out. Get a small army of emerald crabs to eat them as they pop up, that’s what I did.

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rustyjames · 07/21/2018, 02:52 PM

Vibrant has been working pretty well on my ba problem. Might be worth a try before a total teardown.

davocean · 07/21/2018, 03:26 PM

emeralds from somewhere that has them eating valonia already has always worked well for me, reefcleaners dot org has been my go to

top shelf · 07/21/2018, 04:34 PM

I get bubble algae here and there, by the sounds of it not as bad as you, and I just knock em loose with a turkey baster and suck em out. I try not to pop them while doing it either. Successful? Idk it keeps popping back up but hasn't gotten outta control as of yet.

What have you been trying to do so far?

AT_Hiker · 07/21/2018, 04:39 PM

I try to gently remove them from the rock with a razor, while running a siphon beside it. I always thought i was successful, but within days they started popping up everywhere. The more I try to remove, the worse it gets.

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ryeguyy84 · 07/22/2018, 05:23 AM

Get some 1/4 rigid airline from home Depot and cut it so one side is pointy. Then start a syphon and use the point to dislodge them and then they get sucked down the airline. Takes forever but most of the time you get them whole. For bigger ones get a larger diameter hose

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billdogg · 07/22/2018, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyjames

Vibrant has been working pretty well on my ba problem. Might be worth a try before a total teardown.

^^^This^^^

I am generally the last person around to suggest something like this, but after months of manual removal/emerald crabs/nutrient control I was at the end of my rope.

I gave in and thought I'd give it a try. At that point I really had nothing to lose anyway. I dosed it at ~2x the suggested amount and noticed within a couple weeks that things were beginning to change for the better. I continued the treatment for about 2 months without making any other changes to the system so that I could accurately judge it's effectiveness. By the end of that time, the bubble algae (and a small spot of HA) had completely disappeared. It was, sadly, replaced by cyanobacteria, but I attribute that to the decay of the BA and the nutrients released because of it. One round of chemiclean and my tank is back to where it belongs.

Now, if I can keep on top of water changes (I tend to get a bit lazy about them) I should be back on track.

MuShu · 07/22/2018, 10:39 AM

Reefcleaners guarantees that their emeralds eat BA.

steviej1972 · 07/22/2018, 11:44 AM

Vibrant works brilliant, I tried for months to get shot of it and in the end used vibrant all gone in 4 weeks

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Jaffster · 07/22/2018, 03:08 PM

Bubble algae is the devil's work.

For me, getting a foxface whilst also using chemicals to bring the phosphate levels to 0 saw my outbreak of bubble algae completely vanish in about 2 weeks.

Tripod1404 · 07/22/2018, 07:20 PM

I just remove them, scrape them and sometimes just dislodge them and they end up in the sump or eventually pumps just pop them. I honestly don care if they pop or not. I do this maybe once a year and it takes a year for their numbers to get high enough to bother me aesthetically. BA is a natural part of reef environments in the wild (that is why nutrient management is hard to kill them as they are adapted to live in reef levels of N and P), so I am not irritated by few here and there.

When a emerald crab or foxface eats them, they pop the BA as well. The only difference is they constantly remove BA, while most people just gets bored of doing it. If you are getting massive growth of these, you have a big nutrient problem.

mako61 · 07/22/2018, 08:50 PM

Bubble Algae isa pain

My foxface did a good job, except in places he could not get to. I used Vibrant and rigid airline method to get the ones in cracks etc.

Vibrant did work for me. It didnt work overnight, took a few weeks.

BFG · 07/23/2018, 12:34 AM

If you can get a juvenile vlamingi tang , it would clear it in a few days . Tried it twice myself in my 4ft 120g tank . Both times , the fish was caught and exchanged with another fish at my lfs . After both outbreak , the bubble algae did not return at all .

JTL · 07/23/2018, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyjames

Vibrant has been working pretty well on my ba problem. Might be worth a try before a total teardown.

I never had an issue with cyano until I used Vibrant.

shaginwagon13 · 07/24/2018, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyjames

Vibrant has been working pretty well on my ba problem. Might be worth a try before a total teardown.

Worked for me as well.

Try this first.

IowaReefer · 07/25/2018, 10:37 AM

Prolific Bubble algae propagation usually coincides with high nutrient levels. Have you tried reducing feeding and/or increasing water changes?

07/21/2018, 12:50 PM	#1
AT_Hiker Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Clayton, NC Posts: 176	I HATE Bubble Algae!! I’m getting ready to tear down the 2nd tank that I ruined by turning a small bubble algae issue into a HUGE bubble algae issue by trying to remove it. Is there anyway to safely remove bubble algae without creating a bigger problem? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ Thanks, Steve Current Tank Info: 75 gal. DT, 20 gal sump using Herbie overflow. Skimmer: SRO XP1000SSS. Return Pump: Eheim 1260. BRS dual reactor for GFO & GAC. Lights: 2 Ecotech XR30W Pro Gen 3, Powerheads: 2 Ecotech MP10s Controller: Neptune Apex Jr. Water: BRS 6 Stage RODI

07/21/2018, 01:39 PM	#2
dabob79 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Mascoutah, IL Posts: 464	Pop them while doing a water change, hold the siphon over them as you pop them to suck everything out. Get a small army of emerald crabs to eat them as they pop up, that’s what I did. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ Tank is finally wet! USAF Veteran, 12 years Go Cardinals!! Current Tank Info: Marineland 93 gallon rimless cube, Radion LED/T5 Combo, Eshopps sump, Nyos skimmer, Apex controller

07/21/2018, 02:52 PM	#3
rustyjames EMT-B Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 879	Vibrant has been working pretty well on my ba problem. Might be worth a try before a total teardown. __________________ I see your Schwartz is as big as mine. Current Tank Info: 20 long

07/21/2018, 03:26 PM	#4
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	emeralds from somewhere that has them eating valonia already has always worked well for me, reefcleaners dot org has been my go to __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

07/21/2018, 04:34 PM	#5
top shelf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,022	I get bubble algae here and there, by the sounds of it not as bad as you, and I just knock em loose with a turkey baster and suck em out. I try not to pop them while doing it either. Successful? Idk it keeps popping back up but hasn't gotten outta control as of yet. What have you been trying to do so far? __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Current tank info: 45g SCA Cube

07/21/2018, 04:39 PM	#6
AT_Hiker Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Clayton, NC Posts: 176	I try to gently remove them from the rock with a razor, while running a siphon beside it. I always thought i was successful, but within days they started popping up everywhere. The more I try to remove, the worse it gets. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ Thanks, Steve Current Tank Info: 75 gal. DT, 20 gal sump using Herbie overflow. Skimmer: SRO XP1000SSS. Return Pump: Eheim 1260. BRS dual reactor for GFO & GAC. Lights: 2 Ecotech XR30W Pro Gen 3, Powerheads: 2 Ecotech MP10s Controller: Neptune Apex Jr. Water: BRS 6 Stage RODI

07/22/2018, 05:23 AM	#7
ryeguyy84 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Jersey Posts: 2,753	Get some 1/4 rigid airline from home Depot and cut it so one side is pointy. Then start a syphon and use the point to dislodge them and then they get sucked down the airline. Takes forever but most of the time you get them whole. For bigger ones get a larger diameter hose Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk __________________ Current tank: 90G mixed reef. Current Tank Info: 90 gallon

07/22/2018, 10:39 AM	#9
MuShu Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Georgia Posts: 322	Reefcleaners guarantees that their emeralds eat BA.

07/22/2018, 11:44 AM	#10
steviej1972 Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 9	Vibrant works brilliant, I tried for months to get shot of it and in the end used vibrant all gone in 4 weeks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/22/2018, 03:08 PM	#11
Jaffster Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Posts: 31	Bubble algae is the devil's work. For me, getting a foxface whilst also using chemicals to bring the phosphate levels to 0 saw my outbreak of bubble algae completely vanish in about 2 weeks.

07/22/2018, 07:20 PM	#12
Tripod1404 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,821	I just remove them, scrape them and sometimes just dislodge them and they end up in the sump or eventually pumps just pop them. I honestly don care if they pop or not. I do this maybe once a year and it takes a year for their numbers to get high enough to bother me aesthetically. BA is a natural part of reef environments in the wild (that is why nutrient management is hard to kill them as they are adapted to live in reef levels of N and P), so I am not irritated by few here and there. When a emerald crab or foxface eats them, they pop the BA as well. The only difference is they constantly remove BA, while most people just gets bored of doing it. If you are getting massive growth of these, you have a big nutrient problem. Last edited by Tripod1404; 07/22/2018 at 07:25 PM.

07/22/2018, 08:50 PM	#13
mako61 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Dallas Posts: 359	Bubble Algae isa pain My foxface did a good job, except in places he could not get to. I used Vibrant and rigid airline method to get the ones in cracks etc. Vibrant did work for me. It didnt work overnight, took a few weeks. __________________ Thanks, Mako Current Tank Info: Returning Reefer - Red Sea 525XL, Mitras LX7s, Apex, check homepage for vids of tank

07/23/2018, 12:34 AM	#14
BFG Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 700	If you can get a juvenile vlamingi tang , it would clear it in a few days . Tried it twice myself in my 4ft 120g tank . Both times , the fish was caught and exchanged with another fish at my lfs . After both outbreak , the bubble algae did not return at all . __________________ If you've learnt, teach. If you have, give.

07/25/2018, 10:37 AM	#17
IowaReefer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 609	Prolific Bubble algae propagation usually coincides with high nutrient levels. Have you tried reducing feeding and/or increasing water changes? __________________ Patience! Current Tank Info: 60 gallon cube mixed reef