Bubble Algae problems... dont want emeralds though.

hahnmeister · 09/02/2007, 11:22 PM

I have bubble algae... spreading like a weed in the tank. The tangs arent touching it, so I wonder whats the best way to eliminate the stuff. I dont really want to add emeralds though... cant stand em. My tank is crab free... hermits and all, so its a snail-friendly environment. I suppose I will if I have to, but I was wondering if there are any fish out there that can get the job done... or other critters...

moo0o · 09/03/2007, 05:24 AM

yeah, have the same problem and looking for a way to get rid of it =(

rdnyva · 09/03/2007, 05:33 AM

Hitching along . I've used emeralds in the past with good results. This time they don't seem to be touching it and it's spreading out of control.

fishdoc11 · 09/03/2007, 07:13 AM

IME you won't ever get rid of it completely. Unfortuntely it's one of those algaes that can still do well (or at least hang on) in a nutrient poor tank. You can control it however. Reduced nutrients, of course, are the first thing. When I have had "outbreaks" in my tanks it was typically something causing increased nutrients like leaving a filter sock in by accident or something along those lines. The other two things are manual removal and a predator of some sort. I've had good luck with emeralds.....if I'm not mistaken sailfin tangs and others can/sometimes will eat it but I'm not sure about that. Like is usual fish can be hit and miss. You need all three, dropping nutrients, manual removal and some sort of animal to eat it to get it under control. Also FWIW I don't have any problem with emeralds preying on snails but I have gotten the occasional one that will eat SPS polyps. They have never actually killed a coral but will just make a section look bad for a couple of weeks. I remove those when I see that behavior. I have one in the sump now

Chris

clavery · 09/03/2007, 07:43 AM

I've heard coral banded butterfly fish will sometimes eat bubble algae, but we've never had much luck with them.

loosecannon · 09/03/2007, 05:26 PM

Pull them out by hand. and use a house to suck up the spors at the same time.

hahnmeister · 09/03/2007, 05:36 PM

Maybe I should post some pics... waaaaayyy too many to pull by hand. Not to mention, they cover some rocks like a mat so all I can do it pop them, but I cant actually pull them off. Perhaps emeralds are in order then... hmm....

Emster · 09/03/2007, 05:45 PM

Yes get some small emeralds. They will not eat the big ones just the small (just formed ones). You will have to remove the big ones by hand. When I did my tank I did not worry about popping them because I knew the emeralds would eat the ones that popped. I had a sail fin tang and it would not touch them also a foxface would not touch them either but I'm not saying all sail fins would not eat them. Emeralds are really no problem for me. Good luck

discocarp · 09/03/2007, 05:50 PM

My foxface eats it. I think its hit or miss with them.

edwing206 · 09/03/2007, 05:50 PM

I read a lot that naso tangs eat them. They get really big though.

discocarp · 09/03/2007, 05:51 PM

All these fish that eat it get pretty big.

hahnmeister · 09/03/2007, 05:53 PM

Well, Im fully stocked on tangs... with a RSPT as well... so adding another tang (although I saw some of the rare thompsoni's on the list this week for $30 each and was tempted...lol) is out. I have 4 in a 125g... thats enough. My current ones wont touch the stuff, and would kill any new tangs most likely.

Well... maybe a bunch of emeralds is the only way after all. Hmm... Then when the algae is gone, Ill yank em. I used to love my emeralds though... had a huge male that used to mow through grape caulerpa like he was eating grapes... even ate flatworms! Then they started going after snails and that was the end of crabs for me.

What about an urchin though? Anyone ever try that? I have a tuxedo in my fuge to keep the 'tang heaven' macro in check, and I notice it has a large bubble as part of its costume, but would any urchins eat bubble algae? Any starfish? I could move my zoas to a safe spot for a while just in case... and let an urchin go nuts.

djc1026 · 09/03/2007, 06:02 PM

I have a seahorse tank that is covered in bubble algae, but the tank is also full of prolifera and other algaes. I don't even try to control it in that tank. I have an emerald in there, even though not recommended by SH enthusiasts. I think he is entombed in the bubble algae, haven't seen him in a while.

In my 75, I've had a bout with it, emeralds have been hit and miss, some that ate it and some that didn't. My Sailfin, ate it, and I think keeps it in check for the most part now. When I have large bubble, I'll pull it by hand. But I only have a few bubbles now, so that's no big deal.

Dave

nterry · 09/03/2007, 06:37 PM

One relatively easy way to do manual removal--when you do your water changes, get a toothbrush and scape the algae off with one hand. With the other hand, use a siphon hose (1/2 " diameter works well). Just hold the hose near where you're scrubbing the algae and it leaves the tank.

Also--Sprung says that diadema urchins eat bubble algae

tmz · 09/03/2007, 07:30 PM

My foxface gobblers it up.you can also cvover it for a week or so if it situated where you can.

Lifes A Beach · 09/03/2007, 08:22 PM

I had a problem with bubble algae and the emerald crabs took care of it. However, once they did their job, they were out of there!
Here's a pic of one of them munching on a bubble.

ConAir · 09/03/2007, 08:33 PM

One emerald crab ate all bubble algaes in the tank.

wrott · 09/03/2007, 08:42 PM

My Foxface keeps it under control (it eats all it can reach), but like you said, you don't want another 9" fish. However, FFs are usually not harassed by other fish--they display their poisonous dorsal fins when threatened.

puck3 · 09/03/2007, 08:45 PM

I had the same problem with bubble algae.........Best thing to do is get whatever you can off by hand then do a water change. After that either put a nice sized sea hair or a couple diadema urchins in your tank, ive had both and theyre the best algae grazers you can find, eat anything an everything. Also if you dont already have a phosban reactor running on your tank I would invest in one of those theyre cheap, about 35$, I use one and it keeps the algae away.

nano_angel · 09/03/2007, 09:51 PM

well i hate to bring this up, but i had bubble algae in my 120g that covered everything, the rocks where completly covered as where most of the smaller corals. i have several large fish in the tank also. so my nitrates where a little high. from a prev thread i read about sugar and nitrates. i added 1 teaspoon of table sugar to the tank, it took the nitrates to 0 in 24 hrs. stayed 0 for a couple weeks then kept them at about 2.5 for a month or so. during this time i was siphoning out bubble algae with water changes, getting some but not really making a dent since it was so populated. during this time i added a large 6" hippo tang and about 30lb more rock. i also had a red slime outbreak, i attribute this to adding the sugar. the red slime seemed to cover the bubble algae in some places. and the bubble algae appeared to be turning more transluscent and white. so the other nite i thought i would add some more sugar again, i put another 1 teaspoon in the 120g. checked my nitrates next day and of course they where 0. i thought cool. went about my business for a couple days and the next time i was checking the tank out to my suprise ther where no bubble algae in the tank at all not even one freaking bubble. i dont know if it was the sugar doses, the hippo tang (which i doubt) or adding the new rock but any way its all gone and im happy. however i do have another bad case of red slime again (from the sugar). i would rather have the slime than the bubbles at least it is managable and can be taken care of. im going to test the sugar theory on it next week, i have a 75g covered in bubble algae too. if the sugar works in it, hummm maybe a solution here.

tmz · 09/03/2007, 10:01 PM

A carbon source(usually sugar or vodka) will help to create a bacteria bloom in the water column. They absorb nutrients and are themselves either consumed by corals or more easily exported by the skimmer than dissoved material . They are exported along with the nutrients they have consumed. Sort of a bacterial scrubber or so the theory goes. I have not heard of one shots but have read about the use of carbon sources over a longer period of time. The trouble is when you stop the bacteria crash and provide a new dose of nutrients. This may be why you are getting slime. From what I understand about bubble algae they are very quick on nutrient uptake and can once established continue to thrive in tanks even when nutrients are reduced.

FutureInterest · 09/03/2007, 10:14 PM

My sailfin will eat it with relish...

spleify · 09/03/2007, 10:34 PM

I just recently had a major bubble algae outbreak myself. It was in the second of fuge's, I spent 4 hours today manually pulling all the bubble algae out I could. Finally I took everything out of the fuge and scrubbed it out. I can only HOPE it didn't get into the display. With as much that was in the fuge, I find it hard to believe that something didn't make it to the display. I think I am going to get an emerald just in case. Will Emeralds harm my corals or anything else in the tank?
This wasn't even all of them in the fuge.

hahnmeister · 09/03/2007, 11:44 PM

I am running phosguard actually. The bubble algae army doesnt stop at that it seems. You know... I was doing vodka dosing (sugar/carbon source) on the old tank... perhaps I should start it up again... not a bad idea.

09/02/2007, 11:22 PM	#1
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Bubble Algae problems... dont want emeralds though. I have bubble algae... spreading like a weed in the tank. The tangs arent touching it, so I wonder whats the best way to eliminate the stuff. I dont really want to add emeralds though... cant stand em. My tank is crab free... hermits and all, so its a snail-friendly environment. I suppose I will if I have to, but I was wondering if there are any fish out there that can get the job done... or other critters...

09/03/2007, 05:33 AM	#3
rdnyva Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 1,106	Hitching along . I've used emeralds in the past with good results. This time they don't seem to be touching it and it's spreading out of control. __________________ 150 gal mixed reef Apex Lite 2 - MP40 QD Vertex Omega 180i Skimmer ReefBreeders Photon 50 V2

09/03/2007, 07:13 AM	#4
fishdoc11 catch and release Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Old Hickory,TN Posts: 13,237	IME you won't ever get rid of it completely. Unfortuntely it's one of those algaes that can still do well (or at least hang on) in a nutrient poor tank. You can control it however. Reduced nutrients, of course, are the first thing. When I have had "outbreaks" in my tanks it was typically something causing increased nutrients like leaving a filter sock in by accident or something along those lines. The other two things are manual removal and a predator of some sort. I've had good luck with emeralds.....if I'm not mistaken sailfin tangs and others can/sometimes will eat it but I'm not sure about that. Like is usual fish can be hit and miss. You need all three, dropping nutrients, manual removal and some sort of animal to eat it to get it under control. Also FWIW I don't have any problem with emeralds preying on snails but I have gotten the occasional one that will eat SPS polyps. They have never actually killed a coral but will just make a section look bad for a couple of weeks. I remove those when I see that behavior. I have one in the sump now Chris __________________ "Try to learn something about everything and everything about something" -- Thomas H. Huxley Current Tank Info: 70 gallon mixed reef

09/03/2007, 07:43 AM	#5
clavery Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 503	I've heard coral banded butterfly fish will sometimes eat bubble algae, but we've never had much luck with them. __________________ Cheryl Lover of shoes, dogs, and all things chocolate Current Tank Info: currently none

09/03/2007, 05:26 PM	#6
loosecannon Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: port kent Posts: 1,292	Pull them out by hand. and use a house to suck up the spors at the same time. __________________ I like getting WET! Current Tank Info: 44gal. 40 gal. 75 gal. 30gal. and working on a 75gal. rigt

09/03/2007, 05:24 AM	#2
moo0o Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SJ,CA Posts: 1,694	yeah, have the same problem and looking for a way to get rid of it =(

09/03/2007, 05:36 PM	#7
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Maybe I should post some pics... waaaaayyy too many to pull by hand. Not to mention, they cover some rocks like a mat so all I can do it pop them, but I cant actually pull them off. Perhaps emeralds are in order then... hmm....

09/03/2007, 05:45 PM	#8
Emster Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Largo, FL Posts: 2,364	Yes get some small emeralds. They will not eat the big ones just the small (just formed ones). You will have to remove the big ones by hand. When I did my tank I did not worry about popping them because I knew the emeralds would eat the ones that popped. I had a sail fin tang and it would not touch them also a foxface would not touch them either but I'm not saying all sail fins would not eat them. Emeralds are really no problem for me. Good luck __________________ Emmett Jan. 09 TOTM Current Tank Info: 180 gal, Iwaki 70, 4-3/4" sea swirls, 3-400 watt Radiums, 4-80watt T-5's , custom Ca reactor, 1/3hp aqualogic chiller, i-Tech 400, Tunze osmolator

09/03/2007, 05:50 PM	#9
discocarp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 2,707	My foxface eats it. I think its hit or miss with them.

09/03/2007, 05:50 PM	#10
edwing206 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Shoreline,Washington Posts: 4,518	I read a lot that naso tangs eat them. They get really big though. __________________ The name's Luis. :) Current Tank Info: 50G cube

09/03/2007, 05:51 PM	#11
discocarp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 2,707	All these fish that eat it get pretty big.

09/03/2007, 05:53 PM	#12
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Well, Im fully stocked on tangs... with a RSPT as well... so adding another tang (although I saw some of the rare thompsoni's on the list this week for $30 each and was tempted...lol) is out. I have 4 in a 125g... thats enough. My current ones wont touch the stuff, and would kill any new tangs most likely. Well... maybe a bunch of emeralds is the only way after all. Hmm... Then when the algae is gone, Ill yank em. I used to love my emeralds though... had a huge male that used to mow through grape caulerpa like he was eating grapes... even ate flatworms! Then they started going after snails and that was the end of crabs for me. What about an urchin though? Anyone ever try that? I have a tuxedo in my fuge to keep the 'tang heaven' macro in check, and I notice it has a large bubble as part of its costume, but would any urchins eat bubble algae? Any starfish? I could move my zoas to a safe spot for a while just in case... and let an urchin go nuts.

09/03/2007, 06:02 PM	#13
djc1026 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lawton Posts: 1,061	I have a seahorse tank that is covered in bubble algae, but the tank is also full of prolifera and other algaes. I don't even try to control it in that tank. I have an emerald in there, even though not recommended by SH enthusiasts. I think he is entombed in the bubble algae, haven't seen him in a while. In my 75, I've had a bout with it, emeralds have been hit and miss, some that ate it and some that didn't. My Sailfin, ate it, and I think keeps it in check for the most part now. When I have large bubble, I'll pull it by hand. But I only have a few bubbles now, so that's no big deal. Dave __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: 150 gallon FOWLR -- 29 Gal Misc

09/03/2007, 06:37 PM	#14
nterry Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 263	One relatively easy way to do manual removal--when you do your water changes, get a toothbrush and scape the algae off with one hand. With the other hand, use a siphon hose (1/2 " diameter works well). Just hold the hose near where you're scrubbing the algae and it leaves the tank. Also--Sprung says that diadema urchins eat bubble algae

09/03/2007, 07:30 PM	#15
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	My foxface gobblers it up.you can also cvover it for a week or so if it situated where you can. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

09/03/2007, 08:22 PM	#16
Lifes A Beach Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: By the Beach, Florida Posts: 1,368	emerald crabs and bubble algae I had a problem with bubble algae and the emerald crabs took care of it. However, once they did their job, they were out of there! Here's a pic of one of them munching on a bubble. Last edited by Lifes A Beach; 09/03/2007 at 08:46 PM.

09/03/2007, 08:33 PM	#17
ConAir Moved On Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 15	One emerald crab ate all bubble algaes in the tank.

09/03/2007, 08:42 PM	#18
wrott Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,912	My Foxface keeps it under control (it eats all it can reach), but like you said, you don't want another 9" fish. However, FFs are usually not harassed by other fish--they display their poisonous dorsal fins when threatened. __________________ OK, but where does the meat go! ------------------------------------------------ 120g SPS, 125g mix, 56g FOWLR, 20g qt

09/03/2007, 08:45 PM	#19
puck3 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Long Island Posts: 137	I had the same problem with bubble algae.........Best thing to do is get whatever you can off by hand then do a water change. After that either put a nice sized sea hair or a couple diadema urchins in your tank, ive had both and theyre the best algae grazers you can find, eat anything an everything. Also if you dont already have a phosban reactor running on your tank I would invest in one of those theyre cheap, about 35$, I use one and it keeps the algae away.

09/03/2007, 09:51 PM	#20
nano_angel Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Indy Posts: 258	well i hate to bring this up, but i had bubble algae in my 120g that covered everything, the rocks where completly covered as where most of the smaller corals. i have several large fish in the tank also. so my nitrates where a little high. from a prev thread i read about sugar and nitrates. i added 1 teaspoon of table sugar to the tank, it took the nitrates to 0 in 24 hrs. stayed 0 for a couple weeks then kept them at about 2.5 for a month or so. during this time i was siphoning out bubble algae with water changes, getting some but not really making a dent since it was so populated. during this time i added a large 6" hippo tang and about 30lb more rock. i also had a red slime outbreak, i attribute this to adding the sugar. the red slime seemed to cover the bubble algae in some places. and the bubble algae appeared to be turning more transluscent and white. so the other nite i thought i would add some more sugar again, i put another 1 teaspoon in the 120g. checked my nitrates next day and of course they where 0. i thought cool. went about my business for a couple days and the next time i was checking the tank out to my suprise ther where no bubble algae in the tank at all not even one freaking bubble. i dont know if it was the sugar doses, the hippo tang (which i doubt) or adding the new rock but any way its all gone and im happy. however i do have another bad case of red slime again (from the sugar). i would rather have the slime than the bubbles at least it is managable and can be taken care of. im going to test the sugar theory on it next week, i have a 75g covered in bubble algae too. if the sugar works in it, hummm maybe a solution here. __________________ Irresponsible Teenager cleverly disguised as a responsible Adult Current Tank Info: 265 rr aga mixed,120g rr aga sps, 75g aga softy, 55g aga fowlr, 55g aga softy/lps, 46g aga bow mixed, 30g aga mixed

09/03/2007, 10:01 PM	#21
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	A carbon source(usually sugar or vodka) will help to create a bacteria bloom in the water column. They absorb nutrients and are themselves either consumed by corals or more easily exported by the skimmer than dissoved material . They are exported along with the nutrients they have consumed. Sort of a bacterial scrubber or so the theory goes. I have not heard of one shots but have read about the use of carbon sources over a longer period of time. The trouble is when you stop the bacteria crash and provide a new dose of nutrients. This may be why you are getting slime. From what I understand about bubble algae they are very quick on nutrient uptake and can once established continue to thrive in tanks even when nutrients are reduced. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

09/03/2007, 10:14 PM	#22
FutureInterest Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Georgia Posts: 68	My sailfin will eat it with relish...

09/03/2007, 10:34 PM	#23
spleify Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 9,579	I just recently had a major bubble algae outbreak myself. It was in the second of fuge's, I spent 4 hours today manually pulling all the bubble algae out I could. Finally I took everything out of the fuge and scrubbed it out. I can only HOPE it didn't get into the display. With as much that was in the fuge, I find it hard to believe that something didn't make it to the display. I think I am going to get an emerald just in case. Will Emeralds harm my corals or anything else in the tank? This wasn't even all of them in the fuge. __________________ Make it a Great Day!!!! Current Tank Info: 60 gal SPS cube, with 25 gal refugium, 400W MH, DIY Lumenarc III, DIY skimmer, DIY stand and canopy. 40 breeder LPS with 40 gallon sump, DIY stand, 250W MH

09/03/2007, 11:44 PM	#24
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	I am running phosguard actually. The bubble algae army doesnt stop at that it seems. You know... I was doing vodka dosing (sugar/carbon source) on the old tank... perhaps I should start it up again... not a bad idea.