Bubble algae

[Victoss]

I've got some questions regarding what to do with some bubble algae covered rocks. Lets start off with the biocube, this tank use to look beautiful and it even grew sps better than my display but it started to get a few bubbles of algae here n there so a family member (admittedly off my advice) tried to remove it but was a little more destructive than I had hopped and popped a lot of them. Now I have given up on the bubble algae in the tank for the past few months (still do normal maintenance just no removal) and you basically cannot see the rocks, it's all bubbles. I've slowly removed most the corals with the exception of a few big lps till i get the new tank but what can I do with this rock now? I would like to restart this tank since I like the look of a small biocube but I'm not sure if this is a 'treat it' situation or 'remove everything and start over' plus how do I clean the rock then?

Another problem with bubble algae is my 55 display (no sump) which will soon be upgraded to a 120g. There is bubble algae hidden in the cracks and back of the rocks but I have a foxface which I believe has been keeping it off the front. So when I finally upgrade how would I go cleaning this rock? Can I really be sure it will not move to the new system using this rock (cleaned) as well as the corals and fish or is bubble algae inevitable?

Most solutions end up with the use of fish or emerald crabs which can only get so much, so is it typical for some of you guys to just have it hidden and never really worry about it? I know nutrients has a lot to do with it so I've been cutting back on feeding and I do run gfo with my typical %10 weekly WC, levels seem good.

Sorry for all the questions but hope you can help, thanks

 

[Neopimp]

I had it everywhere... yellow tang fox face and 4 emeralds( although I haven't seen oen fo those I a long time) and they keep the bubble algae in check.

unless you bleach/nuke/whatever the rock you will probably transfer the bubble algae.

 

[Victoss]

Ya that's what I expecting, fish will keep it in check but I guess you'll always have it. Not sure yet if I want to go the nuking route because of some nice sps encrusting on the rocks but the corals can always be broken off. Maybe I can break off the 'good' piece of rock the corals are encrusted to and just glue them on the new (and cleaned) rock.

 

[Pistol]

Depending on the time line, you could "cook" the rock in a container with a power head and a heater and treat it with algaefix or fauna marin algae x and remove the algae without killing the rock, it would prob ably take about 4 weeks though, you can also treat your system prior to the upgrade (but I'm sure you are going to hear it from the reef cops, and there are quite a few of them).The treatments claim not to hurt macro algae but that is not true, so if you have any then remove it.

 

[Neopimp]

its a tough spot to be in.. even if you had  another tank running with all clean stuff.... transferring the old corals over may bring it in anyways lol.  I was a  bout ready to rip my tank apart and just left it to the animals and now its hard to find a piece anywhere. although it is still in there.

 

[Poseidon]

I have a naso tang that eats everything . Problem solved.

I think we will always algaes of sorts and the best way to keep it in check is counter measures like tangs or w.e. Else.


But manually speaking, if you can remove it without bursting it that will work as well.

 

[Victoss]

Depending on the time line, you could \"cook\" the rock in a container with a power head and a heater and treat it with algaefix or fauna marin algae x and remove the algae without killing the rock, it would prob ably take about 4 weeks though, you can also treat your system prior to the upgrade (but I'm sure you are going to hear it from the reef cops, and there are quite a few of them).The treatments claim not to hurt macro algae but that is not true, so if you have any then remove it.

I'm pretty sure i'm gonna have to clean the rock some way but not sure if I care to keep it 'live' rock because I have another small tank with live to seed it (clean rock). The tanks won't be in the same place so this one will be up a while so I can cycle and transfer animals to the other.

its a tough spot to be in.. even if you had  another tank running with all clean stuff.... transferring the old corals over may bring it in anyways lol.  I was a  bout ready to rip my tank apart and just left it to the animals and now its hard to find a piece anywhere. although it is still in there.

Well lets hope any little bits on coals I can clean and totally eliminate but it will be a bigger tank meaning more algae eating fish, so i guess there's that

 

[pulpfiction1]

had it all last spring and into the summer,had enough so in july i ripped it all apart and got rid of it manually

 

[Salty Cracker]

I pulled some out of my overflow and let it float around the tank.  Sailfin hoovered it all up. 

 

[Jewel]

Oh I hate Bubble Algea, Once you have it That's it unless you have something that eats it.

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

i had red bubble algae.....i dunno what cleard it up. ...the emerald crab ..or the snails.  .or the mb7

 

[Jewel]

Never seen Red, I had a Unicorn once that loved the Bubble Algea,

 

[Reef Hero]

Most foxface will eat it but they some may not be reef safe.....
Not sure how large your tank is but try the naso tang species.....unicornis seem to devour any type of algae but the elegans and lituratus are good candidates also.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[spyd]

I agree. Naso tangs are fantastic for most algaes. All most all of my Tangs eat the bubble algae actually. I have small trace amounts in the cracks of my rock. If i scrape it out, the fish eat it instantly. Blowing off your rocks with a turkey baster weekly will also do wonders in preventing outbreaks. Keeps everything in the water table so the skimmer, fish, GFO, etc can clear out the nutrients, algae and whatever else is collecting in the rock.

 

[Poseidon]

if only i can find a fish that eats cyano

 

[Jewel]

Yes that would be nice.

 

[unibob]

My Vlamingii Tang loves bubble algae. I feed it to him so he continues to associate it as food.

 

[Jewel]

Vlamingis are great for that, but they get huge.

 

[unibob]

Vlamingis are great for that, but they get huge.

He's getting an upgrade from a 36" 40 breeder to a 50 gallon 48" length tank but yea he's going to need another home sooner then later.

 

[jroovers]

Can't believe everyone has these bubble algae eating tangs!  My PB and Yellow don't touch the stuff, as best I can tell anyway.