Aggressive bubble algae - please help :)

[Wunderpus]

All,

I hope you are well!

I have recently had an outbreak of a highly aggressive species of bubble algae that I can't seem to slow down. Nitrates and Po4 are almost undetectable per multiple ICPs, home tests and overall "health" of the tank (no crazy algae grow etc. elsewhere). This form of BA does not make the giant or large bubbles, rather very small (often tube-shaped) clusters.... It seems to grow well in lower light with low flow (undersides of rocks, powerheads, etc.).

Emerald crabs have done nothing, truly, nothing... I dosed Vibrant once a week ago (standard 1ml/10g). However, I am a bit concerned to used to based on recent issues regarding vibrant.

So, now, I am in a pickle... What other form of treatment do I have (i'd like to avoid fluco. if possible)? Also, pics below of the algae.... Truly, it is growing at a horrifying rate...

Thank you all!

 

[vetteguy53081]

These Ca are likely in sections
See if you can get under each section and lift it up gently
Rabbit fish eat these but too many for one fish
Liquid vibrant works good on this valona also

 

[Wunderpus]

These Ca are likely in sections
See if you can get under each section and lift it up gently
Rabbit fish eat these but too many for one fish
Liquid vibrant works good on this valona also

Thank you for your response... It's odd as there are just a few areas that are afflicted, but as you can see, very heavily and RAPIDLY... I mean, the biomass of the algae is almost doubling daily.

I'd like to avoid Vibrant with the current issues (although not confirmed) going on with it currently. My fear with a rabbitfish is the old rumor of "popping" the bubbles leading to a worse outbreak... As, the rabbitfish will certainly "pop" the bubbles in order to eat them... With that, is there a species that you're familiar with being most effective if I opt to try this route?

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Fts? Are you gonna replace it with something? I mean its eating up nutrients in your tank isn't it? Id hate for you to get rid of it for it to be replaced by gha or byropsis or something.
D

 

[rwreef]

I had a very bad bubble algea. Vibrant + water changes + manually removal over several weeks cured my issue completely. Just know it takes time to get to this point and twice as long to resolve the issues.

 

[Wunderpus]

Fts? Are you gonna replace it with something? I mean its eating up nutrients in your tank isn't it? Id hate for you to get rid of it for it to be replaced by gha or byropsis or something.
D

I really don't know how much it's consuming as far as nutrients as they have always been pretty close to zero (Po4 and No3)... I actually dose a bit of both... My dosing and test results have not changed at all pre or post it's infestation... Which, leads me to believe, it is feeding possibly on silicates or some other element, in conjunction with photosynthesis, that I am not aware of... If it was consuming Po4 (most likely assumption for an algae), my Po4 dosing and/or test results would somehow change... But, they have not for 6+ months...

I would happily replace with GHA as I would run fluco and call it a day... Same with bryopsis... Over the last 15+ years I've easily battled, and defeated, those two... This algae is something I've personally never battled and it's truly aggressive in a scary way.

 

[Wunderpus]

I had a very bad bubble algea. Vibrant + water changes + manually removal over several weeks cured my issue completely. Just know it takes time to get to this point and twice as long to resolve the issues.

No doubt nothing "good" happens quickly in our hobby. What's strange is, your statement has been true for almost all of my years reefing. Yet, with this species of algae, it is different.... It has grown SO fast that it's unbelievable... It grows, in terms of mass, faster than any macro algae I've ever kept (chaeto, caulerpa, etc.).

I am in a pickle as everything in the system is very healthy and it's fully SPS corals... So, I'd hate to lose corals in the process if at all possible... But, the BA is truly just an unsightly smear on an otherwise awesome tank.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

All,

I hope you are well!

I have recently had an outbreak of a highly aggressive species of bubble algae that I can't seem to slow down. Nitrates and Po4 are almost undetectable per multiple ICPs, home tests and overall "health" of the tank (no crazy algae grow etc. elsewhere). This form of BA does not make the giant or large bubbles, rather very small (often tube-shaped) clusters.... It seems to grow well in lower light with low flow (undersides of rocks, powerheads, etc.).

Emerald crabs have done nothing, truly, nothing... I dosed Vibrant once a week ago (standard 1ml/10g). However, I am a bit concerned to used to based on recent issues regarding vibrant.

So, now, I am in a pickle... What other form of treatment do I have (i'd like to avoid fluco. if possible)? Also, pics below of the algae.... Truly, it is growing at a horrifying rate...

Thank you all!

You need

1. Halloween urchin. You’ll thank me later, that will take care of 70% of the algae, if you need to get two even better
2. You need to check your CA alk and MG. Low levels usually contribute to growth of algae IME as it starts outcompeting coraline and corals for the nutrients.
3. your NO3 supply is probably pretty high. Your tests are pretty useless at this point.

 

[Duncan62]

Thank you for your response... It's odd as there are just a few areas that are afflicted, but as you can see, very heavily and RAPIDLY... I mean, the biomass of the algae is almost doubling daily.

I'd like to avoid Vibrant with the current issues (although not confirmed) going on with it currently. My fear with a rabbitfish is the old rumor of "popping" the bubbles leading to a worse outbreak... As, the rabbitfish will certainly "pop" the bubbles in order to eat them... With that, is there a species that you're familiar with being most effective if I opt to try this route?

After removing all you can manually use a rigid acrylic and airline tubing to make a siphon. Start the siphon and use the rigid end to get the rest. If a bubble pops the siphon gets it. Also I've had good luck with small emerald crabs for maintenance. The big ones start to eat fish food and steal from corals. Good luck.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you for your response... It's odd as there are just a few areas that are afflicted, but as you can see, very heavily and RAPIDLY... I mean, the biomass of the algae is almost doubling daily.

I'd like to avoid Vibrant with the current issues (although not confirmed) going on with it currently. My fear with a rabbitfish is the old rumor of "popping" the bubbles leading to a worse outbreak... As, the rabbitfish will certainly "pop" the bubbles in order to eat them... With that, is there a species that you're familiar with being most effective if I opt to try this route?

foxface rabbit.
Option are emerald crabs but I trust a politician more than I trust emeralds. Females are less apt to mess with zoa and other softies

 

[Skipbacon]

I had so, so much bubble algae, I mean a ridiculous amount, and Vibrant and siphoning and water changes completely wiped it out in about three weeks. I don’t have a single bubble in my tank anymore. Say what you will about Vibrant, it wiped out my bubble algae.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

How goes the bubbles?

 

[Wunderpus]

How goes the bubbles?

It's still a battle... I eradicated about 98% of it using Vibrant. However, I discontinued the Vibrant as my SPS were starting to pale to a point I was concerned. Now, the bubble algae is quickly coming back. I think I'm going to try another shot at Vibrant, as there are way less bubbles this time, and hope I can kick it 100%. I've never dealt with a pest this unbelievably tricky before. It's a true nightmare.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

It's still a battle... I eradicated about 98% of it using Vibrant. However, I discontinued the Vibrant as my SPS were starting to pale to a point I was concerned. Now, the bubble algae is quickly coming back. I think I'm going to try another shot at Vibrant, as there are way less bubbles this time, and hope I can kick it 100%. I've never dealt with a pest this unbelievably tricky before. It's a true nightmare.

Sorry to hear that, have you tried dosing nitrates and phosphates when dosing vibrant or monitoring n03/p04 levels?