Algae help needed

[Davehla]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to this forum. Two months ago I set up a 90 gallon saltwater tank. (Well to be honest, I paid someone to set it up and get it running for me.)

I have a new kind of algae that is growing at a very fast rate. I have attached a picture. I know the circle ones are green bubble algae. What is expanding so quick and encrusting rocks is the other green algae growing around the bubble algae.

Can you help me identify this algae and also provide some tips to getting rid of it.

Here is a list of the fish I have in my tank. I have no coral yet.

- chevron tang
-lemon Peel angel
-Six line wrasse
-blue jaw trigger
-pair of pink skunk clowns
-3 bangaii cardinals
-clean up crew

Thank you,

David

 

[Oscaror]

It's bubble algae, you can kill it with emerald crabs. DO NOT pop the bubbles, they're spore sacs.
Also, what equipment did the person you paid use?

 

[NanaReefer]

Bubble Algae. One of the most tenacious of Algaes to get ride of. Filled with spores therefore you do not want to pop them inside the tank.
There are several methods used to "try" getting rid of it.
Emerald Crabs are hit or miss.

 

[rajkovich207]

It's all bubble algae to clarify. Oscaror was right in saying that emerald crabs eat it but that is a loaded answer. Nanareefer was also correct in saying they are spore filled.
When an emerald crab eats the bubble algae they pop it and eat the shell releasing all those spores.
So they really are only a temporary fix, in the end they will make it worse.

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R. David

 

[KJ]

GREEN BUBBLE ALGAE:

Bubble algae is a very easy algae to deal with for two reasons.
1. You can manually remove the algae by grabbing the base of the bubble and remove it by hand.. Caution should be used when removing this algae so you do not pop the bubble. The reason you should use caution to not pop the bubble is that when the bubble is popped the cells that have developed inside the bubble will be released and spread more throughout the system.

2. Bubble algae is a slow grower so once it is noticed and manually removed without popping the bubbles it gives you plenty of time to get your levels back in order so it does not have nutrients to grown back.


WHAT FEEDS IT:
This algae's nutrient of choice is Nitrates.

CONTROL:
Low Nitrate levels, active skimming, and a solid Husbandry schedule.

NATURAL PREDATORS:
There are a few natural predators that are known and they are as follows. Surgeonfish, Rabbit fish, Mithrax crab, Some sea slugs.

 

[NanaReefer]

GREEN BUBBLE ALGAE:

Bubble algae is a very easy algae to deal with for two reasons.
1. You can manually remove the algae by grabbing the base of the bubble and remove it by hand.. Caution should be used when removing this algae so you do not pop the bubble. The reason you should use caution to not pop the bubble is that when the bubble is popped the cells that have developed inside the bubble will be released and spread more throughout the system.

2. Bubble algae is a slow grower so once it is noticed and manually removed without popping the bubbles it gives you plenty of time to get your levels back in order so it does not have nutrients to grown back.


WHAT FEEDS IT:
This algae's nutrient of choice is Nitrates.

CONTROL:
Low Nitrate levels, active skimming, and a solid Husbandry schedule.

NATURAL PREDATORS:
There are a few natural predators that are known and they are as follows. Surgeonfish, Rabbit fish, Mithrax crab, Some sea slugs.

Totally disagree with it being a very slow growing algae and easy to deal with.

 

[Reefing Madness]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcj/feature/

 

[NanaReefer]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcj/feature/

Excellent article! [emoji7]

 

[Davehla]

Thank you all for the quick reply.

Oscar,
It is a 90 gallon tank with a 15 gallon sump. I have EcoRay LEDs and 1/4 go artica chiller. I do not know the brand of my sump.

I'm gonna try lowering my nitrates and using less light. Right now I have the LEDs on for 12 hrs a day. I do y have coral so I am going to cut the lighting back until 8 hrs a day.