bubble algae in refugium

big deddy · Sep 9, 2015

I was at war with green hair algae on my back glass. I finally seem to have won that war. "I increased magnesium", but now I have bubble algae growing in the fuge. My refugium is in the middle chamber of my sump. I do run a light about 15 hours a day for my chaeto. Chaeto is the only thing in fuge except for small pump to increase flow over chaeto. Is there anything that will eat the bubble algae but not eat my pods? I have been seeding pods for a while now, and finally have a ton. Maybe a snail or fish? It's basically on the side glass ,so a crab wouldn't do much good. If not something to eat it, how would I get rid of it? I hate to just manually remove because I am afraid it could get in return pump, and back to dt.

NanaReefer · Sep 9, 2015

What is your Bubble Algae attached to?
I added an Emerald Crab to my fuge. I was surprised, couple weeks later BA is gone.

big deddy · Sep 10, 2015

To the glass sides

Hausser · Sep 10, 2015

I added turbo snails to my sump and cleaned it up really well.

big deddy · Sep 10, 2015

Snails are what I think I need. Maybe a fish. I don't think a crab can get up on the glass

Rjramos · Sep 10, 2015

An emerald crab will bubble algae and won't mess with anything else. Make a ladder for him with eggcrate.[emoji6]

NanaReefer · Sep 10, 2015

If its on the glass should be easy enough to use a razor blade to dislodge and a fine mesh net to capture.

big deddy · Sep 10, 2015

What about reading that it will pop the bubbles and spread to dt?

bumperbeetle · Sep 10, 2015

I had heard a foxface will eat them....I got one for BA and he has eaten everything but the BA. Mine is on one of my LR so I was just decided to take it out and peel the BA off.

ls2ttgto · Sep 10, 2015

Rjramos said:
An emerald crab will bubble algae and won't mess with anything else. Make a ladder for him with eggcrate.[emoji6]

+1, i would do exactly the same thing. If not then turn off your system, scrape the BA and perform a water change in that specific sump compartment.

un5tab1e · Sep 10, 2015

Emerald crab will do the trick

big deddy · Sep 10, 2015

Can it get up on the glass?

KJ · Sep 10, 2015

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.

big deddy · Sep 10, 2015

So no snails?

big deddy · Sep 10, 2015

My local fish sores don't have the crabs or any foxface. I hate to order online because of work schedule, and I hate to pay super high shipping just to get one fish. I have a pet@o, and 2 private lfs. 1 doesn't sell saltwater, and the other pretty much only has clowns and sometimes tangs , and dottyback

big deddy · Sep 10, 2015

Pet@o can be questionable in my area. Sometimes livestock is good looking and others not so much. I would love a foxface if not for shipping.

KJ · Sep 10, 2015

big deddy said:
So no snails?

Looks like to me.

KJ · Sep 10, 2015

How far do you live from Knoxville?

big deddy · Sep 10, 2015

ls2ttgto said:
+1, i would do exactly the same thing. If not then turn off your system, scrape the BA and perform a water change in that specific sump compartment.

You had the easiest solution that I never thought of! Lol