Bubble Algae question

[hig789]

I have a nice outbreak of bubble algae right now. Going to start manual removal this weekend.

I had a thought, if dosing peroxide will kill other types of algae, why can't you manually remove the bubbles then dose peroxide to kill any free floating spores? Would this help any?

Thanks
Matt

 

[ZR440]

Emerald crabs will help. I watch them every night picking my rocks clean.

 

[brandon429]

we have done hundreds of bubble algae treatments in the link in my sig (which links to other threads too) and this is my take on perox+ valonia

in tank dosing is not the right way, too few success rates. Where it shines is the external treatment, for sure it will bleach out ghost white and die. if you can remove rocks, you actually scrub off the valonia before treating and rinse the area totally, so that the infected area is now bare and you haven't even dosed yet. the rinse is carrying away what bits it can...then you hit the bare spot with peroxide to hit the missed regenerative bits, and any holdfasts left in the rock which are the regrowth potential/

the spore aspect of valonia is grossly overstated, that's only a small reproductive window where its sporulated. 90% of the time its a water vacuole with chlorophyll and various inclusions, the actual plant wall and mass is your reproductive risk, fragmentation just like GHA

external treatments are the only good use of peroxide here, although tankwide dosings have random reported success.

 

[hig789]

we have done hundreds of bubble algae treatments in the link in my sig (which links to other threads too) and this is my take on perox+ valonia

in tank dosing is not the right way, too few success rates. Where it shines is the external treatment, for sure it will bleach out ghost white and die. if you can remove rocks, you actually scrub off the valonia before treating and rinse the area totally, so that the infected area is now bare and you haven't even dosed yet. the rinse is carrying away what bits it can...then you hit the bare spot with peroxide to hit the missed regenerative bits, and any holdfasts left in the rock which are the regrowth potential/

the spore aspect of valonia is grossly overstated, that's only a small reproductive window where its sporulated. 90% of the time its a water vacuole with chlorophyll and various inclusions, the actual plant wall and mass is your reproductive risk, fragmentation just like GHA

external treatments are the only good use of peroxide here, although tankwide dosings have random reported success.

Thanks Brandon. I am actually going to take the tank down this weekend to move it so we can remodel our living room. Sound like it would be the perfect time to eradicate it.

So.

Remove the bubbles.
Scrub the area with a toothbrush.
Rinse
Then peroxide and rinse?

They are pretty small patches so a few drops of peroxide should be enough shouldn't it?

 

[brandon429]

id hit it hard as you can, the peroxide doesn't recycle rock or kill the bac, hit it hard. I still give you a regrowth potential even after this mode, valonia is that ornery. this is a good time to have the mithrax et al in place, to catch em and eat them here's a vid of the behavior below I caught at my lfs!

setting up the new tank not as an inaccessible stack, but as an accessible stack you can lift out again as needed is the best chance. this stuff cannot be played with...see it, kill it or it can and does take over reefs. GHA is far more preferable to have even in larger amnts than small areas of valonia, in my opinion. after the areas are scrubbed cook it hard w p

 

[hig789]

Cool thank Brandon. I've dosed the whole tank before so I'm not scared of peroxide use. Haha

 

[brandon429]

my outbound offers regarding it are more numerous than the post examples of using it lol

he ripped that little bubble right off huh~

 

[hig789]

Yeah we have chatted in the past. I was dosing to get rid of some brown algae in my AIO, my zoas didn't like the initial dose but they opened back up in a few min though. SPS and LPS never even reacted to it.

My filtration isn't the greatest just a Tunze 9001 and a IM minimax reactor with GFO. I am moving this tank to a 40b after the remodel is complete, sump, oversized skimmer and a fuge. Can't wait to have some real filtration. Haha

 

[hig789]

Haha. I like how he falls over trying to get it in his mouth. When I get the 40b setup I'll probably get a emerald to go in it. My son love the crabs more than the fish.


In a month or so this rock will be moved to the breeder so I can spot treat it again if more pops up.