Bubble Algae

[H@rry]

Somebody tell me what will eat bubble algae. Don't tell be Emerald Crabs. I've tried them several times. They don't even notice the bubbles. Seven or eight months later you can't find them. I have 5 tanks and spend 30 minutes a week picking the bubbles out with tweezers. I'm getting a little tired of that.

Thanx
H@rry

 

[schminksbro]

Foxface can be hit and miss. If you pick away most of the bubbles emerald crabs will keep them under control. Usually they won't just eliminate it all on their own.

Somebody tell me what will eat bubble algae. Don't tell be Emerald Crabs. I've tried them several times. They don't even notice the bubbles. Seven or eight months later you can't find them. I have 5 tanks and spend 30 minutes a week picking the bubbles out with tweezers. I'm getting a little tired of that.

Thanx
H@rry

 

[afboundguy]

There is a really easy way to get rid of BA... All you need is some rigid airline tubing and cut it so it's at an angle and sharp. You then hook it up to some normal airline tubing and start a siphon and poke the BA. This way you pop them and suck out the pores. One downfall with emeralds and anything that you do get to eat them is that the spores go everywhere and you'll prob end up with BA again in the future...

Here's a pic of what I'm talking about...

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

IMO cooking your rock is the easiest means of ridding any "bubble algae."

Here's a good read: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcj/feature/index.php

 

[drew.michael]

nutrient reduction....

 

[mgny]

A blonde naso will do the job. Not sure about a regular naso but have had 2 blondes that both cleaned it up.

 

[mgny]

Should elaborate a little more. The valonia in my tank was becoming a major problem. It was starting to pop off frags as the bubbles grew in size. I tried to remove it by hand with poor results. I had lost my first blonde naso a year before.Had him for many years and i'm sure he kept it under control. When he died it gradually started to get out of control. Took me a while to find another one. The funny thing was the only thing the new one would eat was valonia. I had to fish some out of my overflows and other spots to keep him eating. After about 3 weeks he finally started to accept mysis but will still go nuts for bubble algea. If your tank is big enough try one. Good luck, Mike

 

[tj51]

b

i have had a bad outbreak, bought a foxface, eats everything but....so I took out half the rocks and scraped them, now I have half bad outbreak

 

[tj51]

alk

I've also heard that high alk will wipe it out????

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

I've also heard that high alk will wipe it out????

Where did you hear that from? Link?

Personally, I wouldn't recommend it, as the necessary level of Alkalinity that would kill Velonia would kill many corals too (well before the Velonia)...

 

[H@rry]

I had a CO2 regulator go haywire one time and the alk went off the top of a Salifert test kit chart. I think it was like that for over a week. The bubbles were shining like new pennies.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Hi Harry, Long time no see, Think I'll tag along on this one for I have some in my tank also that i want gone. I also do the tweezer thing where i can reach but i can't reach all my tank. So far Blonde Naso seem to be the fix, But i just got rid of three large tangs because of breakage to my SPS. Any one else got any suggestions ?