Bubble Algae

[Soren]

I agree it is the worst. I wish I could try a foxface. Thank you everyone for all your advice ill try the strict manual removal and see how it goes. Maybe the crabs will decide to do me a favor

I definitely recommend a foxface if you have a rehoming option!
Recently, I added two tiny (~2") onespot foxfaces (Siganus unimaculatus) to my Work Desk 40B tank and they decimated my Caulerpa prolifera in about 2 days. As the name suggests, the prolifera had been prolific and I was hoping to propagate it in the sump as a food source. Now I may need to buy more, as they ate this stuff back to nubs so quickly!

I have not tried them with bubble algae yet (I've got some growing on my ocean live rock at home), but I am quite confident they can eliminate it rapidly as voracious as they are.

Edit: I should mention that I have a direct plan to move these foxfaces to an established tank at home when they outgrow the tank. They still should last a year or more in a tank this size based on my previous experience with a pair of ~2" bicolor foxfaces (Siganus uspi) a year ago that are now only ~3" long and reside in a 40B tank at home currently.

 

[LARedstickreefer]

How fast does a Foxface need to be rehomed? I’d definitely try one out, but my Red Sea reefer 170 isn’t much.

Edit: Oh dern, 9” fish? Guess it’s back to elbow grease and my bone cutters.

 

[Soren]

How fast does a Foxface need to be rehomed? I’d definitely try one out, but my Red Sea reefer 170 isn’t much.

In my experience, you should have months to over a year in about 40g if you get one that is ~2". How many gallons is the Reefer 170?

 

[LARedstickreefer]

In my experience, you should have months to over a year in about 40g if you get one that is ~2". How many gallons is the Reefer 170?

It’s 50g total, but 24” wide tank. I think things could get testy quickly.

 

[All_talk]

...I swear that this stuff is the absolute worst.

Trust me its not, have you had bryopsis?

My bubble algae seems to come in waves, but once I get tired of looking at it or I feel in is causing a problem with a coral or something I just get out the dental pick and go scraping and picking. I figure its no different that harvesting any other algae, its a nutrient removal system. Once I'm done with the scraping I crank up the circ pumps and hold a net in front of them and can catch most of the floaters.

 

[officialreefbros]

ya i unfortunately do not have any rehoming options. The issue with picking is some of it grows in places that arent very accessible in my tank

 

[All_talk]

A set of picks like this can extend you reach pretty well...

 

[Soren]

It’s 50g total, but 24” wide tank. I think things could get testy quickly.

That might be kind of small for a foxface, though a tiny one would work for a few months. It is probably best for you to consider other methods of dealing with the bubble algae.