Need help for a tank reset for red bubble algae

[Shilpan Patel]

Hello guys I’m new to these forums.

Quick background: 3 years of a 400L reef tank with soft corals only. I have a chaeto fuge, SeaChem purigen, and a skimmer. And occasionally SeaChem Phosnet.

For years I didn’t quarantine. Then I got Ich last year and two fish died -> ammonia spike -> lost all my livestock (or maybe ich killed them all I don’t know, either way they all died).

I did a 15 week fallow. Now I’m restocking. I have 2 clowns, a chromis, boxer shrimp, and a hermit crab. I ALWAYS quarantine now.

I had a foxface that always ate red bubble algae. Now it’s gone I’ve had a bad outbreak for the past 4 months. Manual removal and nutrient control is failing me and I’m frustrated with 3-4 hours a week picking it all off to only have it regrow.

So I’m thinking I only have a few fish, why not transfer them to my hospital tank and do a tank reset. My question is, will I be able to transfer my fish to the quarantine tank and not transfer the bubble algae? I’m worried I’ll transfer spores over and then after I restart my tank with dry rock ill just re-introduce the red bubble algae when I added those fish back. Any ideas for how I can save my fish yet keep the bubble algae out? I’m confident in future I’ll be able to keep pest bubble algae out because I now quarantine everything wet for 6 weeks. Or do you guys think I’ll eventually get it again and there’s no point restarting?

Honestly I’m very confused on what to do. Thank you for your help.

P.s shrimp in a quarantine tank, will it be ok?

 

[Fin]

Unless you just want to reset the tank and start over, many people have reported success with using Underwater Creation's Vibrant to eliminate bubble algae and other types of algae in their tank. Maybe at least try that before rebooting completely.

 

[Shilpan Patel]

Thank you for your quick reply and your warm welcome! Unfortunately I live in NZ and I am not able to access that product here they don’t ship to NZ.

With that in mind I think I might tank reset. Do you or anyone else have any advice regarding putting my fish in a hospital tank and NOT transferring bubble algae spores over? I’m gonna put dry rock and start cycling the hospital tank. Thus if I do get red bubble algae hopefully it will
Show up. I just realized my hermit crab could carry spores which is very frustrating. There aren’t any growing on him at least. How can I go about transferring him without transferring red bubble algae?

 

[Shilpan Patel]

I just read the vibrant reviews, man it is getting positive reviews! Shame I can’t get it here, my country is normally a year or two behind before we import this stuff.

 

[savetheocean]

CaribSea Life rock is pretty awesome.. I suggest you use that if you reset.

 

[Shilpan Patel]

Ok thanks for the tip! I was thinking of just curing my current live rock. But I’m gonna force myself to hold off for another month, and look into some things to upgrade/change if I’m gonna reset my tank.

Say I add my hermit crab into quarantine with the fish while I’m resetting. And before I scrub his shell and rinse in freshly made saltwater, will that help reduce chance of bringing red bubble algae over to my quarantine tank? There is no red bubble algae on his shell currently. He’s a large guy bu the way. Size of my palm. Hence I’m gonna try very hard to keep him through this.

 

[savetheocean]

If you're going to reset your tank, upgrade if you have the money. Do everything you wished you did.

 

[lapin]

Not sure if this will help; there are some threads on forums about using peroxide as a spot treatment.

 

[cracker]

+ 1 for Iapin. peroxide spot treatment helps. lots of threads here on how it works. I can't imagine how much it would cost to ship a bottle of vibrant to You.

 

[Shilpan Patel]

Thanks for all the help guys
Just and update my bubble algae stopped spreading. And I’ve picked it off and now it’s just stopped growing.
Then I introduced a foxface and is bubbling away at it so I got control back!