Please say it isn’t so!

[MSB123]

so... I found bubble algae in my tank... UGGH!
Current plan of action:
15x emerald crabs, move all lps and clams and zoas to sump temporarily.
I hate this stuff, has anyone had success with any other methods?

 

[Dsnakes]

A single Emerald crab did the job for me in the 20g. I don’t think he could completely eradicate it, but he definitely kept it under control.

However... I have heard of many Emeralds that don’t touch it ;Dead Hit or miss like most natural methods!

 

[PDR]

I think 15 emeralds is a touch overkill. I have always been able to manually remove bubble algae.

 

[MSB123]

I think 15 emeralds is a touch overkill. I have always been able to manually remove bubble algae.

So do I, but I want it gone.
How do I manually remove it?

 

[Ruben's Reef]

Well I came across with a lot of bubble algae before and got two emerald crabs that didn't touch the algae. Then I try Vibrant and in a two weeks bubble algae disappear.

 

[Smite]

Siphon hose it while you gently remove lift the bubble that way if you accidentally pop it you siphon the released spores out

 

[Scorpius]

All you'll be able to do is keep it under control. Once it's in your tank it'll always be there.

 

[Dom]

So do I, but I want it gone.
How do I manually remove it?

Use a siphon so that when it gets sucked up, you will get all the spores that may be released if you rupture one of the bubbles.

 

[MSB123]

Siphon hose it while you gently remove lift the bubble that way if you accidentally pop it you siphon the released spores out

Ok. I will try that. How should I lift the bubbles up?

 

[MSB123]

All you'll be able to do is keep it under control. Once it's in your tank it'll always be there.

Yeah. I am luckily starting a new tank in 3 months. I will start from scratch so no possible cross contamination. (I am getting rid of all coral from my current tank)

 

[sde1500]

Ok. I will try that. How should I lift the bubbles up?

Carefully. I just used my fingers, they are tough little bubbles.

 

[PDR]

So do I, but I want it gone.
How do I manually remove it?

I used some forceps or big tweezers and grabbed it at the base, popped right off. Never popped any and it never spread so I guess it worked.

 

[Reefer1978]

Vibrant took care of it for me and in a year and a half it hasn't come back with no other methods of control.

 

[Smite]

Vibrant took care of it for me and in a year and a half it hasn't come back with no other methods of control.

I let a 100g get WAY out of control. Almost every square inch had it. 2 weeks into vibrant and I had to put foam covers on my mp40s and clean the die off daily. Was incredible for bubble algae

 

[Duffer]

i have manually removed also with no ill effect. I have a tool that will pick it clean and i scoop using a net.

 

[nereefpat]

Do emerald crabs not pop the bubbles when they eat it?

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

i have manually removed also with no ill effect. I have a tool that will pick it clean and i scoop using a net.

Same thing here. Just get on it when it appears, remove it and keep your nutrients low.

 

[lapin]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcj/feature/index.php

Thats the skinny on those fat bubbles.

What I have found is that if you want to manually remove it, get it now when you dont have much. Then you will need to get something like vibrant to kill off any portions left.

If you go the natural method with emerald crabs you want big males. The females are smaller and are not very productive. This is why people say they didnt do anything when they tried them. I have found 1 or 2 online retailers that sell both large and small. Get the large.

 

[Smite]

Do emerald crabs not pop the bubbles when they eat it?

They do and that's why you'll need to always have emeralds if that's your plan of attack

 

[acro-ed]

I think you just need to grow some alternative type of algae somewhere else. I have 2 emeralds, one male and one female, in a 300g and it is rare to see a single bubble somewhere. I know it is in my system but I pretty much never see it.