81Shaun
Active Member
okay guys got some bubble algae taking place. how do you get rid of it? it must of came in on a piece of rock my lfs gave me that had corraline on it. im just running a small nano tank. any idea how to rid this ?
removing bubble algae
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mrcoffee2
Valuable Member
You can take it out of the water and carefully cut off all of the bubbles with a razor blade. Make sure to have a bucket of rodi saltwater to dip it with. A soft bristle brush to scrub the area afterwards is a good idea as well.
Don't pop or cut them in your tank
Sometimes emerald crabs can take care of them however they need to pop them to eat them so sometimes it spreads.
I prefer the top method and its how I removed my bubble algae
Don't pop or cut them in your tank
Sometimes emerald crabs can take care of them however they need to pop them to eat them so sometimes it spreads.
I prefer the top method and its how I removed my bubble algae
Emerald Crab
siphon off rock using hard tubing.
siphon off rock using hard tubing.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
A few months ago I would have recommended emerald crabs, but my opinion has changed on them.
I started having a problem with bubble algae and went to my lfs and bought 3 small ones for my 50 gallon lps/sps tank.
3 days after adding the crabs my yellow multibanded pipe fish disappeared. Gone, no trace.
I had that guy for over a year and a half. He was healthy color was good. Would eat aggressively, nothing was wrong or different except the 3 crabs were added.
I also suddenly lost a small colony of utter chaos zoanthids that was healthy as well. The rock was still there, but the zoanthids were gone.
I've managed to get one of them out and may have fatally wounded another.
Never again will I use emerald crabs for anything but trigger food.
I started having a problem with bubble algae and went to my lfs and bought 3 small ones for my 50 gallon lps/sps tank.
3 days after adding the crabs my yellow multibanded pipe fish disappeared. Gone, no trace.
I had that guy for over a year and a half. He was healthy color was good. Would eat aggressively, nothing was wrong or different except the 3 crabs were added.
I also suddenly lost a small colony of utter chaos zoanthids that was healthy as well. The rock was still there, but the zoanthids were gone.
I've managed to get one of them out and may have fatally wounded another.
Never again will I use emerald crabs for anything but trigger food.
I would suggest the manual removal - follow mr. coffee's advice 
CoralReeforrest
Community Member
I had a rock with quite a bit of it. I took the rock out, put it in a bucket of water since it has coral on and used a tooth brush to scrape it all off. Then rinsed it with fresh tank water and put it back in!
Mgoc
Active Member
Worked like a charm for me. It took a few days for the crabs to show interest in the algae but once they did, they got rid of it in no time.
Gazog2
Community Member
Best way and fastest way is manual removal, grasp the bubble lightly twist from side to side being very careful to not break it. If you can remove the rock it is one take the rock out break them off then use a tooth brush and scrub off any left over stems off rinsing well with clean saltwater.
Bradsreeeftank
Well-Known Member
god please dont use emrald crabs. Common sense says when the crab pops itthe spores go everywhere.
andybuja
New Member
I agree with Gazog. Also when I do water changes. I spend a few minutes harvesting the bubbles by hand. Then for those that I can pull off I use a small syphon with razor on the end. Get the syphon going into a bucket and then lance the bubbles. This sucks up the spores. Then I pull out the membrane.
I also read to increase your KH to about 12 to 14 for a while. Do it slowly. I have been doing this and found that there are not as many appearances.
I heard that Gold spot rabbit fish do well, but with clams and inverts I am reluctanct.
I also read to increase your KH to about 12 to 14 for a while. Do it slowly. I have been doing this and found that there are not as many appearances.
I heard that Gold spot rabbit fish do well, but with clams and inverts I am reluctanct.
Bradsreeeftank
Well-Known Member
They eat the bubble algeas outside, they dont suck in the spores though.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
Emerald crabs have been a accepted way of dealing with bubble algae for a long time.
You just have to deal with having a crab in your tank that with kill and eat other things that you may want to keep.
Jonsie
Community Member
what is the other grass like algea on besides the Bubble algea ?
thereeferdude
Active Member
I've tried everything and my best luck to date has been using a 2.3 watt laser. It is a tedious process, but manual removal was as well. I get an eerie satisfaction from hearing them crackle as they cook. They turn white/clear after a day then eventually disappear. They results have been awesome.
