Algae ID please

[k9gunner]

What is this stuff? It is hard to get off the rockwork, but will not attach to the sand.

 

[kel2682]

Looks almost like red bubble algae due to high phos I would siphon out as much as you can and figure out the main source of this How old is your tank and what the water params...New or old bulbs??? Ro/Di water ??? Lets us know

 

[k9gunner]

29 gallon biocube that is 1.5 years old. Always use RODI with 0 TDS. I will run all water params today and post it soon. I do have 1 spot of green bubble, so it may be.

Thanks!

 

[kel2682]

Ya man I would siphon as much as you can no ones has poved that if they break it spreads but sounds dangerous so try not to break em and lets see some params later good luck fellow reefer

 

[holmstar]

If you are very careful you can probably pop them off with the edge of a knife and siphon them. Definitely don't break them if you can avoid it.

 

[bubbly]

Try not to pop them, but at the same time you dont have to be paranoid about it -- any spores that are released still have to deal with your skimmer and snails or other herbivores that will eat them before they get established.

The most important thing to do is to keep your nutrients low so that any spores don't have a lot of phosphates etc. to grow on.

I have talked with reefers that used to be paranoid enough to suck out the contents of the bubble algaes with syringes before removing them so that they didn't spread the spores. Now they just pop the things and don't worry about it -- you need to have a dirty tank to fuel an infestation. If your tank water is 'clean' then the spores will stay small enough for snails and other critters to eat them before they can grow large enough to reproduce.

 

[k9gunner]

It is interesting that I have never had any bubble algae, and then I get a huge outbreak of this red BA. I only have 2 clowns in the BC29 and an adiquate CUC. I have tried to get out as much as I can, and I am adding phosphate pads in the filter, but I have no phos test kit. I am going to take some water to a buddy to test phosphates.

Thanks