Bubble algae....what to do

[G13]

I want to get rid of it. What should I do or add? I would prefer adding something small and reef safe to eat it, if possible. But if any of you guys know a for sure remedy to my problem then let me know.

Thanks,

 

[slowECUdiver]

emerald crabs. i just noticed 3 bubbles in my nano tank...looks like i need to get one myself.

if you decide to manually remove, be careful not to pop the bubbles...if they're popped, the spores inside will spread the algae throughout your tank. so with manual removal, if you can use a tweezer pull the bubble off the rock it's attached to and have your siphon ready to suck out any spores and remnants.

HTH.

 

[jnb]

I have been using emeralds - I do ask for females because I heard that males are a little more voracious and can start eating the wrong thing.

 

[graveyardworm]

I've used emeralds, and they really didnt eat it. I know some people do report good luck with them though. Curious how an emerald crab eats the bubbles without popping them? I've been battling it with tweezers and a siphon tube. They keep coming back but atleast this keeps it at manageable levels.

BTW I found the crabs to be a PITA, they would steal food from my anemone and corals when I was spot feeding.

 

[G13]

I manually removed 75% of it. But there is a rock at the base of my structure that has a quarter size patch of really small bubbles. I don't think I can reach it without redoing the rockwork.

I bought some more really nice LR yesterday.....I guess I should redo the rockwork.

 

[coralnut99]

Valonia doesn't compete well for nutrients in the presence of a good quantity of macroalgae. So a refugium would be a good step. I've had valonia at times, and from my experience they are indicative of water quality. When it has popped up in my systems, it has always simply gone away of its' own accord after catching up on tank maintenance. I would tweezer it before adding a crab. As the posts here indicate, your results will be something less than guaranteed.

 

[G13]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8186216#post8186216 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralnut99
Valonia doesn't compete well for nutrients in the presence of a good quantity of macroalgae. So a refugium would be a good step. I've had valonia at times, and from my experience they are indicative of water quality. When it has popped up in my systems, it has always simply gone away of its' own accord after catching up on tank maintenance. I would tweezer it before adding a crab. As the posts here indicate, your results will be something less than guaranteed.

Sounds good, I will try to manually remove all if possible. As for adding macroalgae to my sump...well....I don't run a sump, display tank only. I don't want the trouble of leaks and all that stuff that comes with it. But what I've always wanted to do was add some plants to my tank (not bubble algae), do any of you guys know of a plant I can place in my tank without it going sexual? I'd like to make things as easy as possible.

 

[coralnut99]

Halimeda, like everything else in this crazy hobby, has plusses and minusses. It can be as good of a nutient exporter as any macro. It's pretty easy to keep in check. If it gets out of hand it pulls off of it's attaching point really easily. It doesn't spread via a rooted rhizome like caulerpa. Keep a normal lighting schedule, and it's super hearty. The down side is that it's calcerous, and as such requires as much calcium (and consumes as much) as sps corals. So calcium levels must be watched carefully. It's the macro I would consider in any of my displays.

I know plumbing/sumps/refugiums can be mind-boggling and down-right scary. But a properly sized and installed refugium is one of the keys to long term success in this hobby.

 

[jnb]

My Halimeda went sexual and caused major terrible morning with skimmer, etc - I really did not have that much


Halimeda, like everything else in this crazy hobby,

 

[Serioussnaps]

by the way valonia is not really nutrient limited as other algaes...of all algaes valonia can survive under the least amount of nutrients ...this for the guy that says a fuge will help with bubble algae......it wont!!!!

manual removal by the aquarist or an biological cleaner such as emerald crab is pretty much the only way

 

[SuperNerd]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8179541#post8179541 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnb
I have been using emeralds - I do ask for females because I heard that males are a little more voracious and can start eating the wrong thing.

How can you tell the difference between male and female?

 

[pjf]

Foxface Rabbitfish

Foxface Rabbitfish

I am told that a Foxface Rabbitfish will eat Valonia. There are reports that if not kept well-fed, it will nip on corals. It can also grow relatively large.

 

[jnb]

the "apron" which is a plate on their bottom side is very more pronounced round in females than a males which is more slender and sort of comes to a point - the point points towards the fron of the crab

search crab female identification apron in your search engine

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8212608#post8212608 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SuperNerd
How can you tell the difference between male and female?

 

[jnb]

Re: Foxface Rabbitfish

Re: Foxface Rabbitfish

i had to catch and take back to the lfs a foxface that was working on my open brain - people were surpirsed - I think some foxfaces varieties might tend more to this than others

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8240512#post8240512 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pjf
I am told that a Foxface Rabbitfish will eat Valonia. There are reports that if not kept well-fed, it will nip on corals. It can also grow relatively large.