Bubble Algae?

[mickeyfish]

Is this bubble algae or some type of eggs? There seem to be some banded worms that live right around it.

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[mcgyvr]

yep.. bubble algae.

 

[mako61]

def bubble algae and def a pain. Been fighting that stuff for a while.

 

[mickeyfish]

So should I try to remove it manually?


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[AlSimmons]

I would, preferably right before your next water change though. The key to beating this stuff IME is to stay ahead of it.

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

 

[mako61]

I manually remove, it helps but the stuff comes back.

I also have a Foxface. I think he eats it. I mostly have it in places he cant get. Emerald crabs also eat it, I dont have those.

Try not to pop bubbles. It contains spores. I turn off all pumps. I use a length if small diameter rigid tubing, then soft tubing to a bucket. I vacuum as I pull it off. Its not fun, but I do it most every water change.

My outbreak started when my nitrates got over 10. I have been reducing those. Hoping it subsides.

 

[divetoday]

+1 on the manual removal. I do what mako61 said about tubing, except I leave the return pump on and run the tubing to a sock in my sump just before doing the water change. That way I don't have to worry about draining the tank dry. After I'm done siphoning I change the socks and then do the water change. This has helped tremendously. Oh yeah, +1 on the lower nitrates and +1 on the Foxface, too. It takes a village to run my reef.


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[mickeyfish]

So it sounds like the nuclear option here was warranted. I was able to remove the rock plug that leather coral was on for just a minute, chip away a piece of rock containing all the bubble algae, and fill in the hole and about 1/2 inch all around with reef epoxy. I think I got it.

Let's see if it pops up anywhere else in the next few weeks. My phosphates have been .2 but I started GFO in a reactor last week.