cloakerpoked
New member
I'm starting to grow this stuff in epic quantities. Any suggestions on how to deal with it without manual removal?
Bubble Algea
- Thread starter cloakerpoked
- Start date
vr697getta
New member
Emerald Crabs also worked for me. mine took about 5 or 6 months to get rid of it all and there wants that much. but it was only 2 crabs though
LeviChar1
New member
When you have an algae problem, you know why. But besides emeralds (the best and safest animal choice), you can also add or boost your refugium with a more desirable strain of algae. That helps. They eat the same 'food', so you're just picking a different "pet" LOL.
It is normal for a tank to have varieties of algae CHANGE during the change of seasons. Temp, and water quality issues, even slight ones, can upset the balance and allow one variety of algae over another to thrive (until the next change). Tanks near windows (natural sunlight) suffer the most. (I'm talking general tank ownership here, not speciual situations like greenhouses).
IMHO, the healthier your refugium, with large volumes of "preferred" algae, the easier it is to mitigate bubble algae. Its worked for me. I'm still dialing in the best conditions for chaeto which offers the most dense filtration. Most of my fish actually eat it too when pieces find their way into the main tank. Sweet deal.
On emeralds, they wil eat bubble sometimes, but usually when other tastier algaes are less prevelant.
It is normal for a tank to have varieties of algae CHANGE during the change of seasons. Temp, and water quality issues, even slight ones, can upset the balance and allow one variety of algae over another to thrive (until the next change). Tanks near windows (natural sunlight) suffer the most. (I'm talking general tank ownership here, not speciual situations like greenhouses).
IMHO, the healthier your refugium, with large volumes of "preferred" algae, the easier it is to mitigate bubble algae. Its worked for me. I'm still dialing in the best conditions for chaeto which offers the most dense filtration. Most of my fish actually eat it too when pieces find their way into the main tank. Sweet deal.
On emeralds, they wil eat bubble sometimes, but usually when other tastier algaes are less prevelant.
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cloakerpoked
New member
I usually depend on tangs to keep certain strains of hair algea under control. It is usually a localized outbreak, and not a tank-wide event, so it typically is just "normal" problems. The colors and growth of the SPS is such that I highly doubt that phosphates are a problem for my tank...and I deliberately keep my nitrate around 5 since I believe that since I've stopped keeping a totally sterile environment, my color has improved tremendously.
As for the bubble algea, it has been growing slowly for a very long time and building up to these levels. I tried manual removal, but probably did more harm than good by breaking a lot of the bubbles open.
I agree with Rob about the refugium...and do have a decent amount of both calurpa and chaeto in the fuge, but it hasn't done much to alleviate my bubble algea problem. I'm hoping there is an option like emerald crabs...and it is less of a concern since it is less aggressive than many other types of algea.
Natural sunlight is definitely a contributor as well, as my tank is right next to a window (in my small house, everywhere would be next to a window, so this couldn't really be helped.) The tank also runs slightly warmer now due to the changing of the seasons, although with the chiller plumbed up now, the tank is running 80-82 rather than 79-81 during the winter, so I doubt if this would be the problem.
Also I'm wondering if once it is present, if anything other than removal would cause it to regress. I'm thinking that it probably wouldn't, but obviously can't be certain of this.
As for the bubble algea, it has been growing slowly for a very long time and building up to these levels. I tried manual removal, but probably did more harm than good by breaking a lot of the bubbles open.
I agree with Rob about the refugium...and do have a decent amount of both calurpa and chaeto in the fuge, but it hasn't done much to alleviate my bubble algea problem. I'm hoping there is an option like emerald crabs...and it is less of a concern since it is less aggressive than many other types of algea.
Natural sunlight is definitely a contributor as well, as my tank is right next to a window (in my small house, everywhere would be next to a window, so this couldn't really be helped.) The tank also runs slightly warmer now due to the changing of the seasons, although with the chiller plumbed up now, the tank is running 80-82 rather than 79-81 during the winter, so I doubt if this would be the problem.
Also I'm wondering if once it is present, if anything other than removal would cause it to regress. I'm thinking that it probably wouldn't, but obviously can't be certain of this.
LeviChar1
New member
i have at least 4 emeralds, and occasionally i have a short breakout of bubble algae. It usually happens in the fall and lasts a few weeks.
i personally believe algae is allot like ick in the sense that it is always in your tank, just dormant, waiting for ideal conditions. this explains why different varieties come and go. Not all algaes, of course. Branching types like Chaeto/caulerpa doesn't fit into that pattern, but bubble, hair and particle do. I also have a branching exception that does...not sure what its called but looks like a short birdsnest coral with blunt stems and dark green color. That stuff definitely comes and goes. kinda neat.
I'd dump the Caulerpa (i got rid of all of mine). ounce for ounce, you get greater removal from chaeto than caulerpa by several times (takes up less room). Fish don't generally eat Calerpa if it gets into the tank, and the root systems are nasty. My clown fish and blennies and wrasses eat chaeto if it gets in the display.
i personally believe algae is allot like ick in the sense that it is always in your tank, just dormant, waiting for ideal conditions. this explains why different varieties come and go. Not all algaes, of course. Branching types like Chaeto/caulerpa doesn't fit into that pattern, but bubble, hair and particle do. I also have a branching exception that does...not sure what its called but looks like a short birdsnest coral with blunt stems and dark green color. That stuff definitely comes and goes. kinda neat.
I'd dump the Caulerpa (i got rid of all of mine). ounce for ounce, you get greater removal from chaeto than caulerpa by several times (takes up less room). Fish don't generally eat Calerpa if it gets into the tank, and the root systems are nasty. My clown fish and blennies and wrasses eat chaeto if it gets in the display.
cloakerpoked
New member
It has to travel from the far half of my fuge, down to my sump, then over to the other end, in order to get up to the tank, so I'm not worried about it "traveling." My flow is very slow through the system anyway. I wouldn't have calurpa, but chaeto has never grown for me the way it does for others.
As for the dormancy thing, I definitely agree with you there, although sometimes it doesn't need good conditions to thrive, it just does. That's why I'm a fan of natural predators like tangs and algae blennies that help to keep it to a minimum.
As for the dormancy thing, I definitely agree with you there, although sometimes it doesn't need good conditions to thrive, it just does. That's why I'm a fan of natural predators like tangs and algae blennies that help to keep it to a minimum.
Tswifty
New member
Sucks Nate.
I have that stuff throughout my entire tank. Seriously I don't think anything gets rid of it, and it'll just cycle out of my tank eventually. I've tried basically every known/suggested remedy out there without any luck. Luckily my corals are growing so much they are beginning to outcompete it for space. It seems to go through cycles, where it'll seem like it's disappearing for a while, then it'll bloom again, etc... etc...
In my experience it actually seems to do better in ULNS situations, and does not react to any of the "normal" algae cures.
One thing I have learned from this tank... I'll never... ever... ever purchase "wet" live rock again. It's so not worth the headaches. It'll be BRS Eco Saver or Marco Rocks for any future tank for me.
I have that stuff throughout my entire tank. Seriously I don't think anything gets rid of it, and it'll just cycle out of my tank eventually. I've tried basically every known/suggested remedy out there without any luck. Luckily my corals are growing so much they are beginning to outcompete it for space. It seems to go through cycles, where it'll seem like it's disappearing for a while, then it'll bloom again, etc... etc...
In my experience it actually seems to do better in ULNS situations, and does not react to any of the "normal" algae cures.
One thing I have learned from this tank... I'll never... ever... ever purchase "wet" live rock again. It's so not worth the headaches. It'll be BRS Eco Saver or Marco Rocks for any future tank for me.
cloakerpoked
New member
Yeah, if I were to ever start up another tank, I'd nuke my rock with kalkwasser and dry it out before using it. Like you said...just doesn't seem to be worth the headaches, and even the most "cured" live rock is a time bomb waiting to go off.
the2ofus
Premium Member
Didn't you try that while your tank was up & running??:lmao:
bmiller1234
Member
Thats just wrong on so many levels....:hammer:
NaClH2Opgh
New member
Just rip those old wounds wide open....:lol: :blown:
Tswifty
New member
I'm not a fan of starting off tanks with anything "live" other than the water. That's about part I see any real benefit without huge potential consequences. Sand/rock will become colonized with bacteria quickly anyway.
I can't wait to get a new tank, so I can drop all this old algae and aiptasia infested rock in a big bucket of bleach and start over with BRS Eco Rock.
:hammer:
cloakerpoked
New member
Brutal.
You're such a ....... (use your imagination, I'm sure what I'm thinking is worse
)
