Came back from vacation...
- Thread starter ryeguyy84
- Start date
MARINECRITTERS
New member
Figure out what the algae is feeding on, if the person caring for the tank overfed then that could be a cause, maybe there was a lack of water changes, etc.
Many causes to algae such as the use of tap water, overstocking.
Bubble algae is actually one of the harder algae species to remove, they do not need too much nutrients in the tank to survive, many people have had success with emerald crabs. Try not to pop them though ( I know emerald crabs do ), popping them by hand can cause them to spread, right now, figure out the root of the problem, siphon as much out, without popping, as you can, and start wet skimming.
BTW testing is useless, the algae will consume the nutrients before you can test for it, meaning nitrate and phosphate.
Many causes to algae such as the use of tap water, overstocking.
Bubble algae is actually one of the harder algae species to remove, they do not need too much nutrients in the tank to survive, many people have had success with emerald crabs. Try not to pop them though ( I know emerald crabs do ), popping them by hand can cause them to spread, right now, figure out the root of the problem, siphon as much out, without popping, as you can, and start wet skimming.
BTW testing is useless, the algae will consume the nutrients before you can test for it, meaning nitrate and phosphate.
Tupps11
New member
I had the same issue. It was a result of overfeeding. Weekly water changes, reduced lighting hours, and feeding every other day instead of every day resolved my problem.
Keep in mind it took 3 weeks/water changes and additional clean up crew (added shrimps and hermit crabs) to get everything back to normal...
Good Luck
Keep in mind it took 3 weeks/water changes and additional clean up crew (added shrimps and hermit crabs) to get everything back to normal...
Good Luck
colortrilogy
New member
How are you treating them?
DO some water changes when you get home, and expect it will happen now and again. new tanks tend to cycle up and down, re algae, pest species, lots of things. With age comes more stability. Just don't take any action like chemicals, things that eat it, thngs that would destabilize the system...
ryeguyy84
New member
It's a 29 gallon tank so I'm using more gfo than I need (1/2 cup) and changing it every 3-4 days. I'm also doing 3 gallon water changes on Monday and Thursday and skimming wet.
I usually change out 5 gallons a week all at once but this seems to be a little easier on the tank. I've never seen the tank so clean, except for the bubble algae.
Every day after work I have to pull the wet side of my vortech and pull out the bubbles. They are literally just letting go and floating around, and some are empty.
ryeguyy84
New member
Oh and I do have one. I see him munching away when the lights go out.
rogermccray
Active member
FYI, emerald crabs can take fish. just wanted to throw that warning out there.
ryeguyy84
New member
Well it's been about 2 months and here are so progress shots. I finally broke down and started to pick them off one by one with a 1/4" rigid airline. It works great and my nutrients are so low nothing grows back. I change out my GFO weekly.
I can only really see the rock in the places I manually removed the bubbles. This stuff is ridiculous.
I can only really see the rock in the places I manually removed the bubbles. This stuff is ridiculous.
Silly clownfish
New member
Wow, I've never seen that much in one tank!
I would try taking out pieces of rock that don't have coral on the one at a time and putting them in a container of tank water to scrub with a toothbrush, then rinse with tank water and return the rock to the tank. Discard cleaning water. Repeat with next rock.
Toothpicks also work for digging them out of crevasses.
I would try taking out pieces of rock that don't have coral on the one at a time and putting them in a container of tank water to scrub with a toothbrush, then rinse with tank water and return the rock to the tank. Discard cleaning water. Repeat with next rock.
Toothpicks also work for digging them out of crevasses.
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