FIghting Bubble Algae

[btkrausen]

Out of nowhere, I have bubble algae clusters all over. They haven't taken over my tank by any means, but they have been making a move.

• I was feeding very heavily and dosing Oyster Feasts...which I've stopped.
  
• I quit running GFO for a month or two....I"ve since started back.
  
• I've been manually removing with a blade but have broken quite a bit while trying to remove clusters.
  
• Starting skimming wetter.
  
• Going to do a lights off day tomorrow
  
• I do weekly 20 gal water changes.
  
• Added two emerald crabs

Bought some macro aglaes to put in my other tank with PCs.


Anything else I'm not thinking of to help erradicate????

 

[clownfreak]

What size tank, and what are your parameters? I've had the stuff in my 25g for the past few months and have slowed the spread by more regular waterchanges and sucking the bubbles out. If you pop them it is supposed to send spores into the water.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Pull each rock and gently pry them off with some tweezers. I just had to do that with a rock that had a quarter size growth of valonia. You can also add a couple of emerald crabs. I have always had good luck with them eating the bubble algae.

 

[btkrausen]

oh yeah, i forgot to add that some of the rock its hard to get out as monti cap connect them and I don't want to break it.

I also forgot to add that I've added two emerald crabs as well. Might add a third

 

[btkrausen]

I'm really hoping the GFO and carbon, along with fewer nutrients (stop dosing oyster feast and rotifers) will really be the killer. maybe just time will tell.

i've ordered a digital phosphate tester, and will change out gfo and carbon more often to really help get rid of phosphates.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Do you have macro growing anywhere, sump, fuge? Macro algae along with the GFO will help.

 

[langtudatinh01]

well, if you try to manually remove the bubble algae, you should have a tube that ready to siphon out the bubble algae, especially when they busted. if you dont do that, they will be all over the tank real quick. i removed mine during a weekly water change. i siphoned out the water with the algae. i never see them back. good luck.

 

[allsps40]

I have almost beaten bubble algae. My method is to use my siphon hose to pop, break loose and remove the bubble algae. I would remove as much as I could with every water change. I went from having all over my tank to a few very small clusters left to remove. Just stay on top of it and you will get them all.