Green balls?

[hoofenshnoz]

Hey guys Newbie question
Ive had my simple reef tank over a year now and im startinf to get green balls growing around the odd time....is this a type of algae and is it safe?

 

[ahullsb]

It sounds like bubble algae. It is something that you don't want. Try to pry it off if you can, without popping it. Once popped it can release spores into the water and it will continue to spread. If it is only on a few rocks, it might be easier to trade it back to the fish store for new rock.

 

[dileggi]

Sounds like bubble algae, I would agree with ahullsb.

 

[hoofenshnoz]

cool, thanks. the rock has been there for a while there is only about 10 bubbles so i can just pull them off

 

[Wett Hands]

Green balls.. that look like small green marbles? if so sounds like bubble algae. Be real REAL careful, you dont want to 'pull' them off but 'pry' them off with a screwdriver/ buterknife. I was not so careful about 6 months ago and popped 2 or 3. A month later there were about 2 dozen of them.

Emerald crab to the rescue!

 

[ledford1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11592693#post11592693 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Wett Hands
Green balls.. that look like small green marbles? if so sounds like bubble algae. Be real REAL careful, you dont want to 'pull' them off but 'pry' them off with a screwdriver/ buterknife. I was not so careful about 6 months ago and popped 2 or 3. A month later there were about 2 dozen of them.

Emerald crab to the rescue!

Yeah, Emerald Crabs seem to work well against them. I also had a YT that had a taste for them - it was funny to watch her nibble at them with her little mouth or carry one across the tank almost like a porpoise and a beach ball.