Green bubble !

[dannynguyen3573]

Hi all,
I have alot of green bubble stick in my LR, I don't know is that but it's hard and green color. Is it will harm for reef tank? Please help.
Thanks

 

[Pandora]

Bubble algae, valonia. It's not as bad as hair algae, but considered by most to be a nuisance algae because of the fact that it spreads over the tank, and the small rootlets can penetrate coral bases and irritate them.

 

[Secondgen]

I've had experience with emerald crabs eating bubble algea. You might consider buying one or two depending on how big your tank is.

 

[dannynguyen3573]

yes, that 's the one, how do I treat it? and I do have LR with green color too.

 

[dannynguyen3573]

I did put 2 emerald crab in my tank three moth ago already, but it's still grow.

 

[Pandora]

Best way is to get to the root of the problem, test your water, and make sure your nitrates and phosphates aren't too high. Most pest algaes thrive under these conditions. As second noted, some emeralds will eat the smaller bubbles, but the larger ones you should remove by hand (I just got to a few myself today, used a long handle forceps to get to the base). At first they seem attractive, but spread and can get out of hand fast. You also may hear of other animals that eat it, such as tangs and foxfaces, but it's not a good idea to get these fish unless you have a big tank and the room for them to begin with, plus they don't really get to the root of the problem.

 

[dannynguyen3573]

I do have four tangs (yellow, blue, purple, yellow eye) and 1 foxfaces in my 180G tank. You think I should get some more emarld crab ( how many). All my bubble alge ais still in small size.

 

[dannynguyen3573]

Oh I fordet to say that the nitrates os 0 (deep test) and I don't test phosphates

 

[REV]

You can pluck the bubbles out relatively easily... You really ought to be able to get rid of them in a matter of time this way. Regarding the other green you mentioned, what kind of clean-up crew do you have?

 

[dannynguyen3573]

clean scew are snail ( I don't know how many in there but I see some death alreday), tangs, foxfaces, hermal crab....

 

[Sindjin]

Be careful not to pop the bubbles...it will spread spores thriought your tank. Im having the same problem in my 120. I added 6 emeralds. I have seen a few pick at it and a few walk over it.

What I did tonight was pluck as many as I could by hand, Then I siphoned some out too. I stuck the end of my siphon hose into the pipe of a Turkey Baster and began sucking it out. It worked pretty good. Im gonna do this until the problem is gone. That siphon contraption also was a great tool to use to siphon out my Live Rock.

 

[REV]

I would try to get the bubble algae under control before worrying about anything else. If you have high nutrients in the water you may need to do a water change and cut back your feeding. Something WILL compete for excess nutrients. It's really just a question of what it will be...

 

[otterpop510]

i thought the valoria bubble algae was a low-nutrient algae, so dealing with nutrients or even trying to 'cook' the rock with no nutrients or light may not work for bubble.. that was my understanding, but yeah - if you don't have that many best bet would be to try to get them out now before it gets worse, whether through critters or handpicking.. though if you could take the rock out to handpick, then rinse off rock (or dip in a couple buckets of water and swish around), chances of spores going back into your display tank are minimized..

 

[John Steidl]

Otterpop's suggestion does work. In my experience, these are easily controlled if you carefully remove them and then rinse the rock before putting back in your tank. Best to get them before they get out of control, as removing hundreds is a bear.

 

[sandman450f]

I agree with the above, take the rock out and use and exacto knifo or razor blade to cut the tendrils, and then do a quick rinse (faucet at full blast) of the area just to make sure you get any spores out from leaking or popped bubbles. Do your best not to pop them, and dont do it in the tank, the chances of popping and spreading are too great. Unlike most other algae, these will grow and spread once introduced into your tank despite nutrient or light levels

 

[dannynguyen3573]

There is one thing I don't understand that if the emarld crab will eat it the it could be popping those bubbles any way...am I right ?

 

[Pandora]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6536138#post6536138 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dannynguyen3573
There is one thing I don't understand that if the emarld crab will eat it the it could be popping those bubbles any way...am I right ?

danny--That's a good point. I suspect that they do the same, but that they are more fastidious about getting to the newly spawned baby valonia as well, before you notice them. You obviously aren't going to have your hands in the tank 24-7, but the crabs do nothing all day except forage for food. The same holds true of aiptasia, and why predators of aiptasia work, though in the process of eating them, they probably spread some around.

 

[dannynguyen3573]

Thanks Pandora...