Unwanted intruder(s?)

[ostrow]

I have halimeda growing and spreading in my main. It is nice and I like it but ... will it grow out of control?

I discovered a strand of caulerpa. How the heck did that get there? Grrr.. Removed it but that is going to be there forever now, right?

Bubble algae growing everywhere, I suspect the 2 emeralds are dead as are all emeralds I've added since getting into this hobby. Anyone have success with anything else eating bubble algae?

 

[RobTop]

It grows slowly at first, but once it gets going it is going. It will go sexual on you and give you green water, biggest issue is it takes out a lot of Ca once it gets large. Unlike caulerpa it does not put out a ton of holdfasts, So it is easy to prune and keep under control. If kept small it is nice and no real issue, just keep pruning it.

 

[ostrow]

Robtob I assume you are referring to the halimeda. Right? I had no idea and never heard of it going sexual. Hmmm...

 

[RobTop]

I had a HUGE thicket of it in a 125. It was about 1ft wide on the left and all the way to the top of a 125 tall. Looked very cool, but once every couple of months the tank was pea soup green in the morning, and the skimmer went crazy all day. Don't know what else it would have been but the halimeda

 

[menard]

Joel

Red Sea Sailfin Tang eats bubble algae.
As far as halimida, yes they do go sexual.

 

[RobTop]

opps

 

[ostrow]

Crap. Will pruning stop that, Menard? Or should I remove it, or as much of it as I can?

I don't think I can really add a sailfin to my mix right now. I had a sense that the scribbled rabbit was controlling the bubble but who knows?

Anything else?

 

[menard]

Just keep triming , always take the bottom side. Besides they dont grow rapid like caulerpas or chetos. Its all depends on your Ca. and Alk. that Halimida sacks upon into.
No other fish eats bubble algae like the RS sailfin.

 

[hansnfrans]

See if Rod will let ya borrow Gus for a week .

 

[ostrow]

Seriously, that Naso tang eats everything. But that is not a reliable species for eating this stuff.

Menard, I hadn't heard before that a sailfin is a reliable bubble eater. Will ponder whether I can fit one in reliably.

My 150 has right now:
1 hapatus about 3.5"
1 Kole tang about the same size
1 flame hawk
2 mandarin gobies
1 radiant wrasse
1 6-line wrasse
1 royal gramma
2 green chromis

Not so sure another fish is really a good idea and even less sure a sailfin is...

 

[ostrow]

BTW: Menard, the regular sailfin not a good choice for this? I prefer those to the Red Sea ones...

 

[menard]

Joel

All Zebrasomas eats them but not quite lke Red Sea sailfin.
The other ones are lazy, they would not pop the big bubble like the RSS

 

[ostrow]

What do you think about my stock list in a system of my size -- 5x2x2 155 gal with 75 fuge and 150 sump?

 

[menard]

Joel
If in fact that youre kinda hasitant to put another fish in the tank. U have 380 gal. of water, man thats a lot of water.
Sure U can put more fish in there. I have close to 375 gal and at one time I had 32 fish in my system, until some of them decided to carpet surfin' on me, now im down to 26