Valonia question

[SurferStevo]

Is it okay to use a syring with a needle to withdraw the contents of valonia bubbles that are in tough to reach places? I have some sps that are encrusting over them so manual removal makes this difficult.

 

[Steve9877]

Sounds like an interesting idea, I do know that some of the big bubbles contents are under pressure and will pop like a small balloon when you ***** them. Ive also had some that would bounce like a superball! My kids had fun playing with them
Steve

 

[Recce]

I have a bicolour foxface rabbit fish that eats all the small ones in my tank, but he leaves the few that were already of a decent size when I put him in. I have a couple that look really cool, about 2 inches in diameter and covered in a bright pink corraline. I used to carefully manually remove them, but dont bother now as the foxface keeps them in check. I had one that I plucked off the rocks, I was squeezing it to see how tough the skin was, when it burst, and sprayed salt water right in my eye lol. At least my wife thought it was funny!

 

[horge]

Unfortunately, most of the 'bubble algae' can easily repair such drainage (Only Boergesenia forbesii seems too fragile to recover from vesicle rupture or deflation).

If a cluster of Valonia is in a crevice and you just gots ta wield a hypodermic syringe, you van try draining and then injecting one vesicle with vinegar. Observe for effects.

Me? I just gouge it out with a knitting needle while drawing off debris with a siphon. I then smear a bit of kalk paste over the area for good measure. Sometimes I've simply mixed some aquarium-safe epoxy and tightly entombed the little beggars.


hth

 

[®eef©entral]

I use a even larger syring 60ccs with large mouth instead of a needle and suck up the algae in one piece and if it pop all the contents are suck into the syring. No chance of releasing any spores

 

[SurferStevo]

I use a even larger syring 60ccs with large mouth instead of a needle and suck up the algae in one piece and if it pop all the contents are suck into the syring. No chance of releasing any spores

Some sps frags are still mounted to a piece of brach rock so I would be doing this outside of the tank.
I'll try it this weekend with a piece &see how it goes. Should I use a smaller gauge needle? I have 25g & 18g.

 

[Will]

I don't understand how that fluid could be so harmful to a system. The only practical way to remove the algae in my opinion is to pop it. That's what I do, and since Valonia is so obvious to find, it's easy. And when you buy an animal to clean it up for you, do you think they're swallowing it whole? Nope, they gotta bust it too. Just my 2 cents...
-Will

 

[SurferStevo]

Maybe I'm wrong....& someone correct me if I am, but I've always heard that the bubbles contain spores to reproduce. That's all I'm worried about anyway. I don't want to cause an epidemic.
A while ago I was trying to get valonia to grow in my FO tank since it looks neat & can't hurt anything in there. But with my luck they are in the reef!