Bubble algae on real reef rock

[DEL]

Hey guys. So while I still had my 14g biocube, I picked up 2 pieces of Real reef rock from a store that closed down. I put the 2 pieces along with all other live rock into my new 34g red sea max. It's been about 2/3 months, and I'm starting to see bubble algae. But, it's only on the real reef rock pieces. None of the other rocks have any. Anybody else use these rocks? I'm about to just take them out and replace with some new live rock and see if I still get some bubble algae. Any feedback appreciated.

Nitrates a little high at 20 due to feeding too much LRS food, as well as flakes.

Phosphate is almost 0 with salifert kit.

 

[akma]

My tank is all reef rock. I've never had a bubble infesttation like this before but my whole rock is covered in bubble algae. Just threw in about 6 emerald crabs so hopefully it'll take care of it

 

[DEL]

@akma hmmmmm. I wonder if there's something the rock is made from that's causing it. At least I know that it's not just me who's having this problem.

 

[jwisson]

My rabbit fish seems to like it.

 

[Koyfam16]

I had a breakout of bubble algae on some real reef rock I bought. Emerald crab worked for a while but then I just restarted my tank - it's only 5 gallons

 

[Serega]

Hey guys. So while I still had my 14g biocube, I picked up 2 pieces of Real reef rock from a store that closed down. I put the 2 pieces along with all other live rock into my new 34g red sea max. It's been about 2/3 months, and I'm starting to see bubble algae. But, it's only on the real reef rock pieces. None of the other rocks have any. Anybody else use these rocks? I'm about to just take them out and replace with some new live rock and see if I still get some bubble algae. Any feedback appreciated.

Nitrates a little high at 20 due to feeding too much LRS food, as well as flakes.

Phosphate is almost 0 with salifert kit.

Unfortunately BA spores are in your system now, so even if you take those rocks out it would most likely start growing on others later. I added some chaeto from some one else's tank and got BA growing few month later all over my rocks. I manually remove while changing water and try to keep my nutrients low.

 

[DEL]

Unfortunately BA spores are in your system now, so even if you take those rocks out it would most likely start growing on others later. I added some chaeto from some one else's tank and got BA growing few month later all over my rocks. I manually remove while changing water and try to keep my nutrients low.

Damnit!!! Yea, sucks because I have to keep taking rocks out to brush them off.

 

[Serega]

Yea, I saw video of your tank, it is packed. Might be tough to do, but I never wanted a venomous fish in my tank(Foxface) and they might start going after your corals and all the stories about emerald crabs going rough in the reef tank didn't sound like a good idea ether. Good luck.

 

[ReefWreak]

If I were to take a guess, I'd say that it's leaching phosphates (as has been happening with pukani live rock a lot recently as well) if it's the only surface that is growing bubble algae on it.

I'd run GFO to absorb any free phosphate in the tank, and would take those specific rocks out, bleach them to kill any and all anything on the rock, de-chlorinate them, and put them back in the tank. Who cares if you nuke the bacteria, they'll recolonize before you know it.

 

[ssminnow81]

I added two pieces of real reef rock a while ago and I took them out within the first month. There was brown algae growing all over them. It was strange because it was only on those two rocks.

 

[d5332]

• take out the rock, dry it out
• syphon out bubble when doing water changes
• buy something that eats it
• starve your tank of nutrients (there will likely be collateral damage)
• live with the bubble and watch it grow, grow and grow

Those are the options

 

[piranhapat]

Something to read about Algae and Bubble Algae. http://www.reefhobbyistmagazine.com/magazines_files/f3175210f90bfc7ea82901db0ef7452f-36-web.pdf

 

[DEL]

I'm actually just gonna take out those 2. Getting 2 new rocks monday. Those rocks cost me like $9 total. Not worth it in my opinion hahaha.

 

[Lenny718]

My rabbit fish seems to like it.

+1 I had an outbreak of bubble algae when I started my tank with dry rock, I picked up a small foxface and he devoured it in a few days.