Green Bubble Algae
- Thread starter dickenscd
- Start date
I have heard people have some success with red emerald crabs to get rid of this.
no no no. get your parameters under control first. zero phos and nitrates. if not, you're just treating the symptom and not the real problem. it'll keep coming back.
water changes and good filtration. also, make sure your bioload isn't too large for the tank - very common mistake.
there is no quick solution. starve it out like you would any other algae problem.
if you must try something, get 1 emerald crab per 20 gallons and cut back on feeding the tank so that the emeralds are hungry enough to eat the bubble algae.
water changes and good filtration. also, make sure your bioload isn't too large for the tank - very common mistake.
there is no quick solution. starve it out like you would any other algae problem.
if you must try something, get 1 emerald crab per 20 gallons and cut back on feeding the tank so that the emeralds are hungry enough to eat the bubble algae.
Just for your information, I have 4 tanks in the same water system, and the 3 tanks in the picture even have the same light (Giesemann 250W HQI + T5), but only the tank on the right hand side has bubble algae problem.
The only major difference I can think of for the tank with algae problem is that tank does not have any tang, all the others have.
Tang seems playing an important role, does anyone who keep a tank without tang not have algae problem?
James
The only major difference I can think of for the tank with algae problem is that tank does not have any tang, all the others have.
Tang seems playing an important role, does anyone who keep a tank without tang not have algae problem?
James
With all do respect, one cannot simply starve out valonia. It lives in ultra low nutrient ultra low light. I have cleaned my tank until the corals bleached from low nutients. Coral need some phosphate in the water, needs some nutirents. Although verry little it is still enough for bubble algea to thrive
Thats is once Nitrates and P03 are undercontrol and the dead zones in the tank dealth with. The real war begins since it take verry little for the stuff to survive, it takes verry little for it to come back. IME this battle is a marathon ..
I have been at war with the stuff for about a year and without getting into to it to much I have tried everything short of going Zevoit.
Emerald crabs and Manual weekly removal is the only thing that has worked for me. I have 10crabs in my 65g tank and other then stealing an occasional shrimp from the acans they are doing great.
The first step is to positively Identify it not all BA is Valonia .
here is a good link
http://www.livingreefs.com/bubble-algae-t510.html
Thats is once Nitrates and P03 are undercontrol and the dead zones in the tank dealth with. The real war begins since it take verry little for the stuff to survive, it takes verry little for it to come back. IME this battle is a marathon ..
I have been at war with the stuff for about a year and without getting into to it to much I have tried everything short of going Zevoit.
Emerald crabs and Manual weekly removal is the only thing that has worked for me. I have 10crabs in my 65g tank and other then stealing an occasional shrimp from the acans they are doing great.
The first step is to positively Identify it not all BA is Valonia .
here is a good link
http://www.livingreefs.com/bubble-algae-t510.html
I haven't seen neither the foxfaces nor tangs touch the bubble algae. Emerals crabs may cut them off from the rock since never had success with them either.
Although cant get to all the bubble, had better success/results by sucking out its contents using hypodermic needle. Once poked and sucked out of its contents, will eventually disppear w/o releasing its contents to tank or get eaten by vegetarians.
It beats removing, scrubbing and rinsing method. Good Luck!
Although cant get to all the bubble, had better success/results by sucking out its contents using hypodermic needle. Once poked and sucked out of its contents, will eventually disppear w/o releasing its contents to tank or get eaten by vegetarians.
It beats removing, scrubbing and rinsing method. Good Luck!
- Location
- Douglaston, NY
Attach flexible hose to a thin wooden stick, tying up with rubber bands. Then put the stick in the tank and and target for siphon the bubble algae. I do this everytime I do a water change.
I didnt say it would be easy or but easier than removing the rocks from the tank, scrubbing, rinsing. Think of this way. 10 - 20 algae a day and BA will be lot less if not eradicated in no time since most Ba will be where there is a light so usually easy to reach with needle. Once sucked out of its contents, they will eventually either be eaten by grazers or cell wall (skin) will just fall apart. I find this method lot less work w/ less stress to inhabitants.
Good news.
After taking the advice from the hobbiests in this thread, I added one sailfin tang, 4 emerald crabs. 2 weeks later, all the bubble algae have almost disappeared.
I had at least a hundred of bubble algae for more than a year in the tank without any tang, they kept growing after I popped them out or removed them. The big ones were very easy to be removed, the most annoying and challenging ones were those small ones. I found sailfin tang and emerald crabs grazed the new shoot and effectively controlled their new growth.
Thank you for all the information and assistance.
James
After taking the advice from the hobbiests in this thread, I added one sailfin tang, 4 emerald crabs. 2 weeks later, all the bubble algae have almost disappeared.
I had at least a hundred of bubble algae for more than a year in the tank without any tang, they kept growing after I popped them out or removed them. The big ones were very easy to be removed, the most annoying and challenging ones were those small ones. I found sailfin tang and emerald crabs grazed the new shoot and effectively controlled their new growth.
Thank you for all the information and assistance.
James
Very nice tanks and inhabitants you have their my friend!!! I just got through viewing your gallery. I love the idea of the 3 tanks together..
As far as where did the BA come from the explination can be as simple as it hijacked on a piece of coral. That is what happened in my tank. Fortunately I caught right away before it had a chance to spread.
As far as where did the BA come from the explination can be as simple as it hijacked on a piece of coral. That is what happened in my tank. Fortunately I caught right away before it had a chance to spread.
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