Miscellaneous Newbie Questions (bubble algae, test kits)...

[ReefMole]

Now that the initial cycle of my tank is completed I'm ready to move on to the next-phase and had a couple of questions:

Do I need to worry about bubble algae? As of now, I think it looks kind of cool but will it quickly spread into a big problem if I don't get rid of it? Also, I have 'some' hair algae...it was starting to be a minor problem but some manual removal and a few hermits seem to have gotten it in check.

Up to this point I haven't been testing for Calcium or Phosphates. If I get a couple of RedSea kits will they be sufficient or should I buy Salifert? All my other kits are Salifert.

Thanks in advance for any and all replies...the advice I've received on this board has been invaluable!!

[DRT]

Any of the macro algae can become a problem, my recommendation would be to nip this in the bud ASAP and eradicate as much as possible. Bubble algae can be a real problem, looks cool but given the right condition can spread like wildfire and becomes very hard to get rid of. Do not burst the bubbles when you remove it, try to take the offending rock out of the tank & give it a good scrub with a tooth brush. If you can not do that then have a siphon next to the bubble so you can remove any spoors that might be released.

As for the test kits, the best are Lamotte but they are also the most expensive. I've used Red Sea with pretty good results.

Dale