Algae problems

[rickh]

I am having a bubble algae problem. The water parameter are good. I have a refugium, good circulation and change my light bulbs. I am feeding 1/2 of a cube of Prime Reef or Brine Shrimp Plus every day to 4 clown sized fish. I am also feed live phytoplankton every 2 or 3 days according to the directions. My photo period is 12 hours/day. I have tried to manually removing the bubble algae, but it is an endless problem. Ideas?? :confused:

[goulashriot]

i would say start by feeding the most minimal amount of food you possibly can. secondly, what kind of a clean up crew do you have in your tank? if you dont have them already, try adding an emerald mithrax crab or two and see if they will start eating it to remove it.

the main problem with bubble algae, that i have heard, is if you split the bubble open, it only makes the algae reproduce faster. i have removed a few spots by using a flathead screwdriver and physically removing a little bit of the rock with it, very carefully.

if all else fails... remove all of your rock and boil it to kill everything on it and start all over again, i know that sounds horrible, but sometimes its the only way.

[frederickk]

This algae is a very complicated one to remove as it will start growing everywhere else if not done correctly. I would say that the best thing to do is to take out your LR and removed it out of the tank, this way it won't spread.

[rickh]

It is impossible to remove all the rock--it's encrusted with coral. People say--don't break the bubbles when you remove them, but the crabs do not eat them whole. R

[jasper24]

I have removed the rocks that I can and peeled off the bubbles. I then dip it in clean "tank" water and then place the rocks back in the display. I have also cut 1 end of my water syphon hose to a point. When doing water changes I will use the pointed end to scrape off any bubbles that I can see. This way if they pop the spores will get sucked out of the tank.

[reefdood]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8994305#post8994305 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jasper24
I have removed the rocks that I can and peeled off the bubbles. I then dip it in clean "tank" water and then place the rocks back in the display. I have also cut 1 end of my water syphon hose to a point. When doing water changes I will use the pointed end to scrape off any bubbles that I can see. This way if they pop the spores will get sucked out of the tank.

That IS the best way to remove ANY algae. ;)

[stormquest2112]

I had a pretty bad red bubble algae problem and some hair algae, so I added a mithrax crab that just ignored the bubbles and a Convict Tang to eat the hair algae.

Well, the Convict Tang is doing such a good job of eating the red bubbles that I am now trying to catch the mithrax to put it into my refugium.

The Convict Tang is great since it stays smaller than other Tangs and is much hardier. And even though it is less colorful than other Tangs I like the way it looks and it likes to school with my Chromis'.

[r55nls2002]

I have the same problem. I just pick them off the lr. It seems to keep them in check, but has not fix the problem.

[rickh]

I wonder if if I am introducing more "bad algae" every time I feed the live phytoplankton?? Do you think 12 hours is too long for the light cycle?? The coral--and bubble algae love it. R:(