# Dang bubble algae



## PerculaClown (Apr 25, 2006)

Bubble algae are popping up all over my tank. What are some tips / tricks to remove them?


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## Jonno (May 22, 2005)

I know what i feels like m8, I had a whole lot of it in my tank but when I changed the rocks and substrate around it seemed to stop.

When i had it i use to sit there each night being very careful picking it off the rock , this will keep it under control but if u burst it , this will release the spores and you will end up getting even more. Emerald crabs are ment to eat them so this could be a possible cure if you want to go down that road.


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## Gump (Aug 2, 2006)

yep emerald crabs are what you need.


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## PerculaClown (Apr 25, 2006)

ive read somewhere that emerald crabs can start eating other corals once they eat all the bubble algae, is this true?


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## Gump (Aug 2, 2006)

yes it is i had that problem with zoos.


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## mr.dark-saint (Aug 16, 2005)

I'd still go with Emeralds just under stock the tank (not go with recomended).


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

what ever you do, dont pop them, it will only make them spread, emeralds are supposed to eat it, but sometimes they dont. depending on the size. put a couple in there. i have one in a 46 gallon, it doesnt bother anything but algae. if you get one that pics at corals, its probably targeting food and algae around the coral, but it could tick it off enough to kill it. so keep an eye on them.


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## jasno999 (Oct 16, 2006)

My suggestion has a few steps.

1) I would try to carefully remove them. At the same time when you are doing that get a siphon going and as you pull them off the rocks get the tube right near then in case they pop. If they do then you can try to suck all the spoors out of the tank. 

2) I would make sure the water you are using is of high quality. RO or RO/DI. Test it if you don't already and make sure your phosphates are low

3) I would add a HOB filter to your tank. If you already have one that is great. Start using phosphate remover in the filter or buy a phosphate reactor. Even small amounts of fish food can add PO4 to your water and algae love that. So if you can get the phosphate out the algae will grow less. 

In my tank I have seen several bubbles just wither and fade away. Until they become problematic I leave them where they are.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

"2) I would make sure the water you are using is of high quality. RO or RO/DI. Test it if you don't already and make sure your phosphates are low

3) I would add a HOB filter to your tank. If you already have one that is great. Start using phosphate remover in the filter or buy a phosphate reactor. Even small amounts of fish food can add PO4 to your water and algae love that. So if you can get the phosphate out the algae will grow less. "

Unfortunately bubble algae does not respond very well to low nutrients, so neither of these would help a great deal. Physical removal seems to be the best coarse of action in this situation... or a biological control like the emerald crabs and the encouragement of coraline algae. 

RO/DI water I always recommend however... it may not prevent bubble algae, but it does prevent a lot of the other algaes.


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## PerculaClown (Apr 25, 2006)

I dont think I'll go with emeralds just yet, just because the algae is not a really big problem right now. Just a couple here and there around the tank. I just dont want it to become a huge prob. I will try removing some of them like you said. What is the best way of removing them? Just using your fingernail and suck it up with the siphon tube?


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

get a pair of pointy tweezers, pinch the bubble at the bottom (actually below the bubble is best if you can get it there) and pull if off the rock. keep a small air line syphon going too incase you pop one.


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## jasno999 (Oct 16, 2006)

I still beleive that keeping your PO4 levels down will help in keepign bubble coral growth to a minimum.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

believe what you want... PO4 is not a limiting nutrient for bubble algae.


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

jasno999 said:


> I still beleive that keeping your PO4 levels down will help in keepign bubble coral growth to a minimum.


Hmmm, That would be a shame. I WANT my Bubble Coral to grow!


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

Lol.........


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

heheheheeee!

Me too!

For that matter, I actually like Bubble ALGAE, too. I really do. I've never considered them a real problem, and never went to any great efforts to remove them unless they showed up somewhere irritating. Maybe I've just been lucky or something. On the other hand, I have seen tanks completely overridden with the stuff, but frankly, the bubbles were the least of the problems with those tanks. I guess I just like a lot of greenery in my reefs, preferring them to look as wild and natural as possible. 
Hmmm... I also tend to use a lot of other plants in my reefs, so I suppose that's part of why the bubbles don't spread much.


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## jasno999 (Oct 16, 2006)

> Fishfirst - believe what you want... PO4 is not a limiting nutrient for bubble algae.


Wow seems a bit harsh. 

Can you tell me without a doubt that phosphate has nothing at all to do with bubble algae??

From everyhting that I have read it is a general consensus that bubble algae can grow even in conditions where excess nutriants are not avaliable. However at the same time their is no proof to say that excess nutriants can play some role.

By suggesting to a person that they shoudl look at their PO4 levels I am not tellign them to do somethign bad. Even if it is not the cure for bubble algae it is not goign to hurt a tank to monitor and maintain PO4 levels at the proper (LOW) levels. 

So I agree in the sense that PO4 is probably not the main cause of bubble algae in yoru tank. But it is not goign to hurt for you to check it out and make sure your levels are low. If not do somethign about it and see if it helps. But like I said before manual removal is the first step.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

I believe that if po4 levels were up, they would also see different kinds of nussaince algaes such as hair algae, and since phosphate is hard to get an accurate measure, I would say that you shouldn't waste your money on something that won't help the situation (such as phosphate remover). Manual removal seems to be the best way to control bubble algae, period. Plus she didn't ask anything about water chemistry in her post... she asked how to remove them...


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## PerculaClown (Apr 25, 2006)

[QUOTE. Plus she didn't ask anything about water chemistry in her post... she asked how to remove them... [/QUOTE]

EDIT:

"Plus he didnt ask anything about water chemistry in his post... he asked how to remove them"


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## PerculaClown (Apr 25, 2006)

i would also like to point out that po4 levels are not the cause behind this. I dont have any other nussiance algae

no hard feelings FF  :console:


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## jasno999 (Oct 16, 2006)

I actually let mine grow until they get too big or start to intrude on other things in the tank. The green color is nice.


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