Bubba's SPS Journey

jda

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Urchins are NOT good at squeezing near corals...for sure. If you have open areas, then they will mow down in good numbers. I keep the glass spotless so that they have to stay on the rocks, otherwise they seem to like the glass. :(

I have had hit/miss success with dobatella sea hare - when they hit, they are amazing, but some of them just wither away in a few days.

Magnificent Rabbitfish have been good for me when I let them get hungry... they have crushed bryopsis to hair to bubble, to anything, really. The only downside with the magnificent is that they are not cheap, still probably only 50/50 and the get large very fast. If you don't mind the cost, I would try one out.

I have a group of lettuce sea slugs that breed in my tanks - I see babies every once in a while, but rarely see the adults. They are not large enough to do much damage, so skip these if you had an inkling.

I have NSW type parameters and I can have algae outgrow my corals without algae consumers. I am not willing to go Ultra Low (below NSW), so algae happens. :( I fight it in every new tank (just set one up) for about 6-7 months and the urchins and siphoning eventually gets it all, but it sure sucks for a while.

Good luck - I know that nobody takes solace in this, but it will pass in time.
 

Graffiti Spot

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Yup I always keep a rabbit fish. They grow so fast it’s not fun. Mine is already outgrown my tank in less than 2 years.
Have you tried Mexican turbo snails? All I ever use is them and my fish. They do an amazing job of eating all the algae’s. But you have to prune the algae back so it’s short or they will not eat it unless it’s a last resort.
 
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bubbaque

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I wanted to get a rabbit fish but reading about how they are hit or miss kept me away from getting one. I don’t like how they look so I’d hate to get a fish and then it not eat the algae and then be stuck with an ugly fish as it would be impossible to catch in my size tank.

I do have lot of turbo snails. I have some of the zebra turbos that are the size of a baseball and the smaller Mexican ones. I absolutely love turbos and that’s what I usually tell people to get for algae issues but they aren’t touching this algae at all, even when I brush the rocks and make it short.
 

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I wanted to get a rabbit fish but reading about how they are hit or miss kept me away from getting one. I don’t like how they look so I’d hate to get a fish and then it not eat the algae and then be stuck with an ugly fish as it would be impossible to catch in my size tank.

I do have lot of turbo snails. I have some of the zebra turbos that are the size of a baseball and the smaller Mexican ones. I absolutely love turbos and that’s what I usually tell people to get for algae issues but they aren’t touching this algae at all, even when I brush the rocks and make it short.
I got a Scribbled Rabbitfish (Siganus doliatus) once, to take care of a Bubble algae issue in a 180 gallon tank. After solving my problem with the algae, I wanted him out of my tank as he was getting huge quick. I was actually able to get him out fairly easy. I literally went fishing for him with a tiny little hook. I was able to keep the bait away from the other fish by manipulating the line, like a pinata. He was a very aggressive eater so it didn't take long at all to hook him. I'm pretty sure I didn't hurt him either as the hook was right in the lip so it came right out. I used a tiny barbless hook and light line. Just a thought for you to consider.
 

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I got a Scribbled Rabbitfish (Siganus doliatus) once, to take care of a Bubble algae issue in a 180 gallon tank. After solving my problem with the algae, I wanted him out of my tank as he was getting huge quick. I was actually able to get him out fairly easy. I literally went fishing for him with a tiny little hook. I was able to keep the bait away from the other fish by manipulating the line, like a pinata. He was a very aggressive eater so it didn't take long at all to hook him. I'm pretty sure I didn't hurt him either as the hook was right in the lip so it came right out. I used a tiny barbless hook and light line. Just a thought for you to consider.

Dehooking one would be interesting. Not sure how poisonous their sting is so I would want a decent glove!
 

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Dehooking one would be interesting. Not sure how poisonous their sting is so I would want a decent glove!
I can't remember how I did that. Maybe needle nose pliers and gravity, then had some water in a bucket ready to plop it into. I do remember taking it straight to the LFS right after I got it out.
 
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bubbaque

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Any thoughts of using fluconazole or vibrant. In your sized tank it would take a ton but I used it and beat bubble algae in my tank
I used fluconazole for bryopsis in my old tank twice and both times I had coral loses so I am hesitant to use it again.

I’m sure vibrant will do it but I’m going to give the scrubber a chance to work along with a lot of elbow grease. I gave my rocks a good scrubbing the past couple days and I’d say 50% of it is gone but it might just regrow. I also spent a couple hrs today with a powerheads cleaning out all rocks of any detritus to help. Followed up with a 20% water change and I plan to a couple more this week. I’m sure this will be a long process but I’m truly hoping the algae turf scrubber starts helping.
 

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Vibrant, for about a month, followed by dose of Flux-RX worked for me, no coral losses (mix of SPS, LPS, zoas) but my coral is certainly not at the level of yours! As you noted in #4971 you've done it before! Good luck mate, your coral photographs are beautiful and give me something to aim for.
 

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I used fluconazole for bryopsis in my old tank twice and both times I had coral loses so I am hesitant to use it again.

I’m sure vibrant will do it but I’m going to give the scrubber a chance to work along with a lot of elbow grease. I gave my rocks a good scrubbing the past couple days and I’d say 50% of it is gone but it might just regrow. I also spent a couple hrs today with a powerheads cleaning out all rocks of any detritus to help. Followed up with a 20% water change and I plan to a couple more this week. I’m sure this will be a long process but I’m truly hoping the algae turf scrubber starts helping.
I learned you really have to watch nutrient levels with vibrant and reef flux. They can spike then drop to nothing really fast which I think is what causes most issues. It will also kill you be official algae if you dose enough so that. An be an issue as well
 

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I would strongly encourage you to look at what people keep when they give "no loss" reports with algaecide. As you know, not all acropora is at the same level of ease and care. I have no doubt that some people can treat their tank and have no losses, but they might not be keeping some more sensitive stuff like you have. FWIW, and I am not going to argue here, but I believe that Vibrant is an algaecide in the vein of API Algaefix - both look, walk and quack like the same duck... One of the locals got sick of his algae, used an algaecide and about 90% of his acropora were fine, but he lost some simplex, echinata, harder millepora, spaths and some old school classics that are harder to keep (and get) now. Most of the other stuff did not care one bit. People mean well, but what they are keeping might not be the same as what you are keeping and their experience will not translate in full fluency (congrats to Shaun for getting this since most do not).

If it were me, I would give a magnificent rabbit a try and try and stay natural - they are next-level rabbits each on performance against algae, good looks but also price. The are hungry and greedy dudes and easy to catch in a fish trap (at least they have been for me) when they get large or you do not want them anymore. Not all rabbits are great algae eaters and are more like tangs, but Magnificents can really mow stuff down. They look great under reef lighting.
 
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I would strongly encourage you to look at what people keep when they give "no loss" reports with algaecide. As you know, not all acropora is at the same level of ease and care. I have no doubt that some people can treat their tank and have no losses, but they might not be keeping some more sensitive stuff like you have. FWIW, and I am not going to argue here, but I believe that Vibrant is an algaecide in the vein of API Algaefix - both look, walk and quack like the same duck... One of the locals got sick of his algae, used an algaecide and about 90% of his acropora were fine, but he lost some simplex, echinata, harder millepora, spaths and some old school classics that are harder to keep (and get) now. Most of the other stuff did not care one bit. People mean well, but what they are keeping might not be the same as what you are keeping and their experience will not translate in full fluency (congrats to Shaun for getting this since most do not).

If it were me, I would give a magnificent rabbit a try and try and stay natural - they are next-level rabbits each on performance against algae, good looks but also price. The are hungry and greedy dudes and easy to catch in a fish trap (at least they have been for me) when they get large or you do not want them anymore. Not all rabbits are great algae eaters and are more like tangs, but Magnificents can really mow stuff down. They look great under reef lighting.
I may give the magnificent a try and just cross my fingers.
 

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Also a fan of magnificents; they are savage herbivores.

I've used Flux a handful of times on client tanks. 9-10 times it works great, but WOW, when it goes bad it is really a quick bleach of SPS. Unless you have bryopsis, I'd take a pass.

For bubble algae I added emeralds and Vibrant. Something worked, but cannot say which. Took a few months.
 
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bubbaque

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They are a really unique fish. Check them out in different lighting as they do change. Good luck with the algae fight, it can really kill your joy of the hobby. Corals that you've shown still look good.
Thanks. The algae surely is a buzz kill. Corals are doing okay but have taken a backseat as I’ve mainly been focused on the algae. I can’t imagine it will last forever...can it? Lol
 

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I would strongly encourage you to look at what people keep when they give "no loss" reports with algaecide. As you know, not all acropora is at the same level of ease and care. I have no doubt that some people can treat their tank and have no losses, but they might not be keeping some more sensitive stuff like you have. FWIW, and I am not going to argue here, but I believe that Vibrant is an algaecide in the vein of API Algaefix - both look, walk and quack like the same duck... One of the locals got sick of his algae, used an algaecide and about 90% of his acropora were fine, but he lost some simplex, echinata, harder millepora, spaths and some old school classics that are harder to keep (and get) now. Most of the other stuff did not care one bit. People mean well, but what they are keeping might not be the same as what you are keeping and their experience will not translate in full fluency (congrats to Shaun for getting this since most do not).

If it were me, I would give a magnificent rabbit a try and try and stay natural - they are next-level rabbits each on performance against algae, good looks but also price. The are hungry and greedy dudes and easy to catch in a fish trap (at least they have been for me) when they get large or you do not want them anymore. Not all rabbits are great algae eaters and are more like tangs, but Magnificents can really mow stuff down. They look great under reef lighting.


Vibrant is not an algaecide. It is a scavenger bacteria that goes after algae and does not reproduce in the aquarium. It starts with the simplest of algae's but will eventually go after more complex algae's like chaeto etc.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/brs360-episode-3-1-the-story-of-brs/

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/brstv-investigates-vibrant-aquarium-cleaner/

If you're using an ATS, a Cheato reactor, or a refugium, you're going to want to pull them off line or put your algae (if chaeto or something similar) in a different container for the duration of the treatment.

Having said that....I've used Doliatus Rabbitfish several times in the past and have had excellent results each time. They get better looking as they get older with the vibrant blue lines getting brighter and covering more and more of the body as they mature.

I kept my last one in my 120 for several years before leaving the hobby for a bit. In that time frame it did not get too large for the tank and was a model citizen.

Personally, I think they look better than the Magnificent's, and they are certainly less expensive, but that's just my opinion. Going with a rabbit or two (depending on the tank) and using Vibrant as well, I think you'll see good results (with a reasonable expectation of time...you didnt get here overnight, it's not going to be fixed overnight either).
 

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