Bubble Algae. 3 years. Done all kinds of things. Give me all you have.

[w2inc]

I want to know everything that has worked for people when they went after bubble algae. My rocks are too large and covered to pull out of the tank.

I killed it in the smaller tank with a 20 minute dip two weeks apart of 4 gallons tank water and 32oz of 3% peroxide from the grocery store. From there the tangs, hermits and snails took it out. I have had some show up 9 month later, but I will probably just give it the same bath and move forward.

Zoa's, encrusting sps, mushrooms came out fine.

 

[cracker]

I too have been plagued with bubble for years. The only thing that worked for me was starving the tank of nutrients which of course led to all kinda issues. I even put this rock in a darkened barrel for 11 & 1/2 months & it still came back ! I feel Ya & wish the best.

 

[w2inc]

I too have been plagued with bubble for years. The only thing that worked for me was starving the tank of nutrients which of course led to all kinda issues. I even put this rock in a darkened barrel for 11 & 1/2 months & it still came back ! I feel Ya & wish the best.

Similar. Mine came from a take over reef. Sat in a trash can for at least 6 months. No light use water movement. There are times I dont really care about it, but other times that it has pried my new coral off the rock and I wake up to it burning another. It just takes one bubble...

Thanks for the first suggestion.

 

[Jason mack]

A fox face will eat bubble algea ...failing that ....have you tried vibrant liquid cleaner ..that worked for me ...

 

[Mical]

+1 Foxface

 

[TexasReefer82]

Vibrant +1.

Within a few doses the bubbles turn white and die. I'm unsure if it completely eliminates it from the system as fluconazole does with bryopsis, but it certainly works and gives you a fighting chance. The intention is that Vibrant continues to be used as a lower maintenance dose basically forever. But make sure you don't let it take your nitrates down to absolute zero or your corals will suffer.

Also, a small army of emerald crabs does put a dent in it.

Urchins eat it when it's physically accessible to them.

 

[w2inc]

A fox face will eat bubble algea ...failing that ....have you tried vibrant liquid cleaner ..that worked for me ...

Thanks,

My Red Sea sailfin chips away at it but he is never going to win. I think I got a defective fox face. The only thing bubble he would go after was the bubbles that were trapped between the water and euro-brace. He was one of the first to figure out the schedule of the auto feeder and became the biggest fish I'm my system in no time at all. I might try out another one if people have had luck with it.

I haven't heard of the cleaner. Will it kill my Cheato? I will check it out.

 

[w2inc]

Vibrant +1.

Within a few doses the bubbles turn white and die. I'm unsure if it completely eliminates it from the system as fluconazole does with bryopsis, but it certainly works and gives you a fighting chance. The intention is that Vibrant continues to be used as a lower maintenance dose basically forever. But make sure you don't let it take your nitrates down to absolute zero or your corals will suffer.

Also, a small army of emerald crabs does put a dent in it.

Urchins eat it when it's physically accessible to them.

I had something attack one of my SPS and I am trying to decide if it is some of the emeralds. I didn't know about fluconazole and Bryopsis. Can you link me some details on it?

 

[hatfielj]

I've always kept emerald crabs in my displays and I never have bubble algae in there. I get it in my refugium sometimes, but there aren't any emeralds in there. How many emeralds have you tried and how big is your tank? I have about 10 in my 190 gallon display. They are also great for other types of algae.
Also, have you ever tried an urchin or two? They are AMAZING algae eaters. I have a pin cushion urchin that literally cleans the rock until it's pure white. I have like 4 different urchins in my tank. They are by far the best clean up crew member I've seen.

 

[Jason mack]

I've always kept emerald crabs in my displays and I never have bubble algae in there. I get it in my refugium sometimes, but there aren't any emeralds in there. How many emeralds have you tried and how big is your tank? I have about 10 in my 190 gallon display. They are also great for other types of algae.
Also, have you ever tried an urchin or two? They are AMAZING algae eaters. I have a pin cushion urchin that literally cleans the rock until it's pure white. I have like 4 different urchins in my tank. They are by far the best clean up crew member I've seen.

I have too agree ...I'm really impressed with my first urchin ...hes doing an amazing job in my 90g...

 

[PGT253]

Vibrant. Twice a week for 4 weeks completely solved my bubble algae problems.

 

[Keepswiming]

I have a lot of bubble algae and using emeralds to take it down. They are doing a good job but it is a slow process. I threw around 10 of them in a 66 gallon. Might get more. They will sit in your SPS colonies and pick at them, but I think they are eating the algae and maybe detritus, not the tissue or polyps, but who knows in this hobby anything goes. Good luck!

 

[TexasReefer82]

I had something attack one of my SPS and I am trying to decide if it is some of the emeralds. I didn't know about fluconazole and Bryopsis. Can you link me some details on it?

Here's the standard fluconazole-bryopsis thread.

https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/285096/

 

[Mical]

Foxface or emerald crabs work. I tried Vibrant and it killed my chaeto. The Foxface was what worked for me.

 

[wesman42]

Vibrant did NOT work for my bubble algae. Going on 3 months, and it doesn't appear to be doing much. I have emerald crabs slowly chipping away....it really just looks like the vibrant stopped the spread of it.

 

[w2inc]

I've always kept emerald crabs in my displays and I never have bubble algae in there. I get it in my refugium sometimes, but there aren't any emeralds in there. How many emeralds have you tried and how big is your tank? I have about 10 in my 190 gallon display. They are also great for other types of algae.
Also, have you ever tried an urchin or two? They are AMAZING algae eaters. I have a pin cushion urchin that literally cleans the rock until it's pure white. I have like 4 different urchins in my tank. They are by far the best clean up crew member I've seen.

Kind of funny, I don't really get bubble algae in my Cheato grow section (not sure if it is a refugium), but I do get Ulva and Bryopsis. I never see any of it in the main display so I have not been focused on it.

I have a 120. I just put in 12 emeralds, and I should have had at least 10 but more likely 20 at that time. Current total 20+. Some of them went straight to work on the bubbles. Others just hang out, look like they are scraping slime off the corals and wait for feeding time. I have had great luck with Urchins, but they were pulling frags off the rocks and actually fragging my digi's for me. I pulled them from my main display and keep them in an experimental 20. That tank has some bubble algae in it but the CUC seems to be able to manage it there.

 

[w2inc]

I have a lot of bubble algae and using emeralds to take it down. They are doing a good job but it is a slow process. I threw around 10 of them in a 66 gallon. Might get more. They will sit in your SPS colonies and pick at them, but I think they are eating the algae and maybe detritus, not the tissue or polyps, but who knows in this hobby anything goes. Good luck!

I feel the same about them on the SPS, but I am starting to reconsider. I cut back on feeding and ended up with a bald spot on one of the corals. I am not sure who to blame on that.


Knowing that they have to pop them to eat them, what do you think about all the spores getting released?

 

[w2inc]

I have too agree ...I'm really impressed with my first urchin ...hes doing an amazing job in my 90g...

Any favorite urchins that don't seem to pull things apart?

 

[w2inc]

I really appreciate all the feedback people! Thanks!

 

[Oshengems]

Vibrant!!! Just finished a bottle and I will buy another just for weekly doses maintance, I was cleaning my glass every 6-7 days! I was dosing every 3 days took about 2 months it’s completely out of my tank, from what I saw it slowly dissolved the BA in my system, they went from dark green to shiny to lighter green until I noticed they started popping, another thing I noticed it wasn’t that emerald crab didn’t eat BA they were too big and smooth and probably a tad too hard for him to pop becaue once they got light in color and started popping he would go downtown on patches

Edit: in case you wanted to know, my tank is mostly sps, acros, montis, have zoas mushrooms small maxima clam, chalices, and sea fan, this doesn’t bother anything