Bubble Algae starting to take over 75G Reef tank

[Flare]

Hello! About a month ago I was struggling with Dinos, but my tank bounced back and is doing so good now, noticeable coral growth. However, bubble algae has started to take over, some of which looks to be growing on top of some corals. I have been manually removing it about twice a week, using a filter sock to grab the algae and I put the same water back in the tank. I am getting tired of doing that though, lol.
I need some advice on how to get rid of them! I do not want to use chemicals, as ive read horror stories and personal experience, I would rather just avoid anything "unnatural". So I think my options are either a Foxface Rabbitfish or an Emerald or Pitho crab. I am aware that the Foxface cannot live in a 75g, but would buying one until its grown and returning it later a better option that getting crabs for corals sake? I am also weary of getting crabs since I have a longnose hawkfish, hasnt bothered my hermits or snails yet though.
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Tank parameters have been stable at: SAL 1.026, PH 8.2, AMM 0, NITRI 0, NITRA ~5 ppm, PHOS ~.1 ppm, CALC ~380 ppm, KH 9, Temp @80 degrees F. Par levels are good, and lighting from 9am to 7pm with 30min ramp up/down.
Stocking is a Snowflake Clown, Royal Gramma, Tomini Tang, Pajama Cardinal, Six Line Wrasse, Diamond Goby, Starry Blenny, Longnose Hawkfish. All fish are friendly and super active swimmers.
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Any and all advice is appreciated! Attaching some pictures.

 

[Miami Reef]

It’s not as bad as I thought it’d be.

Reef Cleaners sells emerald crabs that are guaranteed to eat bubble algae or your money back.

 

[BlueBayouReefHTX]

Honestly, I would just get in there and pull it off with my hands. I've used pitho crabs before, pretty sure my wrasse ate the little guys eventually. Eventually it just went away for the most part. I personally would avoid treating bubble algae with chemicals so I don't have any recommendations for you there. Certainly are worse types of algae in my opinion lol.

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

I try to remove as much as I can manually and add in emerald/pitho crabs to help.

I have a falco hawk and it doesn’t bother the crabs.

If you go for a foxface, it may not eat the algae…and then you gotta account for qt, possible disease with the new fish etc.

In a 75g it would mostly be manual removal for me.

 

[Cristy17]

Emerald crabs for sure! I had a terrible problem with bubble algae in my RS 525XL. Added 6 emeralds and the bubble algae was gone in less than 2 weeks. Left them in and they never bothered anything.

 

[Flare]

Thank you all for your advice! Ill get a few emerald crabs just in case one or two get picked off, and keep an eye on them, and just do manual removal of bubble algae for now. Ordering a metal straw tool to make it easier.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Hello! About a month ago I was struggling with Dinos, but my tank bounced back and is doing so good now, noticeable coral growth. However, bubble algae has started to take over, some of which looks to be growing on top of some corals. I have been manually removing it about twice a week, using a filter sock to grab the algae and I put the same water back in the tank. I am getting tired of doing that though, lol.
I need some advice on how to get rid of them! I do not want to use chemicals, as ive read horror stories and personal experience, I would rather just avoid anything "unnatural". So I think my options are either a Foxface Rabbitfish or an Emerald or Pitho crab. I am aware that the Foxface cannot live in a 75g, but would buying one until its grown and returning it later a better option that getting crabs for corals sake? I am also weary of getting crabs since I have a longnose hawkfish, hasnt bothered my hermits or snails yet though.
-
Tank parameters have been stable at: SAL 1.026, PH 8.2, AMM 0, NITRI 0, NITRA ~5 ppm, PHOS ~.1 ppm, CALC ~380 ppm, KH 9, Temp @80 degrees F. Par levels are good, and lighting from 9am to 7pm with 30min ramp up/down.
Stocking is a Snowflake Clown, Royal Gramma, Tomini Tang, Pajama Cardinal, Six Line Wrasse, Diamond Goby, Starry Blenny, Longnose Hawkfish. All fish are friendly and super active swimmers.
-
Any and all advice is appreciated! Attaching some pictures.

Get a foxface rabbitfish! One spots are a bit smaller and they love bubble algae.

 

[legionofdoon]

Get a foxface rabbitfish! One spots are a bit smaller and they love bubble algae.

Not sure which one did the deed but I got a scopas and a fox face and mine is gone.

 

[OrionN]

Water changes. Keep water low nutrients and the bubble algae should slowly go away.

 

[get-salty]

Honestly, I would just get in there and pull it off with my hands. I've used pitho crabs before, pretty sure my wrasse ate the little guys eventually. Eventually it just went away for the most part. I personally would avoid treating bubble algae with chemicals so I don't have any recommendations for you there. Certainly are worse types of algae in my opinion lol.

100%.

im beginning to get few here and there. what do i do ? i go in with tweezers and pop them right in the tank! many ppl are afraid of popping bubble algae in the tank, but i truely believe if you only have a few say... 1-10, popping them only releasing excess nutrients. but i wouldnt do this if my whole tank were infected. ive been doing this for the last 5 yrs. and never had a breakout.

good luck and happy reefing!

 

[AJQ69]

Emerald/pitho crabs and water changes will tremendously help. I added a CuC from Judy @coralmonsters.judy a few wks ago, and my tank was cleared by those phytos and emeralds, now it's just WC more frequently.

 

[Flare]

Emerald crabs did not seem to do much, theyre chosen spots are looking clean though, lol!
Picked up a Foxface, immediately started going to town on chunks of bubble algae and hair algae. I have never been so amazed, its almost as cool as seeing my Diamond Goby decorate his house with shells!

 

[edsbeaker]

I’m probably in the minority, and maybe a bit weird, but I look forward to picking off bubble algae from the rocks with my tweezers. It is so satisfying to hear and feel it ripping away from the rocks. So relaxing!!!


!

 

[Flare]

I’m probably in the minority, and maybe a bit weird, but I look forward to picking off bubble algae from the rocks with my tweezers. It is so satisfying to hear and feel it ripping away from the rocks. So relaxing!!!


!

It certainly does have some ASMR factor to it, haha! It is definetely satisfying to rip it off the rock, and pop them in the bucket.

 

[strykerdog11]

Hello! About a month ago I was struggling with Dinos, but my tank bounced back and is doing so good now, noticeable coral growth. However, bubble algae has started to take over, some of which looks to be growing on top of some corals. I have been manually removing it about twice a week, using a filter sock to grab the algae and I put the same water back in the tank. I am getting tired of doing that though, lol.
I need some advice on how to get rid of them! I do not want to use chemicals, as ive read horror stories and personal experience, I would rather just avoid anything "unnatural". So I think my options are either a Foxface Rabbitfish or an Emerald or Pitho crab. I am aware that the Foxface cannot live in a 75g, but would buying one until its grown and returning it later a better option that getting crabs for corals sake? I am also weary of getting crabs since I have a longnose hawkfish, hasnt bothered my hermits or snails yet though.
-
Tank parameters have been stable at: SAL 1.026, PH 8.2, AMM 0, NITRI 0, NITRA ~5 ppm, PHOS ~.1 ppm, CALC ~380 ppm, KH 9, Temp @80 degrees F. Par levels are good, and lighting from 9am to 7pm with 30min ramp up/down.
Stocking is a Snowflake Clown, Royal Gramma, Tomini Tang, Pajama Cardinal, Six Line Wrasse, Diamond Goby, Starry Blenny, Longnose Hawkfish. All fish are friendly and super active swimmers.
-
Any and all advice is appreciated! Attaching some pictures.

Hey just a side note- the bubble algae can almost act as a in tank refugium if you let it get out of hand. Meaning it can bottom out your nitrates re - causing Dinos :/ . So keep tracking your nitrates.