Bubble algae

[strykerdog11]

Hey everyone, so iv had a issue for a few years now with a really bad bubble algae outbreak and I think its time to address it because it’s causing other issues. It is causing my nitrates to drop to low and growing on corals etc.

I would love some advice!

What iv tried

-manual removal, pretty much impossible to get it all, only slow it down for a few months.

- emerald crab - he eats it but not even close to keeping up.

I have some high end torches and 2 shrimp so don’t really want to risk killing them.

Tank size 20 gal

Any help is appreciated!!!!!!!

 

[miggz4life]

Hey I have a 25 gallon and dealt with bubble algae too. I got a few high end torches and high end mushrooms in them.
I got a couple female pitho crabs to deal with the bubble algae. They are more effective than emerald crabs and less likely to nip at your corals.

 

[reefpanda]

My foxface takes care of the bubble algae

 

[strykerdog11]

Hey I have a 25 gallon and dealt with bubble algae too. I got a few high end torches and high end mushrooms in them.
I got a couple female pitho crabs to deal with the bubble algae. They are more effective than emerald crabs and less likely to nip at your corals.

Interesting ill have to read about them!

 

[strykerdog11]

My foxface takes care of the bubble algae

Id love to but a 20 is just way to small. Even to keep temporarily, I think it would knock everything in the tank over lol.

 

[slingfox]

Hey everyone, so iv had a issue for a few years now with a really bad bubble algae outbreak and I think its time to address it because it’s causing other issues. It is causing my nitrates to drop to low and growing on corals etc.

I would love some advice!

What iv tried

-manual removal, pretty much impossible to get it all, only slow it down for a few months.

- emerald crab - he eats it but not even close to keeping up.

I have some high end torches and 2 shrimp so don’t really want to risk killing them.

Tank size 20 gal

Any help is appreciated!!!!!!!

If one bubble crab eats the bubble able then get 5 of them and see what they can do. If the bubble age runs out you can feed the crabs sinking algae pellets or donate them to an LFS or local hobbiest. If you want to go the chemical route then there is ReefFlux or similar products then that has its own risks.

 

[BriDroid]

Add another emerald crab or a pithos crab. They get along fine. I have an emerald crab and a pithos in my 11 cube and they leave each other alone.

 

[zwalter38]

I had a bad bubble algae outbreak a few months ago and I went with manual removal as the primary method. I hooked up an old canister filter and had the intake hose in my hand and when I scraped the bubble algae off the rocks I sucked it up with the canister so I wasn’t constantly sucking water out of the tank. It let me work for as long as I wanted. Then I popped new growth and got emerald crabs to help prevent new growth rather than use them to eradicate the existing bubble algae. I have read and seen that if the bubbles are too big the crabs won’t bother it. But if they are small or popped they will eat them.

Now I still have some little patches but they don't really bother me. They are not spreading anymore just a patch here and there that eventually gets taken care of by the emerald crabs. (I do also second the pithos crabs as I’ve heard they are more effective and safe for corals)