Bubble algae

[LivinTheSwreefLife]

I recently acquired a bunch of live rock from a beautiful, long-established tank (running 6-8 years). It has some bubble algae.

I haven’t added anything from outside the previous tank owner’s ecosystem because I am afraid of introducing pests. I’ve dealt with SO many pests over the years and really love this tank.

So I’m wondering what the best course of action is here aside from keeping feeding reasonable and keeping up with water changes. Manual removal with tweezers and siphon? Emerald crab? Leave it alone? Open to all suggestions.

The only CUC in the tank is 2 trochus snails, 1 smaller burrowing snail, and à tomini tang that eats film algae. 55 gallon tank.

Thanks!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Pitho crabs supposedly work but I spent $100 on pithos that did nothing.

Personally I would remove it. I've beaten almost every kind of algae, even dinos', but bubble algae caused me to restart my tank twice. Then I got it a third time so I used an algaecide (I think it was razor), thats the only way IMO. Good luck

 

[Maho.B]

I would absolutely physically remove it as best you can, that stuff can go wild and can be a real challenge to control in my experience.

 

[X-37B]

I use emerald crabs.
In my 150 I have 8+ emeralds so no bubble algae on the rocks. I get it on the powerheads and the ext overflow because the crabs can't get to it.
Get 2-3 of them.
My 150 had quite a bit for over a year and I manually removed it because there was a rouge mantis shrimp that would kill anything I put in. Once out 8 emeralds in and no more manual removal.
My current 150 for reference.

 

[carri10]

Remove as much as you can manually, focusing on the top of the rock. Why? Pithos don’t like to climb.
Then get pithos. I had a decent size outbreak and they absolutely destroyed it in a month. 10 pithos for a 1000L DT.

Not sure about the rock’s status and situation, but if you can H2O2 it too, that works really for all types of algae, I’ve found.

 

[Reef Jedi]

I use emerald crabs.
In my 150 I have 8+ emeralds so no bubble algae on the rocks. I get it on the powerheads and the ext overflow because the crabs can't get to it.
Get 2-3 of them.
My 150 had quite a bit for over a year and I manually removed it because there was a rouge mantis shrimp that would kill anything I put in. Once out 8 emeralds in and no more manual removal.
My current 150 for reference.

This!

I have 3 emerald crabs in my 130 and no bubble algae where they can reach. I do occasionally get it in the overflow weir but a quick toothbrush takes care of that.

 

[Freenow54]

Pitho crabs supposedly work but I spent $100 on pithos that did nothing.

Personally I would remove it. I've beaten almost every kind of algae, even dinos', but bubble algae caused me to restart my tank twice. Then I got it a third time so I used an algaecide (I think it was razor), thats the only way IMO. Good luck

I am defiantly missing something . I only get it on my frag rack no where else . What is the danger of it ?

 

[Freenow54]

I now know what it is and what I have isn't however still would like an education

 

[X-37B]

I am defiantly missing something . I only get it on my frag rack no where else . What is the danger of it ?

If you have it on your racks you have it elsewhere in your system, like the back side of exposed rocks you cant see.
The only real danger is it can overtake any system if left unchecked because it can grow quite fast.
Some people like the look of it. I have seen some lfs with absolute crazy amounts of it that had to be manually removed as it competes for space crowding out coral.

 

[exnisstech]

I only get it in small areas on the risks where detritus collects and emerald crabs do a good job preventing an outbreak.