Chaeto vs bubble algae

[NatsRams]

In the competition for nutrients, which wins?

I ask because I wonder if a macro algae reactor would lead to a decrease in my bubble algae problem. TIA!

 

[Dan_P]

In the competition for nutrients, which wins?

I ask because I wonder if a macro algae reactor would lead to a decrease in my bubble algae problem. TIA!

They are not competing. Both are exposed to the same amount of nitrate and phosphate via the water. Both will grow.

 

[Shanasman450]

They are not competing. Both are exposed to the same amount of nitrate and phosphate via the water. Both will grow.

Not to come across as rude or anything, but is that not the definition of competing?

 

[Shanasman450]

In the competition for nutrients, which wins?

I ask because I wonder if a macro algae reactor would lead to a decrease in my bubble algae problem. TIA!

I've had a massive BA problem for about 8 months now. I finally got around to adding some chaeto to my fuge after way too long putting it off. Since then, the BA growth slowed considerably. I've actually been able to get ahead of the BA since the chaeto settled in and started growing. After about three weeks the little baseball of chaeto I bought grew to the size of a watermelon and the BA started turning white and dying off in some places. From my personal experience, I'd have to say they do compete, and chaeto paired with manual removal can beat BA.

Some side notes:

1. Don't worry about popping the bubbles. They going to spread if you pop them and they'll spread if you don't.

2. If you have a sump, a long hose and a filter sock will make manual removal drastically easier. If you don't have a sump, a bucket and a return pump will do if the return pump is paired well with the flow rate of the tube you're using.

 

[Dan_P]

Not to come across as rude or anything, but is that not the definition of competing?

No more a competition for food than two people sharing a banquet, I am thinking.

 

[NatsRams]

Not to come across as rude or anything, but is that not the definition of competing?

I wasn’t going to say anything….

Ecologically there is little to no competition when resources are abundant. Competition increases when resources become limiting and one competitor tends to win at the expense of others.

I've had a massive BA problem for about 8 months now. I finally got around to adding some chaeto to my fuge after way too long putting it off. Since then, the BA growth slowed considerably. I've actually been able to get ahead of the BA since the chaeto settled in and started growing. After about three weeks the little baseball of chaeto I bought grew to the size of a watermelon and the BA started turning white and dying off in some places. From my personal experience, I'd have to say they do compete, and chaeto paired with manual removal can beat BA.

Some side notes:

1. Don't worry about popping the bubbles. They going to spread if you pop them and they'll spread if you don't.

2. If you have a sump, a long hose and a filter sock will make manual removal drastically easier. If you don't have a sump, a bucket and a return pump will do if the return pump is paired well with the flow rate of the tube you're using.

yes, #2 is what I’ve done once. The ba came back. Your observation regarding chaeto v ba leads me to believe chaeto is better at using the nutrients. I do have chaeto in my sump but it isn’t illuminated. I asked the original question because I was/am debating a chaeto reactor. I have a turf scrubber but it’s not making a difference. I’ve started dosing Red Sea Nopox in conjunction with brightwell MB7 and nitrates are dropping. So I’m going to continue with that for now.

 

[flyingscampi]

For what its worth, in my six month old tank bubble algae only grows on new rock. It leaves the rock transferred from the old tank alone. It also doesn't grow in the sump which has sea lettuce and grape algae.

 

[paragrouper]

I have chaeto—and I find some bubble algae from time to time. My cheato is fat and happy in my refugium, but the bubble algae is not fairing so well.

I would hope that chaeto out competes BA, but I frankly don’t know. I do know chaeto doesn‘t have to worry about me scraping it off the rocks when I see it or my emerald crab eating it for lunch.

 

[TheSheff]

If the bubble algae gets out of control, I would recommend brightwell razor. I had a lot of bubble algae and it killed it all. Just make sure to watch for a nutrient spike when all of that algae dies.

 

[Shanasman450]

I wasn’t going to say anything….

Ecologically there is little to no competition when resources are abundant. Competition increases when resources become limiting and one competitor tends to win at the expense of others.

True. I was looking at it from the standpoint of nutrients already being scarce. Looks like another case of my mouth (or thumbs) running faster than my brain.

yes, #2 is what I’ve done once. The ba came back. Your observation regarding chaeto v ba leads me to believe chaeto is better at using the nutrients. I do have chaeto in my sump but it isn’t illuminated. I asked the original question because I was/am debating a chaeto reactor. I have a turf scrubber but it’s not making a difference. I’ve started dosing Red Sea Nopox in conjunction with brightwell MB7 and nitrates are dropping. So I’m going to continue with that for now.

Any particular reason you're considering converting from an in-sump fuge to a reactor? Just asking out of curiosity.

 

[MrGisonni]

Aquarist have used macro algae to out compete undesirable micro and macro algaes forever.

 

[NatsRams]

True. I was looking at it from the standpoint of nutrients already being scarce. Looks like another case of my mouth (or thumbs) running faster than my brain.


Any particular reason you're considering converting from an in-sump fuge to a reactor? Just asking out of curiosity.

It’s not really a refugium - maybe it is, ‍ I have some rock and chaeto without illumination in the sump. I guess it is. The chaeto is surprisingly still green. It’s left over from a skimz chaeto reactor in which the pump went bad. I can’t find a replacement for it. Anyway, I don’t like having a light in the sump space. It gets salt covered and I get concerned about that. I suppose I could “reengineer” things, but I’m lazy….

 

[MrGisonni]

Interspecific competition of algae.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2258949

 

[Shanasman450]

It’s not really a refugium - maybe it is, ‍ I have some rock and chaeto without illumination in the sump. I guess it is. The chaeto is surprisingly still green. It’s left over from a skimz chaeto reactor in which the pump went bad. I can’t find a replacement for it. Anyway, I don’t like having a light in the sump space. It gets salt covered and I get concerned about that. I suppose I could “reengineer” things, but I’m lazy….

I feel you on that. I can already tell cleaning algae out of the body of my skimmer is going to get old fast. Although, once I settle on a lighting solution I'm going to make a shade for that reason. Best of luck to you.

 

[reeftivo]

chaeto rx here and it does a great job. had sump fuge and hang on fuge, but tooo messy for me. i give my harvested chaeto to my LFS and there's a lot of good will between us when it comes to purchases

my LFS breaks it up into about a dozen small 6 ounce cups and sells them for 10 bucks each. YIKES!!!