Clearing Live Rock of Pests before tank transfer. Bubble algae worries

[Keztrel99]

Hello, I am getting ready to start setting up my upgrade for a tank transfer.
I am currently set up in a 30gal display w a 15 gal sump that is stocked with only a single clownfish and some clean up crew. We had some Florida summer air-conditioning failures this past year that wiped out pretty much all of my corals.
New tank is a Waterbox AIO 50.3 that will eventually be a softie & LPS focused reef.
My big question now is how to rid my current rock of various pests (red bubble algae, colonial hydroids, and ball anemones).
I'd love to use this deliciously seasoned, coraline crusted rock in the new tank but after fighting this bubble algae for the last 4 years I need to be free of it.
Since my setup is essentially FOWLR now do I treat (vibrant?) my current tank with something to nix the algae before the transfer? Load it up with some peppermint shrimp?
My last experience using live pest control ended up with some chewed up acans and a very useless emerald crab. Not as big of a concern now without the corals but the health of my clown is first and foremost.
How in the world can I keep my aged rock without bringing all the bad guys over?

 

[blaxsun]

Bump.

 

[Dbichler]

Only way I can see saving the rock would be manually scrubbing and peroxide. Then back into a brute with water. Transfer each rock leaving just enough for your clownfish let it settle out and then transfer the rest.

 

[aws2266]

Watching this. I'm in a similar situation. I've got some nice live rock but there are some hitchhikers I'd rather not bring over to the new tank. Thinking about just starting from scratch in the new tank with dry rock.

 

[bobnicaragua]

Fox face will handle the bubble algae.

 

[ZoWhat]

 

[Keztrel99]

About how I feel right now. Manual removal has been pointless in the past and crabs have shown little interest in my red variety.

 

[Thereefdoc]

I’m in the same exact scenario. I’m considering moving my coral and loading the current tank with vibrant for a month or two. I also have removed all the rock and scrubbed it countless times, it never lasted more than two months and the bubbles were back. Did you ever find a way to salvage the live rock?

 

[Keztrel99]

I’m in the same exact scenario. I’m considering moving my coral and loading the current tank with vibrant for a month or two. I also have removed all the rock and scrubbed it countless times, it never lasted more than two months and the bubbles were back. Did you ever find a way to salvage the live rock?

Have not so far. Weighing the pros and cons of keeping my current rock with know pests versus buying some fresh love rock with unknown pests.
I have heard excellent things about Vibrant eliminating the bubble algae but it seems to take time.
As of now the game plan is to manual remove as much of the bubble algae in the current tank as possible and on transfer day going in hard with a brush on the patches. I'm not confident on how effective this plan will be but the seasoned rock is too valuable to lose out on.
Slowly accepting that I may forever be plagued by red bubble algae but at least it is a known enemy. There could be much worse in my tank.

 

[Thereefdoc]

Have not so far. Weighing the pros and cons of keeping my current rock with know pests versus buying some fresh love rock with unknown pests.
I have heard excellent things about Vibrant eliminating the bubble algae but it seems to take time.
As of now the game plan is to manual remove as much of the bubble algae in the current tank as possible and on transfer day going in hard with a brush on the patches. I'm not confident on how effective this plan will be but the seasoned rock is too valuable to lose out on.
Slowly accepting that I may forever be plagued by red bubble algae but at least it is a known enemy. There could be much worse in my tank.

I have thought a lot about it and I’m probably going to do the same thing. I was complaining about it to my wife and she asked me why does it bother you so much? She doesn’t even notice it! It doesn’t bother any of the corals or mess with the water quality so I really couldn’t come up with a reason to keep it out of the tank. it would really have to be a pest for me to toss/bleach rock that’s given me years of stability, biodiversity and a variety of coralline algae. I’m definitely going to scrub it at the very least though.

 

[coral_joe]

Thank you for starting this thread. I also struggle with bubble algae (green). I know it is just another algae and not harmful but I get sick of all the bubbles. I have tried a bunch of emerald crabs but they don't do a good job. I have scrubbed rocks but it only lasts a couple months. I have 20 year old fiji rock with tons of purple coraline algae so I don't want to do anything aggressive. I think the foxface is a good idea but only have a 45 gallon tank. I will keep following along with this post, everyone is giving good advice.

 

[Billldg]

Thank you for starting this thread. I also struggle with bubble algae (green). I know it is just another algae and not harmful but I get sick of all the bubbles. I have tried a bunch of emerald crabs but they don't do a good job. I have scrubbed rocks but it only lasts a couple months. I have 20 year old fiji rock with tons of purple coraline algae so I don't want to do anything aggressive. I think the foxface is a good idea but only have a 45 gallon tank. I will keep following along with this post, everyone is giving good advice.

Bubble algae is really not hard to get rid of. I have used Mithrax crabs to get rid of it, and, I have also used Vibrant to get rid of it.

 

[Ghost25]

I don't think you will get rid of them for good without extremely aggressive measures like bleaching. Rock is extremely porous and fragments of algae can be very small. If even a small piece survives it can regrow.

Personally I've had bubble algae but it always seems to stay at a very low level. I know that's not helpful if you have it growing like crazy, but I just mean that there is a way to live with it.