How to get rid of bubble algae?

Lps_lover12

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After figuring out why all my euphyllia was dying due to 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates I started to dose neophos and neonitro. Nitrates are up to 6.5 and phosphate is around 0.007 which is now leading to the ugly stage (also explains why I had no algae for a while) I’m starting to get green hair everywhere which I’m not too worried about I’ve dealt with it before but I’m also getting bubble algae at the same time, it’s still relatively small but growing quick. I’m not sure how to get rid of it, I’ve read that emerald crabs are good but that is kind of my last option as I’ve had them before and they were quite agressive. Only algae eating fish I have in there is a one spot foxface which stays on the complete other side of the tank and doesn’t venture out at all (very annoying sometimes) doesn’t really eat much algae even tho there is green hair all around it’s cave but goes crazy when I feed mysis or pellets. Any help is greatly appreciated, I wanna get this under control before it gets too bad
 

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal

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After figuring out why all my euphyllia was dying due to 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates I started to dose neophos and neonitro. Nitrates are up to 6.5 and phosphate is around 0.007 which is now leading to the ugly stage (also explains why I had no algae for a while) I’m starting to get green hair everywhere which I’m not too worried about I’ve dealt with it before but I’m also getting bubble algae at the same time, it’s still relatively small but growing quick. I’m not sure how to get rid of it, I’ve read that emerald crabs are good but that is kind of my last option as I’ve had them before and they were quite agressive. Only algae eating fish I have in there is a one spot foxface which stays on the complete other side of the tank and doesn’t venture out at all (very annoying sometimes) doesn’t really eat much algae even tho there is green hair all around it’s cave but goes crazy when I feed mysis or pellets. Any help is greatly appreciated, I wanna get this under control before it gets too bad
My one spot greedily eats bubble algae, so you've already eliminated my first suggestion.

IME, manual removal is the best option. Pry it off the rocks and remove the floating algae with a net or siphon it out (or scooch it in the foxface's direction and see if he's interested, lol).
Bubble algae is probably the easiest nuisance algae to deal with since it doesn't anchor deeply into the rocks like hair and turf algaes.

If you do try emerald crabs again, only buy females...
 

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Manual remove is a good option. Can gently wiggle them free. If you break or pop one that is nothing to worry about. I know some may gasp but it is fine.

As noted above emeralds are typically recommended. I have also heard from trusted fellow reefers that Pitho Crabs are better than Emeralds but I've never personally owned them. Crabs and shrimp are a bit too opportunistic feeders for me so I typically do not use them.

TL; DR - manual removal is easy and not a bad option. Unless you want biological / animal maybe look at Pithos and then Emeralds.
 
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My one spot greedily eats bubble algae, so you've already eliminated my first suggestion.

IME, manual removal is the best option. Pry it off the rocks and remove the floating algae with a net or siphon it out (or scooch it in the foxface's direction and see if he's interested, lol).
Bubble algae is probably the easiest nuisance algae to deal with since it doesn't anchor deeply into the rocks like hair and turf algaes.

If you do try emerald crabs again, only buy females...
I feel like if it swam near the bubble it would love it, Hes a pig! Literally sits by my feeding ring almost all day waiting for food lol. Glad to hear it’s easy to deal with, how do you tell the difference between male and female emeralds?
 

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Pitho Crabs were recommended over Emeralds to me by Reef Cleaners. Ordered 6 and totally wiped out bubble algae within a week in my 250gal tank. Mine slept during the day and ate at night.
 
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Manual remove is a good option. Can gently wiggle them free. If you break or pop one that is nothing to worry about. I know some may gasp but it is fine.

As noted above emeralds are typically recommended. I have also heard from trusted fellow reefers that Pitho Crabs are better than Emeralds but I've never personally owned them. Crabs and shrimp are a bit too opportunistic feeders for me so I typically do not use them.

TL; DR - manual removal is easy and not a bad option. Unless you want biological / animal maybe look at Pithos and then Emeralds.
I keep reading mixed reviews on popping them, some say it’s fine and some say it causes the algae to explode. Never heard of pitho crabs so I’ll have to check those out. Thanks!!
 
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Pitho Crabs were recommended over Emeralds to me by Reef Cleaners. Ordered 6 and totally wiped out bubble algae within a week in my 250gal tank. Mine slept during the day and ate at night.
And disadvantages to them? My emeralds use to annoy my coral and try to chomp on my clowns when they would swim near. They were gone very quickly after that lol
 

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Try Flux Rx

It cleaned months old heavy GHA infestation in my 240G heavy infestation
 

Steve2020

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And disadvantages to them? My emeralds use to annoy my coral and try to chomp on my clowns when they would swim near. They were gone very quickly after that lol
Mine have not bothered any of my corals. They absolutely love bubble algae and once algae is gone they will eat any leftover food that may be in your tank. Just like any crab if they are hungry enough they may pick at some corals but I have not experienced that. The good thing about them is they are slow movers and easy to catch if need be. Mine partially bury themselves in the sand during the day. I have one that loves to lean up against one of my zoa rocks hoping a zoa will attach to his back but that has not happened yet. They are a decorator crab if I remember correctly.
 

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I keep reading mixed reviews on popping them, some say it’s fine and some say it causes the algae to explode.
The people who say popping bubble algae makes it "explode" ARE SIMPLY WRONG. However, the pieces of "popped" or deflated algae left behind on the rock will often allow it to grow back, so removing these pieces can help. Also, once some of the algae is removed (or popped), then it (and other algaes) can grow more easily in other areas just due to more nutrients being available since you've essentially removed some competition.

Speaking of competition, long term a refugium is one of your best tools to fight algae in the display.
 

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Try Flux Rx

It cleaned months old heavy GHA infestation in my 240G heavy infestation
Bubble algae does not respond to flucanozole like bryopsis and hair algaes do, and it's not generally a recommended treatment
 

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I feel like if it swam near the bubble it would love it, Hes a pig! Literally sits by my feeding ring almost all day waiting for food lol. Glad to hear it’s easy to deal with, how do you tell the difference between male and female emeralds?
Can you move a rock with bubbles on it to his side of the tank? Maybe when he gets a taste for it, he'll go looking.
Depending on what else you have in the tank, you might have luck reducing the amount you feed and then offering him some of the bubble algae you remove...
I have bubble algae in my frag tank and regularly feed some to my foxface for a snack ;)
 
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Mine have not bothered any of my corals. They absolutely love bubble algae and once algae is gone they will eat any leftover food that may be in your tank. Just like any crab if they are hungry enough they may pick at some corals but I have not experienced that. The good thing about them is they are slow movers and easy to catch if need be. Mine partially bury themselves in the sand during the day. I have one that loves to lean up against one of my zoa rocks hoping a zoa will attach to his back but that has not happened yet. They are a decorator crab if I remember correctly.
I like that I can catch them if need be. My emeralds were only in a 15g and was that ever annoying getting them out of there, I can’t imagine getting them out of my 4ft now. That would be so cool to get a zoa stuck to his back!
 
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The people who say popping bubble algae makes it "explode" ARE SIMPLY WRONG. However, the pieces of "popped" or deflated algae left behind on the rock will often allow it to grow back, so removing these pieces can help. Also, once some of the algae is removed (or popped), then it (and other algaes) can grow more easily in other areas just due to more nutrients being available since you've essentially removed some competition.

Speaking of competition, long term a refugium is one of your best tools to fight algae in the display.
I really want to start up a refugium problem is I have a waterbox and need to come up with some way to do one in my sump as there is no baffle or anything in there that I can do
 
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Can you move a rock with bubbles on it to his side of the tank? Maybe when he gets a taste for it, he'll go looking.
Depending on what else you have in the tank, you might have luck reducing the amount you feed and then offering him some of the bubble algae you remove...
I have bubble algae in my frag tank and regularly feed some to my foxface for a snack ;)
I wish I could but it’s all cemented together. Only other fish is two clowns and he won’t leave their side (he’s a big chicken!) I think he would eat it for sure if he found it but he’s just scared to go to the other side of the tank alone lol. They really do have so much personality it’s awesome to watch. I haven’t read one person who’s said their foxface hasn’t touched it.
 

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I keep reading mixed reviews on popping them, some say it’s fine and some say it causes the algae to explode. Never heard of pitho crabs so I’ll have to check those out. Thanks!!
pitho crabs yes sir. it works it takes time, but it works great. a little hard to find pitho crabs.. my way - australia
 

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Best thing to do is tweezers and python for rocks substrate or angled hose for wallsand continuous water change with filter sock through out week about every 2 or 3 days 25% water change, cut back on powdered foods such as reefroids benepets, pellets or flakes ,and stop dosing amino acids as this will cut off food source, only feed frozen

Dip frags in diluted peroxide solution

If ingestion is severe remove all rocks and let bake in the sun for a few hours and scrub with tooth brush and put back in the tank

Gfo and phosphate absorption type resins and water changes will help

Also cutting back on whites may help as algaes thrive in 5500 to 6500k compared to in 10k lights


Then add a few emerald crabs peppermint shrimp or red or blue legs to munch it away, a few snails a wrasse a damsel
 

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Suck and pluck dont let it free float with one hand tweezer one hand hose suck pluck go as you do this you should put a towel down to protect floor and have a bucket with filter sock collecting waste debris as u go
 

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The people who say popping bubble algae makes it "explode" ARE SIMPLY WRONG. However, the pieces of "popped" or deflated algae left behind on the rock will often allow it to grow back, so removing these pieces can help. Also, once some of the algae is removed (or popped), then it (and other algaes) can grow more easily in other areas just due to more nutrients being available since you've essentially removed some competition.

Speaking of competition, long term a refugium is one of your best tools to fight algae in the display.
How do you know they are wrong?
 

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I keep reading mixed reviews on popping them, some say it’s fine and some say it causes the algae to explode. Never heard of pitho crabs so I’ll have to check those out. Thanks!!

I'll defer to the old debate about the bubble algae containing spores but my understanding it reproduces by division. Parent bubble forms new and they separate. Over simplification I know but I've not read any papers supporting the release of spores. It seems to be more antidotal. Also when I think about it the crab or animal is going to pop it when it eats it :)

As I noted when I had them a while back in another display I would just reach in, gently wiggle it, and lift. Usually that will keep it whole and I can remove it. Small scraper like a dental pick, can also clip them off. The ones that are lower in size and closer to the rocks you are really limited other than breaking and removing.
 
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