Not sure what to do… dreaded Bubble Algae

[Wallda]

I am in the process of setting up two display tanks (65 gallon and a 40 gallon). Both will be plumbed to a common sump in my basement.

In preparation for these tanks I took around 200 lbs of old live rock and have it in a large stock tank in the basement. My hope was to get a jump start on things.

Well I added some frags and snails from my LFS and at some point introduced bubble algae. Being that the rock was just chilling I didn’t catch it early.

I want to kill it before I aqua scape the new tanks.

From what I can tell these are my options:

1. Add crabs and hope they eat it
2. Bleach all the rock and start over
3. Treat the rock with an algaecide (which one is best?)
4. Spray/dip rock in hydrogen peroxide

I am not sure I can mechanically remove it all due to it being in tiny cracks.

Looking for advice on the best way to kill this stuff. Even if it means starting over with the rock.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

i am dealing with it right now and i share your pain. Don’t expect any crabs to eat it. Certain fish will but they aren’t suitable for that tank.

You can start over since it’s new if you are really adamant. the peroxide should handle it.

I would remove the LR, scrape ALL bubbles (some will pop off in colonies, some won’t) spray it, and leave it out for 15 min. I would expect it affecting your nitrifying bacteria but i don’t know to what extent.

It’s in my 100g right now (and i dip all my corals (and replace plugs) and it still got in. Luckily it isn’t at plague levels but it adds a good hour or so per week to remove any i see.

 

[56longroof]

Just pop all you see and add alot of emerald crabs. People tend to overthink dealing with algea or pests.

 

[The Farmer]

Female emerald crabs are the ones you need if I’m not mistaken. Or phyto crabs? I might have spelt that wrong.

 

[Bob Weigant]

Just pop all you see and add alot of emerald crabs. People tend to overthink dealing with algea or pests.

Exactly what I did

 

[Tahoe61]

Bleaching all the rock will get the job done, BUT seems it's a step backwards. If you don't want to risk Bubble Algae introduction you might have to. Myself that seems like extreme intervention. You're killing everything to eliminate one thing.

I would try to manually remove what you can and then get Pitho crabs.

I find Bubble Algae really easy to manually remove. As you already know the trick is to catch it when you see it.

You can break up the task and do a couple pieces a day.

I will be curious to see which treatment you choose and to what degree it was successful.

 

[56longroof]

Exactly what I did

I wasnt having any luck with emeralds until I bought 25 of them on sale. Bubble algea disappeared in less than a month.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Your rocks are in a tub or something? I would use brightwell razor. I had to re-start tanks twice because of bubble algae (after spending a fortune on pithos crabs), so the third time I got it I was like screw it, razor worked perfectly for me, I would use it again if I had to.

 

[Wallda]

Your rocks are in a tub or something? I would use brightwell razor. I had to re-start tanks twice because of bubble algae (after spending a fortune on pithos crabs), so the third time I got it I was like screw it, razor worked perfectly for me, I would use it again if I had to.

Yes, they are in a large tub in the basement with some snails. Thank you

 

[Impunitus]

Emerald and Pithos crabs from reef cleaners eliminated my bubble algae problem. I now have a GHA problem

Manual popping/removal also helped cause I had it BAD BAD in my display.

 

[HackBetty]

Exactly what I did

I wasnt having any luck with emeralds until I bought 25 of them on sale. Bubble algea disappeared in less than a month.

How big is your tank?

 

[X-37B]

In my 150 I added 8 emerald crabs after removing a Mantis shrimp.
I get bubble algae in the ext overflow and on the 2 powerheads. I may see one or 2 bubbles from time to time but the emerads take care of what they can reach.

 

[56longroof]

How big is your tank?

150 gallon

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Emerald and Pithos crabs from reef cleaners eliminated my bubble algae problem. I now have a GHA problem

Manual popping/removal also helped cause I had it BAD BAD in my display.

that’s interesting. People say that they don’t work. Do they guarantee them eating it like i’ve heard they do?

I can detach a colony of bubble algae and it floats up and i net it. Doesn’t even pop. But, there are spots i cannot reach

 

[Impunitus]

that’s interesting. People say that they don’t work. Do they guarantee them eating it like i’ve heard they do?

I can detach a colony of bubble algae and it floats up and i net it. Doesn’t even pop. But, there are spots i cannot reach

I've always had good experience with inverts from reef cleaners. I think they guarantee that their emeralds will eat bubble algae or refund the cost of them.

Always well packed, and always come alive. Wouldn't get my CUC from anywhere else

 

[Channas]

I had a big out break of bubble algae a while back, i got myself a foxface and a yellow eyed kole tang and a purple tang, took a month or so but there is not a single trace of it now and has been bubble free for a year now, maybe get yourself just a kole tang to clear it up combined with snails to keep them down after the kole tang has taken care of it and then return it to the lfs or try rehome to a fellow reefer with a bigger tank (the kole tangs are jerks)

 

[Grog]

Pithos crabs are the workhorses. Emerald are my second choice but they eat bubble algae too.

Add them and in combination do some physical removal. Pithos are the MVPs IMO.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

I've always had good experience with inverts from reef cleaners. I think they guarantee that their emeralds will eat bubble algae or refund the cost of them.

Always well packed, and always come alive. Wouldn't get my CUC from anywhere else

great info thanks for letting me know

 

[Impunitus]

I do agree with Grog that pithos are great too. I added both pithos and emeralds to my display and my bubble algea was gone in 2 weeks. I had plague levels of cover in a SR60 too, was shocked how fast it got handled