Just appeared today...bubble algae??

Is this what I hope it isnt...bubble algae

 

My eyes! My eyes! It burns!

Sorry, I hate Bubble Algae, and that looks like it to me.

 

F. Well the tank is like 2 and a half weeks old and I just got over a GHA/diatom bloom and once they were pretty much out the door these show up...just a phase or what? I did start the tank with tap but now I'm doing water changes with RO/DI and I have some chaeto in a box inside the tank. Clean up crew consists of 4 turbos, 2 asterias, 3 hermits, 1 emerald crab. I know emerald crabs eat it but I kind of dont think he will find it any time soon..

 

bubble algae removal

I attached a needle to a siphon tube with a rubber band. When I go in for a water change I poke the needle into the bubble and hopefully remove all the potential offspring. Sometimes I get lucky and the bubble comes away whole.

 

Yes i do believe Bubble Algae

 

Bubble algae.

What I do is use emerald crabs for ones I cannot see. They do an excellent job at removing them and keeping them gone. If I can take the rock out, I slowly rotate the algae off the rock. Normally pops right off without breaking. I then rinse the rock with ro/di water and put back in my tank.

 

Using a siphon is the best way of removing that I've done personally; never heard of the needle method mentioned above but that might work maybe.

The problem with using crabs is that they do naturally eat the bubble algae, but they also naturally spread the reproductive spores around. In the case with your outbreak, if your emerald can get to the algae before the originating bubble can asexually reproduce, you should be fine. It's also a relatively new tank so A combo of siphon and crab should work out.

 

Alright well there are two crabs in there so we'll see what they do, it's primarily on one rock with one or two bubbles in a different place.

With the chaeto do anything to slow there growth?

 

This video was recently posted and may help you.

Mark

 

I just spent an hour today removing two corals that had bubble algae on them(took then out and scraped it off using a sharp knife) and will prob get an emerald crab to fight the stuff I cant find/see..I hate this algae..not even sure where I got it from..prob from lfs frag..ugh....I feel your pain..