Air Bubble issue

[poniegirl]

Hi All,
I just upgraded my lighting to T5 (I don't know much about lighting) and now there are bubbles everywhere; on the rocks coming up from the sandbed, on the plants..Is there a connection to the new lights? :notsure:

 

[wwfstyle]

I wouldn't think the lights would have anything to do with it. Did you do a water change recently? Hows your water movement? Sump need some water added? Those are the 1st things I think about when you said bubbles.

 

[kiharaconn]

I had the same problem. I upgraded my lights then they were everywhere. I could wave them and they would float away but in just a few minutes they were back. Now I am getting bubble algae. I had wondered if that was the beginning of bubble algae.

 

[poniegirl]

I did speak to my LFS guy today, and he was pretty sure it was the lights. He said it causes a release of nitrogen (it being the light), which he says is a positive. He said the air from the sand bed is especially encouraging, as this means it's doing it's job. He said the bubbles will lessen as the nitro level, well, levels .
He also commented (as we looked at his display tank) that he also has bubbles on rocks and what-not, but he thinks his might be a case of over-skimming. Says his bubbles are somewhat sticky and don't really rise. I assured him that mine do rise (humorously, in fact).
I am no scientist and I do trust this guy. Pretty conservative and seems to care.
Kiharraconn, I wonder about the over-skimming and bubble algae?
As we speak (so to speak) there is a piece of flotsam floating to the top, you guessed it, attached to an air bubble. Boy, I hope this is a good thing.

 

[kiharaconn]

Sorry it took so long to answer. Thanks for the info. I also talked to my lfs and he said I had phosphates in my water. He recommened that I check the filters on my ro/di unit. When I looked at the paperwork it said to replace some of the filters every year. I've had the unit about a year and a half. So I've ordered replacements and will do water changes when they come in. I didn't realize that you could overskim??? I have a 75 gal tank with a G2 AMS skimmer. It's slightly bigger than I need but I had thought alittle bigger was better than too small. The bubble algae is on the lower rocks that are the base for the formation so to remove them by hand would mean taking out the upper rocks to get to them. And that would disrupt everything. Does anyone have any ideas on how to remove them other than emerald crabs. I'm not very fond of crabs. Thanks.