Bubble algae dilema

[grant778]

A month or so ago, I got a rock from the fish store with 2 mushroom corals on it. When I got home I noticed a few bubble algae on it and decided to leave them alone and just hoped they would go away some how. A month later, that rock is covered with little bubble algae. Today I took the rock with the corals on it out and gave the rock a quick scrub in saltwater. The corals will probably be ok since mushrooms are fairly hardy but in the future how should I get rid of the algae because I got very little off when I scrubbed it and it was stressful on the corals.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by grant778 http:///t/396875/bubble-algae-dilema#post_3536036
A month or so ago, I got a rock from the fish store with 2 mushroom corals on it. When I got home I noticed a few bubble algae on it and decided to leave them alone and just hoped they would go away some how. A month later, that rock is covered with little bubble algae. Today I took the rock with the corals on it out and gave the rock a quick scrub in saltwater. The corals will probably be ok since mushrooms are fairly hardy but in the future how should I get rid of the algae because I got very little off when I scrubbed it and it was stressful on the corals.

Hi,

Did you feel the algae? Bubble algae feels like plastic, and pops right off the rock....unless it is soft and ready to pop and spore, so you didn't need to scrub the rock at all. Once bubble algae pops...it isn't on the rocks, it sends spores in the water. Hair algae is a different critter and that stuff you have to scrub.

I deliberately put bubble algae in my 56g tank...it's easy to control, mine grows in clusters, it looks like marbles, and I think it's attractive. The plus of it is that it absorbs all the nasty stuff like nitrates and phosphates out of the water, and as you remove the over growth, called harvesting, you remove the nasty out of the system. Years ago when I first started, bubble macroalgae was considered a good thing...LOL...I had a book that listed it as a plus to have... To each his own.

 

[grant778]

It was definitely bubble algae. What I'm really worried about is it spreading to other rocks and taking over the tank :/

 

[grant778]

I was under the impression that if a bubble was popped in the tank, the spores would spread to other rocks.

 

[grant778]

I would be fine with the algae if it was just on this one rock. How does one go about harvesting it?

 

[deton8it]

I am the opposite of Flower. I would remove the rock, frag the mushrooms off, put them back in and get rid of that rock. I had an outbreak of red bubble algae years ago and it spread over all of my rock. I don't want to deal with that again.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by grant778 http:///t/396875/bubble-algae-dilema#post_3536042
I would be fine with the algae if it was just on this one rock. How does one go about harvesting it?

You just pick it off...most of the time Bubble algae is one pretty marble at a time, which is why folks got tired of it, picking it out gets to be a hassle if you have a ton of nitrates and phosphates which it feeds on. There are different types of bubble algae, the stuff that grows as a cluster (what I have) is much easier. Harvesting is just a fancy word for removing what you don't want. If you like the macro to grow in a certain corner for decoration, whenever you see it start in an unwanted area...remove it.

If you notice your macro is getting larger and larger, remove the extra growth, and as you remove that extra new growth, you also remove the nasty stuff out of your water. Macros feed on, and thus absorb nitrates and phosphates...ammonia and nitrites too, but most don't have issues with that. When you remove the over grown areas, you also are exporting the nitrates and phosphate from your system.

There are lots of different macros, some are good for sump refugiums, such as chaeto...but others are decorative and look nice in a display. Check out Golf Coast Ecosystems. I just happen to like bubble algae, but there are some really pretty macros, the reds are awesome and grow much slower...LOL...I have a bunch of that too. But my tank had so much red it got to be too much, so the green bubble algae makes a nice contrast.

I keep seahorses, and they are very messy eaters, nitrates and phosphates abound...macros keep the water pristine in spit of them, and adds some color. For a coral reef I would recommend a refugium, then it wouldn't matter what kind of macro, it's all good for the system.

 

[geridoc]

You can control bubble algae biologically with a couple of emerald green crabs, who love the stuff. I have also found that they are easy to remove safely using a dental scraper that I got from my dentist. It is sharp and scrapes the algae right off at their bases without breaking the bubbles.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Deton8it http:///t/396875/bubble-algae-dilema#post_3536044
I am the opposite of Flower. I would remove the rock, frag the mushrooms off, put them back in and get rid of that rock. I had an outbreak of red bubble algae years ago and it spread over all of my rock. I don't want to deal with that again.

Hi,

Your problem wasn't red bubble algae...your problem was an over abundant amount of nitrates and phosphates. Macros grow out of control when your tank water isn't clean. The good news is that because of the macroalgae...your tank water was cleaned up by them as a natural filter.

The reasons could be many....tap water is #1 cause, not doing regular water changes is another common cause, and keeping messy eaters in the tank. Under those circumstances, scrubbing the rock won't help.

So if you don't want to ever deal with nuisance algae...you have to make sure your water quality is kept up. You have to take a deep breath, freaking out and taking a chance of ruining a nice mushroom covered rock because you fear an outbreak of nuisance macroalgae is not the answer.

By the way, I don't blame you for overreacting to a nuisance algae....after a battle with hair algae, I completely understand.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by GeriDoc http:///t/396875/bubble-algae-dilema#post_3536062
You can control bubble algae biologically with a couple of emerald green crabs, who love the stuff. I have also found that they are easy to remove safely using a dental scraper that I got from my dentist. It is sharp and scrapes the algae right off at their bases without breaking the bubbles.

I could never keep the emerald crabs alive for very long...they were pretty cool little critters. Unfortunately, they only eat the bubble after it gets soft, and their messing with it releases the spores...that guarantees that more bubble will be around for them to eat, but if they die off, the bubbles have now been released everywhere. I agree the scraper idea will work without a hitch.

 

[grant778]

So if I were to use some sort of scraper, would I still take the rock with the corals out of the water?

 

[silverado61]

I'm not an expert by any means but I would think that as long as you don't have anything on the rock that can be exposed to air, like sponges, it should be safe to take it out of the tank to clean so you don't take the chance on spreading spores. Then rinse with fresh saltwater before you put them back in. Just a thought. BTW, I got my dental pick at Ace Hardware.

 

[deton8it]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/396875/bubble-algae-dilema#post_3536066

Hi,

Your problem wasn't red bubble algae...your problem was an over abundant amount of nitrates and phosphates. Macros grow out of control when your tank water isn't clean. The good news is that because of the macroalgae...your tank water was cleaned up by them as a natural filter.

The reasons could be many....tap water is #1 cause, not doing regular water changes is another common cause, and keeping messy eaters in the tank. Under those circumstances, scrubbing the rock won't help.

So if you don't want to ever deal with nuisance algae...you have to make sure your water quality is kept up. You have to take a deep breath, freaking out and taking a chance of ruining a nice mushroom covered rock because you fear an outbreak of nuisance macroalgae is not the answer.

By the way, I don't blame you for overreacting to a nuisance algae....after a battle with hair algae, I completely understand.
Flower,

I admit my water quality was garbage at the time. I cycle with live and base rock and this happened during my cycle. I cycled fish less for about 3 months. That was 5 years ago.


John

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Deton8it http:///t/396875/bubble-algae-dilema#post_3536216
Flower,

I admit my water quality was garbage at the time. I cycle with live and base rock and this happened during my cycle. I cycled fish less for about 3 months. That was 5 years ago.


John


Yep...bubble algae (red or green) is a pain when you have the single ones, and they multiply like crazy...picking them out one by one would drive anyone nuts. I put green bubble algae in my tank on purpose because of the benefits the macros do for thank. However, mine grows in clusters, and it's easy to remove and keep culled back. That dark emerald green is beautiful, I have a bunch of red macros, and it makes a nice color contrast.