Bubble Algae Problem

sea addict

sea addict

Member
HEY GUYS I HAVE A BUBBLE ALGAE PROBLEM.
PH-8.2
ALK-190
SG-1.026
NITRITES-0
AMMONIA-0
NITRATES-.3
1 CLOWN FISH
1 VALENTINI PUFFER
1 BLUE DAMSEL
2 TURBO SNAILS
I USE TAP WATER FOR WATER CHANGES AND I USE OCEANIC SALT.
TELL ME WHATS MAKING THE ALGAE GROW.
 
markw

markw

Member
More than likely people are going to tell you that you should be using RO water or at least conditioning your water. Im not too sure. Get a few emerald crabs.
Mark
 
uneverno

uneverno

Active Member
Light and nutrients.

Sorry, couldn't help myself.
Do a search on the threads. It is not difficult to get rid of, but it is time consuming.
The essence of it is to siphon the bubbles out while doing your water changes. In this way, if the bubbles pop, the spores are sucked out of the tank rather than spreading.
Some may suggest getting emerald crabs as they are purported to eat it. IME, that is ineffective for two reasons: 1)They generally ignore the algae if it's too large and 2) If they do eat it, they pop the bubbles, so the spores spread.
Assuming you're not overfeeding, tap water is the likeliest source of your nutrients.
 
sea addict

sea addict

Member
i condition the tap water. i cant find the need for emarald crabs because i was just at my lfs and they told me the crab wont do much and i dont want it because its to expensive.

i forgot to add that my tank is a 14 gallon with 80 watt pc current usa
6700k/10000k daylight
420/460 actinic lighting
1 lunar light
lights run for 12 hours then i turn on the lunar for the last 12 hours.
24 hour system
 
uneverno

uneverno

Active Member
Cutting back on the lighting will help slow the algae's growth, but it won't eliminate it. I run my "blue" lights for 10 and my "white" ones for 8hrs a day. There are those who would say that's too much as well.
As for conditioning the tap water, what that means to me is that you're dechlorinating it. That does nothing to eliminate the nutrients (including, but not limited to, phosphates and silicates) already present in tap water, nor is there any additive I'm aware of that will do that.
Properly conditioning your source water is a subtractive process. The goal is to have it as close to pure H2O as possible before salt mix is added to it.
 
uneverno

uneverno

Active Member
Ok, that's all good.
The thing is that there are levels of chemicals in tap water which are quite acceptable for human consumption, but which pose a threat to our tanks because nuisance organisms, such as bubble algae, can use them for food. Those need to be eliminated, and the only way to do that is through distillation, or better, Reverse Osmosis combined with De-Ionization.
You're going to have to be proactive about removing the bubble algae. Changing your source water and cutting back your lighting will not eliminate it by themselves.
 
cydab

cydab

Member
if I'm not mistaken when trying to remove them try not to deflate them because that will help it spread, I have to agree that RODI is a must for lots of reasons, and you can always get an emerald crab, from what i understand they like to eat the bubble algae as well.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

I read an interesting article just last night from an aquarium book. Bubble algae is actually a sign of a healthy tank. Slime green and hair algae are not.
The bubble algae is introduced on the rocks and when conditions are perfect for it, it grows. So your tap water didn't do it. It CAN be a nuisance so remove it by hand or get emerald crabs to eat it.
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
Emerald crabs "may" eat small ones.
I would be worried if you can't grow bubble algae -- but once it's there yeah it's really hard to get rid of. Popping them will cause them to spread... the best thing to do is try siphoning them out during water changes to get them cut down in numbers.
Nothing is wrong with your tank other than you brought in a hitchhiker that is tough to get rid of -- I recommend using RO water at least as well.. but that won't solve your problem. I have bubble algae that literally get the size of golf balls. Bubble algae and I have come to the agreement it can grow in some places (where I can't siphon it out) and the rest stays if I can't pluck it off easy by hand. It's just ugly -- not any sign of a problem other than it hitchhiked in on something and spreads.
 
sea addict

sea addict

Member
now theres brown algae and green slime algae that covered up the bubble algae.

there is also some coralline algae.

and my turbo snails died
probally from the valentini puffer.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/3121566
Emerald crabs "may" eat small ones.
I would be worried if you can't grow bubble algae -- but once it's there yeah it's really hard to get rid of. Popping them will cause them to spread... the best thing to do is try siphoning them out during water changes to get them cut down in numbers.
Nothing is wrong with your tank other than you brought in a hitchhiker that is tough to get rid of -- I recommend using RO water at least as well.. but that won't solve your problem. I have bubble algae that literally get the size of golf balls. Bubble algae and I have come to the agreement it can grow in some places (where I can't siphon it out) and the rest stays if I can't pluck it off easy by hand. It's just ugly -- not any sign of a problem other than it hitchhiked in on something and spreads.

I have the same agreement with my bubble algae...but honestly..I think it is pretty..looks like marbles.
 
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