Small ammount of hair algae and bubble algae, should I just learn to like it?

kilofey

kilofey

Member
I know there is no magical cure, I mean you can keep your tank PRISTENE but even then it might still be there. Is there anything else I can do that wont harm my corals? Like turning off the lights for a certain ammount of time (if so, how long before my corals suffer). If I pull it off will it get worse? What will its presence do to my corals, will it kill them?
Ive only had the problem since I got my new lights (upgraded from mh & t5 to kessil led & t5. T5 is only to brighten the tank up a bit).
If turning my lights off for a while could help, I dont want my corals to be harmed. My corals consist of zoas, colt, frogspawn, cloves, plate, montipora cap, duncan, leather, palys, xenia, mushrooms & favia
Thanks
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
It depends on if it is just overgrowing your corals or if it is just there and short and can be maintained with an adequate clean up crew
Get a mythrax crab for the bubble algae - they really do work.
As for the hair algae, you could get rid of it by growing it on an algae scrubber instead of in your tank. There are several designs out there - all of which are efficient and cheap to make, especially the new UAS.
 
kilofey

kilofey

Member
Ahh, I wish I could have a scrubber, my power goes out way too often to successfully have one. Ill definately see if I can get the crab. Thank you
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
The bubble algae is a macroalgae and not a sign of bad water quality. As long as you harvest the bubble algae out so it doesn't overgrow the corals, it is good to keep the water quality pristine and it will out complete the hair algae and keep it in check as well. If you pluck the bubbles while they are still hard little balls thay are not easy to pop and spread and In fact if you remove the bubble algae before it is mature you can eradicate it from the tank. The crabs wait for the bubble to weaken and be easy to feed on...spreading the spores. The bubble algae feels like plastic at the early unspreadable stage.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Actually Valonia ventricosa or the largest of the bubble algaes is a single celled organism... technically a macroalgae because of it's size, but is actually a large single celled nuisance algae. More reading if you want: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valonia_ventricosa
Even hair algae is macroalgae - is that a good thing?
There are more than one type of bubble algae - and determining what type of bubble algae sometimes helps. Here's some light reading if you want to know more about it. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcj/feature/index.php
Upflow or underwater algae scrubbers are a great way to add a scrubber to any tank under almost any condition. Best of all, if the power goes out, you don't need to worry - it's already submersed.
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member
The bubble algae is a macroalgae and not a sign of bad water quality. As long as you harvest the bubble algae out so it doesn't overgrow the corals, it is good to keep the water quality pristine and it will out complete the hair algae and keep it in check as well. If you pluck the bubbles while they are still hard little balls thay are not easy to pop and spread and In fact if you remove the bubble algae before it is mature you can eradicate it from the tank. The crabs wait for the bubble to weaken and be easy to feed on...spreading the spores. The bubble algae feels like plastic at the early unspreadable stage.
How are you doing Flower?
I believe as you do that manual removal of bubble algae will work over time, the younger the better. Of course it is very subjective and as I progress, I have days that I feel headway is being made and days I am not sure. What is your experience?
For clarity I have added Algaefix to my regiment and like I was saying, with manual removal I feel like good headway is being made.
My process started on mothers day, so it's been 5 weeks.
 
kilofey

kilofey

Member
Now days thats no excuse with an underwater algae scrubber. :)
...you have my attention :)
I really dont know much about scrubbers, how they work, what kinds ect. But it sounds like an under water one would be a good way to go as long as I dont need any kind of lighting for it cause of the power outages. I also have very little space in my sump, I suppose I could make a little room if I remove my bio balls (i know the controversy on them, just havent gotten around to phasing them out). The way my sump is set up though, the sound of water dropping 2 feet would be super loud and it would drop directly where the scrubber would go... Soooo.... Or does it go in the dt?
Edit: actually, its not bubble algae, it was just air bubbles trapped under the hair algae from when my pump sucked air the other day. The bubbles floated right up when I tried to grab them, sooo.... At least ive only got hair algae and not both I suppose
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kilofey http:///t/391956/small-ammount-of-hair-algae-and-bubble-algae-should-i-just-learn-to-like-it#post_3478478
...you have my attention :)
I really dont know much about scrubbers, how they work, what kinds ect. But it sounds like an under water one would be a good way to go as long as I dont need any kind of lighting for it cause of the power outages. I also have very little space in my sump, I suppose I could make a little room if I remove my bio balls (i know the controversy on them, just havent gotten around to phasing them out). The way my sump is set up though, the sound of water dropping 2 feet would be super loud and it would drop directly where the scrubber would go... Soooo.... Or does it go in the dt?
Edit: actually, its not bubble algae, it was just air bubbles trapped under the hair algae from when my pump sucked air the other day. The bubbles floated right up when I tried to grab them, sooo.... At least ive only got hair algae and not both I suppose
Green hair algae with bubbles usually means you have donoflagellates...
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Post a pic and we can tell you more....
Dinoflagellates are long brown strings that usually have bubbles trapped in them. There are two types, photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic. They are very hard to rid your tank of.
 
kilofey

kilofey

Member
Post a pic and we can tell you more.... 
Dinoflagellates are long brown strings that usually have bubbles trapped in them. There are two types, photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic. They are very hard to rid your tank of.
Ill keep trying, but my computer is having a blond moment. It is short right now, looks like fluff or fuzz. Has bubbles trapped in it, and is not bright green. Are there any other types that fit the discription?
 
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