uv sterilizers and bubble algae

wfd1008

wfd1008

Member
so i'm starting to have a bubble algae outbreak. my emerald crabs worked for awhile and either they've become to high society to eat the stuff, or it's growing faster then they can eat. my question is if i got a uv sterilizer, would that kill off the bubble algae spores when they do pop? it's a 46 gal, too small for any tang help. anyone?
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
I doubt it will help much. The jury is still out on how bubble algae spreads, but I believe the spores are released when it's popped, and I'd be willing to bet, the spores of bubble algae are in the water ciolumn not nearly as much as say GHA or diatoms, which seem to spread all over the tank. As where bubble seems to slowly spread in the immediate area.
I've had the luck of never having to deal with bubble algae. The only place I did have some was on my old 29gal, on the inside part of an overflow box, right around the u-tube. That would get me thinking that they'd like strong laminar flow. If you haven't tried it, try rearranging the flow in your tank. If you have to move corals, them too. But try to create a completely different circulation pattern.
Just an idea/theory I have. I had the small 'cluster' type of bubble algae (opposed to the common 'smooth' or 'rough' varieties).
 
afboundguy

afboundguy

Member
Some1 in my local club posted this...
I use a standard 12" length of rigid airline attached to a length of flexible air line to set up a siphon. On the business end of the rigid airline, use a blade to sharpen the tubing to a fine point. Get your siphon going, and then using a quick jabbing motion, pierce the bubble with the point of the rigid airline. The bubble will instantly deflate as the siphon works it's magic inside the bubble. Works like a charm. All that remains is to remove the "skin" and you are done. The key is to get the tube nice and sharp, it should pierce the bubbles with little resistance.
 
afboundguy

afboundguy

Member
using this will help suck out the spores to try to prevent the spores from being spread in the rest of the tank...
 
sly

sly

Active Member
I use UV and no it does not help bubble algae. It prevents disease outbreak but I have still had bubble algae with it. IMO, high phosphates seem to cause it more than anything. Do you have a test kit for phosphates?
 
b0b82

b0b82

Member
phosphates are your problem most likely. I would try to remove the bubbles with out breaking them. If you can then great if not and they burst if you do use an UV that will help but not solve your problem. You need to take away their food. I use to have the same problem and I now use a Berlin system and have never had any unwanted algae in my main tank. I know it is a huge step to go with a refuge with a deep sand bed and micro. But I have been keeping saltwater for a long time. I started back in 1985. In Colorado back then there was nothing. It was all an experiment now live in Boynton Beach Florida and I can get water anytime I want. I do run it through a 25 micron filter and a UV before I add it to any of my aquariums.I hope this will help you with your problem, If not let me know and we can take it from there. Bob
 
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