Bubble algae removal

[Djplus1]

OK, so my 14g Biocube in my sons room is completely over run with bubble algae. Lots of tight clusters that I can "sometimes" pull out together manually, but others just pop and I'm sure just release more spores in, etc. Aside from killing the tank and just scraping and drying out all rock, what can I do?

 

I have added a few emeralds over the last 6 months or so (there MAY be one left as I just pulled a body out last week the day after I saw 2 in there, but haven't seen the other one since). I'm thinking the problem has worsened too. 

 

I have started running a bag of Rowaphos in the media basket. 

 

I have never really over fed this tank, very few animals (I only feed OSI Red Tiny Bits and it goes completely in 30 seconds or less)

 

My test results from 7/13

Nitrite 0

ph 8

Ammonia 0

Nitrate 1

Mg 1320

kh 9.2

Calcium 440

Phosphate .08

Salinity 1.026

 

Congressional Aquarium had these tiny Fox Faces (under 2") I'm considering throwing in and removing when it's done with the bubbles if that will work. 

 

I'm basically interested in a fish or CUC that WILL ABSOLUTELY take care of this problem as emerald crabs and manual removal does nothing at this point.

 

 

[surf&turf]

My foxface eats it.

[zygote2k]

Youre gonna put a Foxface or more than 2 emeralds in a 14g tank? Thats not the answer to this problem simply because its not fair to the animals in question.

The easiest solution is to do a manual removal by scrubbing all of the bubbles off with a brush.

[Orion]

Tweezers and/or a brush will remove them. Just suck them up with a turkey baster as you go along. I do this every so often in my 30 gallon.

 

Adding livestock won't completely remove the algae, and besides your tank is too small. Any phosphate controlling media bags don't seem to do the trick either.

 

[onux20]

Experience says there are no absolutes in this hobby.

 

My foxfaces NEVER ate the bubbles nor did the emeralds...or at least never ate enough to notice a difference. 

 

I have to agree with Rob.  Manual removal is the best course of action.  Ultimately you need to figure out where the excess nutrients are coming from and limit that. 

 

What do you have a for a CUC now?  Skimmer?  What kind of water?  When was the last time your changed filters?

 

Maybe add some hermits to get any food that settles in your rock.  With such a small volume just a few pieces of food left uneaten may be the cause.

 

Try the manual removal right before a water change. Scoop out any free floating bubbles.  The water change will reduce the spores in the water column.  Do that for a few weeks and see if it helps.

 

GL

Edited July 18, 2013 by onux20

[Djplus1]

Youre gonna put a Foxface or more than 2 emeralds in a 14g tank? Thats not the answer to this problem simply because its not fair to the animals in question.

The easiest solution is to do a manual removal by scrubbing all of the bubbles off with a brush.

Seriously, though. What's the difference if the fish is in a 14 gallon tank for a month? You act like yo have a 30000 gallon tank. Dont tell me you're fish are happy, cause you're giving them 4ft or 6ft of swimming room. I'm sure they would all rather be in the ocean.

Besides, most fish are sitting in 10 gallon or 20 gallon tanks for who knows how long in the lfs before we grace them with our 75, 90 or 180 gallon freedom boxes.

Experience says there are no absolutes in this hobby.

 

My foxfaces NEVER ate the bubbles nor did the emeralds...or at least never ate enough to notice a difference. 

 

I have to agree with Rob.  Manual removal is the best course of action.  Ultimately you need to figure out where the excess nutrients are coming from and limit that. 

 

What do you have a for a CUC now?  Skimmer?  What kind of water?  When was the last time your changed filters?

 

Maybe add some hermits to get any food that settles in your rock.  With such a small volume just a few pieces of food left uneaten may be the cause.

 

Try the manual removal right before a water change. Scoop out any free floating bubbles.  The water change will reduce the spores in the water column.  Do that for a few weeks and see if it helps.

 

GL

I have probably a mix of 30-40 hermits and snails, MAYBE one emerald crab and one peppermint shrimp. No skimmer as its a biocube, in tank media basket with chaeto, rowaphos and Rox .8.

 

I change 3-5 gallons weekly and manually remove pretty much all visual clusters, but pop soooooo many in the process I fear I'm making it worse.

[onux20]

Maybe check your makeup water and filters.  Any chance your son is feeding also?

[jaddc]

Great video for you.

 

http://www.mrsaltwatertank.com/4-ways-to-remove-bubble-algae-from-your-tank/

[ohaverd]

I took my fish out of my DT for  8 weeks to get rid of ich.  After 8 weeks my DT was completely overrun with bubble algae.  My guess is that my 5" foxface was keeping it in check before.   However, he didnt go back into my main display because he had a problem with pruning my colt coral (which is now turned into about 20 colt corals thanks to him).  I put 2 emerald crabs in and they immediately started eating the bubble algae.  Its only been a week, but they have gotten about half of the tank done so far.  This is on a 110 deep dimension.

[Djplus1]

Maybe check your makeup water and filters.  Any chance your son is feeding also?

No, my son turned for last month 4 and doesn't know where the food is.

[Origami]

I think that I've read that the presence of spores in bubble algae aren't really an issue until after the bubble becomes fairly large (mature). So manual removal may actually be your best, most effective control.

 

Ah, here's the article. I hope it helps.

 

You can always run a small siphon nearby or use a turkey baster to vacuum up anything that might be inside if you want the extra protection.

[Djplus1]

I think that I've read that the presence of spores in bubble algae aren't really an issue until after the bubble becomes fairly large (mature). So manual removal may actually be your best, most effective control.

 

Ah, here's the article. I hope it helps.

 

You can always run a small siphon nearby or use a turkey baster to vacuum up anything that might be inside if you want the extra protection.

I see soooo many new clusters though after I manually remove each week. It reminds me of poison ivy the way it bubbles up in a tight cluster after I "scratch" my rocks. Is it possible to completely eradicate or am I basically stuck with it until I trash the tank?

[Origami]

I see soooo many new clusters though after I manually remove each week. It reminds me of poison ivy the way it bubbles up in a tight cluster after I "scratch" my rocks. Is it possible to completely eradicate or am I basically stuck with it until I trash the tank?

It is tough to eradicate if the rock is in the tank. The toughest part to me is getting it all out because there's always the one that's hiding where you can't see it. (Maybe even where a foxface, if you're lucky enough to find one that eats it, can't get to it.) It could be in the overflow, in the sump, in a hole in a rock.

 

Take heart in the fact that people have overcome it. You can, too.

 

In the article, the author said that he used a sharpened screwdriver to get under and dislodge the whole vessicle (bubble) and sucked it up. Maybe that's what you need to do?

[YHSublime]

I've just kept pulling it out. People say its gotten better, but I feel like it is never fully going to disappear. I think mine came into my tank via rock from Craigslist. I'm going to try emeralds one of these days

[Djplus1]

I've just kept pulling it out. People say its gotten better, but I feel like it is never fully going to disappear. I think mine came into my tank via rock from Craigslist. I'm going to try emeralds one of these days

If your problem is anything like mine, don't bother. I dropped two in at the same time a month ago or so. As soon as I dropped them in, they started going to work, very  pleased. Then I hardly ever saw them again, they certainly didn't put much of a dent in my issue if at all. Maybe if you get like 10 of them, but that's almost $100 or two foxfaces.

[Orion]

Resurrecting this thread.

 

Did you ever defeat your bubble algae issue?

 

While I can't see much of it growing in the front of my tank on the rock I can certainly see it behind and underneath it - a lot of it! I have two emerald crabs, and they don't eat it. My tank isn't big enough for a foxface, and the rock is covered with coral making it hard to remove.

[Djplus1]

I used a combination of a Blue Tuxedo urchin (still in tank) and a small one spot foxface (re-homed to AlanM) once the issue was under control.

 

I haven't had the foxface in the tank for many months now, but I would say that the combination resulted in a net reduction of bubble algae by about 95-98%. There are still a few stray bubbles, but I can probably count under 20 total vs the thousands that were in clusters all over the place.

 

The tank looks MUCH better now (bubble algae wise at least).

[YHSublime]

After seeing that I commented in this thread, I tried 3 emerald crabs. They did an AMAZING job in my 150. Then I saw them perching on my acros, and otherwise seemingly eating things I didn't care for them to be eating, and I put them in the sump. My bubble algae came back in full swing recently, and I went to pull them out of my sump. Only thing left was a dead gorilla crab, no sign of the 3 emeralds. So I bought 3 more, hope to see it "go away" again.

[Orion]

I used a combination of a Blue Tuxedo urchin (still in tank) and a small one spot foxface (re-homed to AlanM) once the issue was under control.

 

I haven't had the foxface in the tank for many months now, but I would say that the combination resulted in a net reduction of bubble algae by about 95-98%. There are still a few stray bubbles, but I can probably count under 20 total vs the thousands that were in clusters all over the place.

 

The tank looks MUCH better now (bubble algae wise at least).

 

Didn't know Blue Tuxedo's kept it under control too.  I may have to try the foxface as I am looking to add some new fish soon.  I know it can't stay in my tank forever, so ill have to re-home it down the road.

 

 

After seeing that I commented in this thread, I tried 3 emerald crabs. They did an AMAZING job in my 150. Then I saw them perching on my acros, and otherwise seemingly eating things I didn't care for them to be eating, and I put them in the sump. My bubble algae came back in full swing recently, and I went to pull them out of my sump. Only thing left was a dead gorilla crab, no sign of the 3 emeralds. So I bought 3 more, hope to see it "go away" again.

 

They are so hit or miss.  I have tried 3 or 4 emeralds and none of them have ever eaten BA in my tank.  What really bothers me is that I can't reach in any of the spots where the algae is really starting to get out of hand.  So it looks like ill need the help of a foxface.

[Djplus1]

Just to note, I got a TINY foxface from Quantum, having already made an agreement on the new home for the fish. I kept it (quarantined for Alan sort of) for maybe 6-8 weeks in my bubble algae tank.

 

What I'm trying to say, I guess is that you SHOULD see noticeable results within that time frame. 

[Orion]

Just to note, I got a TINY foxface from Quantum, having already made an agreement on the new home for the fish. I kept it (quarantined for Alan sort of) for maybe 6-8 weeks in my bubble algae tank.

 

What I'm trying to say, I guess is that you SHOULD see noticeable results within that time frame.

I hope so.

 

I would first be quarantining it myself in a 20L with little or no algae for a few weeks. I wonder if I can feed it mostly bubble algae from the DT as a diet?