Huge bubble algae problem

[Shawcabelguy]

Hey everyone I've got a big bubble algae problem and I'm not sure what to do anymore I tried low nutrients, I dose bacteria every weekend and still nothing my hair algae seems to be gone but does nothing for the bubbles and they spread like crazy....

Im wondering if there's any point in not trying vibrant at this point almost making me wanna shut down my tank because there such an eyesore.

Anyone have a step by step game plan I could follow or should I just buy vibrant and hope my tank doesn't crash


I'll do some testing tonight and upload the results shortly

 

[blaxsun]

Yep, that's a lot of bubble algae. Have you tried popping and manually scrubbing off as much as you can by hand?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

What size tank? If there's room for a foxface, I'd suggest adding one.

 

[AZReef13]

I fought bubble algae, took a hard tube angled it and would scrape off rocks during water changes or into filter sock into sump or buck then add water back, I also would add Phyto and pods regularly. it took time but eventually I was able to win.

 

[Lavey29]

Are you getting your hands wet daily?

 

[Reefbuds]

Curious to see how this one goes. I really want to say emerald crabs but I’m not sure if they really do in fact eat bubble algae. I think it’s hit or miss with them for some reason

 

[CasperOe]

Yeah a fox face would definetly help you out with this! My emerald crabs seems to be loving it as well - do you have any of them? When I ran out in the display, i popped them in the fuge.

Alternatively, manual removing to stay on top of it.

 

[Spare time]

Curious to see how this one goes. I really want to say emerald crabs but I’m not sure if they really do in fact eat bubble algae. I think it’s hit or miss with them for some reason

They do but they may eat leftover foods instead sometimes

 

[Twocorns]

I have the same exact issue. Emeralds don't touch the stuff. Following for a solution!

 

[Lavey29]

Pithos crabs are the real deal for bubble algae

 

[Reefbuds]

No new suggestions I see bump

 

[CoralB]

Hey everyone I've got a big bubble algae problem and I'm not sure what to do anymore I tried low nutrients, I dose bacteria every weekend and still nothing my hair algae seems to be gone but does nothing for the bubbles and they spread like crazy....

Im wondering if there's any point in not trying vibrant at this point almost making me wanna shut down my tank because there such an eyesore.

Anyone have a step by step game plan I could follow or should I just buy vibrant and hope my tank doesn't crash


I'll do some testing tonight and upload the results shortly

A foxface rabbit fish will eat them and make them more manageable to where if any are left they will be in crevices that the fox face couldn’t get to . One the fox face makes short work of it then yes it will also eat food that you put in the tank . Imo they are pigs and will eat all day so after to food you feed the tank is gone he will go back to eating the bubble . Good luck

 

[spsick]

Fish of Hex makes a cool bubble algae tool that has helped me stay ahead of a similar plague amount of it but if I get lazy and go a month it all comes back. I haven’t tried pithos crabs but for me all crabs get lazy and just wait for fish food scraps.

Manual removal also helps foxfaces or purple tangs to get in there and chow down on all the loose tissue that remains.

 

[Shawcabelguy]

I'm gonna get a foxface and I have an emerald but I feel like I'd need 20 of them to get any work done as I've never seen him again in a month or more

 

[spsick]

Yeah for sure you need a ton of them. No fun to drop a couple hundred bucks on crabs…

 

[pochaxoo]

I bought like 4 emerald crabs and i think there may be one left. My foxface has no interest in the bubble algae. Maybe when you quarantine use this as the food for him to give him a taste for it. I did quite a bit of manual removal and due to amount of rock work I had and the impossible task of further removal I stopped.

I would recommend having patience and NOT going to drastic measures quickly. Even though it is booming now there will be other things that out compete later. Just like a early tank hair algae bloom this too will pass. Keep on working on the usual tank stability and the corals will overtake the real estate these bubble algae are using. it will be just another step in your tank evolution

 

[UMALUM]

 

[tuba_mike]

Hey everyone I've got a big bubble algae problem and I'm not sure what to do anymore I tried low nutrients, I dose bacteria every weekend and still nothing my hair algae seems to be gone but does nothing for the bubbles and they spread like crazy....

Im wondering if there's any point in not trying vibrant at this point almost making me wanna shut down my tank because there such an eyesore.

Anyone have a step by step game plan I could follow or should I just buy vibrant and hope my tank doesn't crash


I'll do some testing tonight and upload the results shortly

Anecdotal evidence alert: I just recently finished a dose of a product and it appears that most of my bubble algae is gone. Ask me in a month though what it looks like…send me a message if you want the name of the product.

Manual removal is the safest bet and maybe not the answer you wanted but it works.

I wouldn’t get more animals to attempt to take care of it.

Hope that helps.

 

[Kasrift]

 

[JoJosReef]

Flux Rx (fluconazole). If you can't manage it manually or with crabs/fish, this is the surest bet. It's not a general purpose algecide like Vibrant aka Algaefix aka... well, I don't remember the chemical name. It is a fungicide that works against cell wall formation, which micro and macro algae have, but corals, nems, fish, etc (i.e., animals) do not (we only have cell membranes, not cell walls).

Dose it at 4x the recommended concentration for Bryopsis. Remvove carbon, turn off skimmer. Add air stone. Stop water changes. Wait 3 weeks and yhe Valonia will START to go pale and disappear. Do a water change and replace Flux with the amount removed during water change. Wait three more weeks, and then you should be able to water change, add carbon again and run your skimmer.

Tips for success: keep all the bubble algae in good light since it works best under heavy light. Feel free to do manual removal during treatment, should help. Be patient and adjust tank conditions as needed, i.e. reduce feeding of necessary, add helpful bacteria like PNS Probio, mostly just be patient.

Note: naturally, monitor your tank to make sure nothing bad happens and be ready with saltwater for water changes if needed. I had no ill effects on my corals/nems. My macroalgae was toast, but everything else was unaffected with the exception of a monti and an RFA that changed colors a bit.