Coral reefer
Past President
I imagine you've heard of the siphon into a filter sock in your sump move? Easier than water changes, that way you can do more frequent than monthly removal
Bubble algae- losing the war....
- Thread starter CookieJar
- Start date
fingerwrinkles
Guest
Bill, sounds good, just lmk on the foxface.
BTW the siphoning into the sump with a filter sock is a slick idea, but I've heard that if you pop them while cleaning then the insides contain "spores" that go on to create new ones (kinda like the evil fire creatures from the old Justice League Sat AM cartoons
). Not sure if this is true, so I've always siphoned them into a bucket which necessitates a water change at the same time.
BTW the siphoning into the sump with a filter sock is a slick idea, but I've heard that if you pop them while cleaning then the insides contain "spores" that go on to create new ones (kinda like the evil fire creatures from the old Justice League Sat AM cartoons
). Not sure if this is true, so I've always siphoned them into a bucket which necessitates a water change at the same time.
rygh
Guest
I have a ton of purple bubble algae as well.
Tried the same things, with little luck.
My latest approach did seem to be working though. While it is far from gone, it is not growing as rampantly.
The key issues I believe are lighting and nitrates.
BTW: Nitrate testing will not help. You will probably test out at 0 like me. The bubble algae is eating it.
Step 1: Stronger light, with less yellow and red in it.
Changing the bulbs led to an immediate reduction.
An experiment with fairly warm colored LEDs unfortunately increased it.
Most of mine is now at the bottom or semi-shaded areas.
Step 2: Consider an algae turf scrubber.
Basically, you deliberately grow green algae on an easily removable screen, and scrape it
off every week. They are great at nitrate removal.
Unfortunately, they are DIY, and have to be really well built to out-compete bubble.
But it is probably the only "filter" that will starve it out.
Alternative: Consider living with it.
It is really rather pretty unless it completely takes over. And it does add diversity and extra food.
Tried the same things, with little luck.
My latest approach did seem to be working though. While it is far from gone, it is not growing as rampantly.
The key issues I believe are lighting and nitrates.
BTW: Nitrate testing will not help. You will probably test out at 0 like me. The bubble algae is eating it.
Step 1: Stronger light, with less yellow and red in it.
Changing the bulbs led to an immediate reduction.
An experiment with fairly warm colored LEDs unfortunately increased it.
Most of mine is now at the bottom or semi-shaded areas.
Step 2: Consider an algae turf scrubber.
Basically, you deliberately grow green algae on an easily removable screen, and scrape it
off every week. They are great at nitrate removal.
Unfortunately, they are DIY, and have to be really well built to out-compete bubble.
But it is probably the only "filter" that will starve it out.
Alternative: Consider living with it.
It is really rather pretty unless it completely takes over. And it does add diversity and extra food.
CookieJar
Guest
Thanks all for the input. Last night I siphoned out 1/3 of the rocks w/ bubbles, using the filter sock method. I'll do the remaining tank over the next week or so. Neither tangs or my small foxface has touched the bubbles, even when I rubberbanded a popped bubble to the nori that they devour. They left the bubble algae alone and only ate nori. :~ Depending on how much I can rid of it over the next couple weeks I'll consider adding a bubble eating foxface like Robin mentioned.
nanocube-guy
Guest
I hate bubble algae too. I have some in my tank, but it stay in one place and doesn't grow anywhere else. I just leave it the for my blue legs to grace on. It's weird though, it only grow in one place.
Coral reefer
Past President
Good luck! Hope the tide can be turned in your war
