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Bubble Algae

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MonkeyReefer

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How do you all manage bubble algae? I had two emerald crabs in 34 g display tank that kept it at bay but I think lack of BA got them to nibble on some corals. I rehomed them but now BA is back with vengeance, like super tiny ones EVERYWHERE. I’m reluctant to use vibrant (the nutrient balance I have right now I do not want to mess with) and manual removal seems like hours of work that I don’t have... BAR please I need some insight before BA takes over!!! (I did get a smaller emerald crab yesterday which seems to be eating BA, hoping this one won’t nibble on my corals...)

RSR170
ALK 8.5-9.0
NO3 3-5ppm
PO4 0.03-0.08ppm
Skimmer 24/7
Refugium with Chaeto 7hrs on 4 days a week
15% WC every 2 weeks

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IME, bubble algae is one of those things that does well even in a lower nutrient, well established tank once it sets in. I had it so bad once that it would clog my filter intake almost nightly. Small emerald crabs help a little, but I ended up using vibrant, and it seemed to work. Took a couple of weeks, but I didn’t know what else to do. I don’t recall anything in the tank not liking it, but I don’t have a fuge to think about.

Edit - I think tuxedo or pincushion urchins will eat it too.
 
Corallus said:
IME, bubble algae is one of those things that does well even in a lower nutrient, well established tank once it sets in. I had it so bad once that it would clog my filter intake almost nightly. Small emerald crabs help a little, but I ended up using vibrant, and it seemed to work. Took a couple of weeks, but I didn’t know what else to do. I don’t recall anything in the tank not liking it, but I don’t have a fuge to think about.

Edit - I think tuxedo or pincushion urchins will eat it too.
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Thanks I’ll look into those urchins
 
Coral2Coral said:
What tang(s) you use that eats bubble algae? Thanks.
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My desjardini would eat bubble algae when I had one. Not sure about any of the others. Emerald crabs are the usual go-to and I’ll be adding some eventually. They occasionally develop a taste for other things, but that isn’t a frequent issue. Urchins eat all sorts of algae (tuxedo, rock boring, pincushion, whatever). They even leave bare white stripes through coralline. They’ll also move your frags, so glue them down very well.
I suspect the mythrax (emerald unless you find a red one, but they’re equivalent) crabs can get into the smallest spaces.
 
Unfortunately, my options are pretty limited here! Can’t have crabs cause they pick on things, urchins will leave teeth marks on the acrylic panels. And are not at the point of trying vibrant yet, just have some popping up here and there.
 
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