High Tide Aquatics

Massive bubble algae bloom (solutions?)

L

L/B Block

Supporting Member
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Ok -bubble algae has taken over in droves -initially I was trying to manually remove it but it was a futile effort.

Anyone had success treating this successfully by biological/chemical means (ie vibrant?)

Also note that my po4 and no3 went through the roof (po4 at 1.5 -not a typo!) and I have been using Red Sea nopox getting it back down- hopefully if I get po4 back down to .04 and nitrates<10 it will help somewhat but my understanding is even then it can still thrive..

My tank is too small (DT is 54 gallons) for a desjardin tang which worked wonders on the last tank. And no emerald crabs!
 
L/B Block said:
And no emerald crabs!
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Have you had a bad experience with an emerald crab in the past? I stayed away from them for 20 years and just recently got my first one. It ate the bubble algae quickly. I now feed it 2 square inches of nori at least 4 days a week (I have no clue if that is enough or excessive). Because I feed it in the same spot each time, I feel fairly confident I could catch it and remove, if I ever see it eating coral.
 
Patio said:
Have you had a bad experience with an emerald crab in the past? I stayed away from them for 20 years and just recently got my first one. It ate the bubble algae quickly. I now feed it 2 square inches of nori at least 4 days a week (I have no clue if that is enough or excessive). Because I feed it in the same spot each time, I feel fairly confident I could catch it and remove, if I ever see it eating coral.
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Just the reputation of them eating coral. Also sometimes they are interested supposedly-
But I’d be interested in others experience with them.
 
I love my emerald crabs. Feed the tank more and they shouldn't eat the coral. Especially if there is bubble algae to eat.

Emerald crabs or a baby rabbitfish would be my suggestions. Only issue with the baby rabbitfish is they grow to adult rabbitfish and need a larger tank. The crabs stay the right size. I haven't heard of lawnmower blennies eating bubble algae specifically, but they may be worth a shot too and stay small.
 
H2OPlayar said:
I love my emerald crabs. Feed the tank more and they shouldn't eat the coral. Especially if there is bubble algae to eat.

Emerald crabs or a baby rabbitfish would be my suggestions. Only issue with the baby rabbitfish is they grow to adult rabbitfish and need a larger tank. The crabs stay the right size. I haven't heard of lawnmower blennies eating bubble algae specifically, but they may be worth a shot too and stay small.
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I have two blennies-they do not touch.
Our last rabbit fish did nothing in terms of managing bubble algae.

So one or two crabs for a 60 gallon tank.
 
I just started a treatment for bad bubble algae after I went fallow... 4X dos of fluconazole for 4 weeks... no WC, no carbon, no skimmer, etc. 48 hours in and the bubbles have already started turning white and falling off. YMMV

You can use vibrant but is you have SPS, there have been cases where vibrant takes out the SPS.
 
NanoCrazed said:
I just started a treatment for bad bubble algae after I went fallow... 4X dos of fluconazole for 4 weeks... no WC, no carbon, no skimmer, etc. 48 hours in and the bubbles have already started turning white and falling off. YMMV

You can use vibrant but is you have SPS, there have been cases where vibrant takes out the SPS.
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Good to know about vibrant -may go the crab route-
 
Emerald crabs some are model citizens some are not!! I've had both one took a fancy nipping off hammer tentacles even though plenty of food who soon was banished to the sump..another loved my stomatellas lol just watch and observe also have plenty of food floating around beforehand if you target feed corals..Like stated above full happy crab.. can work but not guaranteed...with larger systems and established colonies of coral it can be unknowtistable but a trade off ..depending on growth factors give or take..
 
Thanks. I’ll get the doggie cam (new dog) and the fish cam up at work. Then it will make sure I get nothing done!
But all seriousness -thanks for the tip. I have had other citizens who have and have not lived up to their “reputations”

-for a heavy infested 60 gallon tank with bubble algae how many should I get?
 
I've heard rumblings that female emerald crabs are less destructive. Plus I just wanted to use this picture with terrible PowerPoint drop shadow text. I think the abdominal flap is called a Pleon.
Wider+abdomen+is+female.jpg
 
Went with pincushion urchin today. Although so far -he is not doing much -but I will check out this reefcleaners website

@Kensington Reefer -tank too small for a rabbit fish. Plus the last one I had couldn’t have bothered in the last tank. If I had space I’d get another desjardin tang-that did the trick and was a really pretty fish.
 
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