Bubble Algae Control

[Laser]

I know many people suggest to add Emerald Crabs for bubble algae control but I have had no luck with this in the past. Are there any other methods to try? I am not having luck with manual control and yes I do remove the rocks so that busted bubbles do not release in the tank. Any suggestions?

 

[mo]

Well, same issue here.... Several folks have suggested a scribbled rabbit so i have one ( Thank you Frank and Donnie ) in my QT tank right now and I hope he's hungry!

 

[DaveJ]

Dejardini Tangs or Sohal Tangs. I had a bad Valonia problem about a year ago... the Sohal went in and he wiped it out in the 92G, even taught the Purple Tang in there how to do it and he got the hard to reach spots due to his size, but ended up being removed when he developed a taste for zoanthids and acans. The Dejardini went into the 140 and wiped out a ton of it in less than 2 weeks.

Remember that everything people suggest is not going to be 100% but I would recommend those fish over just about anything else. The foxface is a notorious algae eater, but also have a habit of going after palys and zoanthids. Even the tangs can go after them, but they are less likely. The scribbled is a great looking fish though and worth a shot if you don't have a bunch of zoas or palys to worry about or are willing to test out his behavior

If you get the Dejardini, make sure its the right kind. Places often confuse them for the regular sailfin.

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[rckrzy1]

Killed all mine off by accident. I got my alk to 14 dkh along with high MG 1700 . I tested this again in my qt which had bubble algae and just raising alk to 14 did it in a weeks time.

 

[BigJay]

Just manual removeal here, a handful or so every week. I actually hope the fish don't acquire a taste for it, I have a really nice bubble coral that looks like a big bunch of red/purple bubble algae.

God I hate valonia. I'm thinking of trying the 14DKH thing.

 

[Rick]

I have a Siganus corallinus, the Blue-Spotted Spinefoot he loves bubble algae, he goes after it like popcorn.

For manual removal, I found that taking a section of small rigid plastic pipe, the kind you find on those over the lip filters, such as pictured here. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+3610&pcatid=3610 The down line that sticks down into the water from this type filter. I guess you could find some other type of rigid plastic, I just had one of these laying around. You take about a 4"-6" piece and cut one end at a very sharp angle,(I was able to cut mine with a good pair of scissors) this creates a very sharp point at the end of the tube. You then stick the other end of the rigid plastic pipe just into a piece of 1/2" hose, the 1/2" hose long enough to move anywhere in the tank and get into the sump area of the tank. You can then use just a plastic zip tie pulled tight around the end of the hose to hold the rigid plastic pipe in the end of the hose. Then either while doing a water change or if you choose just creating a siphon and running it back down into the sump.(if you do this run the water into a micron filter bag so you can collect the bubble algae) You then hold onto the end of the hose with the plastic tube, and with the sharp end you go around digging out the bubble algae out of the rock. As it is loosened the siphon will take it down the hose and out of the tank or into the filter sock.

 

[True Perc]

@Rick wrote:

After very similar methods to yours above were suggested to me by at least a couple of different DFWMAS members I used it to get rid of the bubble algae plaguing my sps tank. I just taped the pointy end of a paper clip to the end of some silicon tubing to pop the bubbles and suck out all their juice. Worked great.

Putting in close to 25 emerald crabs never seemed to do much of anything before that...