Bubble Algea
- Thread starter AllysonP
- Start date
I've been slowly winning the fight (I think) with my bubble algea. Basically I turn off everything...returns and circulation pumps.
When the water is not moving the suction from your water change gets what would normally spread. Atleast most of it...I've also been doing some reading, but what I read is that they don't create the spores or whatever you want to call them till they get larger, don't know if that is true.
When the water is not moving the suction from your water change gets what would normally spread. Atleast most of it...I've also been doing some reading, but what I read is that they don't create the spores or whatever you want to call them till they get larger, don't know if that is true.
When I had it in the past, I took out the rocks it was on, chipped off the small bit where it was, then rinsed the crap outta the rock to get rid of spores, and put it back in the tank. Then got emeralds to get the stuff I couldn't get to. Emeralds are touchy critters, tho. Maybe dose a bit of iodine to keep them happy?
emeralds are the only thing that worked for me. they are touchy though. i went through a bunch of them. the last batch i got from ambrosio were/are really healthy. i have gotten them from other sources and had the similar 1 week lifespan. the ones i got from nick were pretty big and they have been molting in my tank. there may also be something to cindy's iodine suggestion. i have been dosing lugols for other reasons since i got my current really healthy groups of emeralds.
Order some emeralds from Reeftopia. They are always super healthy and the best variety from the keys. If you get them elsewhere, they might have been in holding tanks for who-knows-how-long and starving the whole time.
Not all caribbean stuff is created equal... the stuff from the Keys that is directly from the diver is typically the best.
This same thing goes for peppermint shrimp too.
Not all caribbean stuff is created equal... the stuff from the Keys that is directly from the diver is typically the best.
This same thing goes for peppermint shrimp too.
Dosing with anything that you can't test for is touchy stuff, of course, but I have noticed that my shrimps almost always molt and grow within a day or two of me dosing a tiny bit of iodine into the tank. I do it rarely, to be sure I don't overdose. I don't have emeralds in my tank now, but when I did they seemed happy and healthy when I was doing this. It's far from scientific, so it definitely falls into the FWIW category, but I thought it might be worth mentioning if it could help. I know how frustrated I got with bubble algae, and how nervous I was about trying to eliminate it via siphoning in the tank.
I would do this....
1. Get 10 straws from McDonalds and stick them all together making on big straw
2. Open up a metal clothes hanger so it has a pointed end
3. Stick straw in your mouth and hold near bubble algae
4. poke, prod, and scrape the bubble algaes loose
5. Start sucking on straw to catch the bubble as the fall off and break loose
6. Pinch end of straw as bubbles get close to your mouth, to prevent ingestion
7. Spit out any saltwater in order to prevent bad breath
8. Rinse and Repeat
9. Wallah!!!!! Bubble Algae Solved
* Do not, repeat do not ingest bubble algae. Call 911 if ingested and rush yourself to nearest hospital!
1. Get 10 straws from McDonalds and stick them all together making on big straw
2. Open up a metal clothes hanger so it has a pointed end
3. Stick straw in your mouth and hold near bubble algae
4. poke, prod, and scrape the bubble algaes loose
5. Start sucking on straw to catch the bubble as the fall off and break loose
6. Pinch end of straw as bubbles get close to your mouth, to prevent ingestion
7. Spit out any saltwater in order to prevent bad breath
8. Rinse and Repeat
9. Wallah!!!!! Bubble Algae Solved
* Do not, repeat do not ingest bubble algae. Call 911 if ingested and rush yourself to nearest hospital!
Lol Chad...
The other thing I've done is used airline tubing to siphon out the bubble algae. I used a rubber band to attach the tubing to a acrylic rod, and glued the blade from an exacto knife between the two so that the point was exposed. Made it fairly easy to scrape at the algae, and the slow siphon let me go at it for a while without doing a huge water change.
Extremely tedious, and a PITA when the line clogs with sand...but it does work.
The other thing I've done is used airline tubing to siphon out the bubble algae. I used a rubber band to attach the tubing to a acrylic rod, and glued the blade from an exacto knife between the two so that the point was exposed. Made it fairly easy to scrape at the algae, and the slow siphon let me go at it for a while without doing a huge water change.
Extremely tedious, and a PITA when the line clogs with sand...but it does work.
+1 i created a siphon with the airline tube...since my tank is super small I just use my pick set to scrape the bubbles off the rock. I might try and get a hangar like Chad said though, i find i pop the bubbles w/ the points of the pick. Hangar will let me shape the end and it will be blunt.
I did find that rubber banding the hose to the tool helped...was a pita trying to keep 2 hands 1 to guide the hose and one for the scraping, I'm definately not ambidexterous.