Tons and Tons and Tons of Micro Bubbles

[pooh1989]

Ok, I've had my tank for almost a year. It was a set up that I bought that had been up for almost 3 years before I got it. We moved all the water and everything so it's been up for awhile.

Lately I've had tons of micro bubbles all over. They have covered the sand, the rocks the maxi jets all over. I swish my hand over the rock and such and they go, but they are back within and hour or so. I have a great clean up crew, lots of hermits and snails. All kinds.

What could be causing this problem? I have 2 maxi jets in the tank and a very small hang on back filter that I run carbon and nothing else in. The tank is a 40 gallon breeder with about 50 or so pounds of rock. (I haven't really keep count of how many pounds I've bought, there wasn't but 3 rocks in the tank when I got it.)

Any ideas?

Thanks for any help you can pass on.

~~Ange

[Gundo5000]

A pic would be helpful.

My guess is that they're generated from your HOB filter.

[zoomfish1]

Either the filter or the beginnings of an algea outbreak. It seems I get tiny bubbles all over the rock just before hair algea starts to appear. Glad that hasn't happened in a while.

[pooh1989]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v490/pooh1989/02-11-07_1818.jpg

Ok this is the worst picture I have ever taken, but I can't find my other camera and all I had handy was the cell phone. This is on the bottom of the tank. I've had a major problem with alge lately as I just got new light bulbs and they must be a bit stronger than the old ones.

Just wondering if this is something I really need to worry about or if it's just ugly.

~~Ange

[zoomfish1]

Looks like algea to me. I keep mine brushed off the rock and let the overflow and skimmer pick up what it can. Watch overfeedings, reduce the light cycle, put a phos pad of some type in and it will eventually subside.

If you don't have a pretty good clean-up crew, now would be the time, IMO.

[pooh1989]

Ok thanks much.

I have a great crew. Think I'm more interested in the clean up crew than anything. Will shorten my light cycle tomorrow since the lights are about to go off.

Thanks for the help. I will look for a phos pad tomorrow when I go shopping. Can you give me some sort of idea what it is so I don't look dumb in person. It's ok to look dumb on the computer :)

~~Ange

[zoomfish1]

with a dumb look on my face, I answer. Just kidding. There are a lot of brands out there, Phoszorb, Rowaphos, some come in a pad that you put in the sump or filter, some are a powder form you put in a media bag, just ask where they keep their phosphate removers. That wouldn't sound dumb, would it?

[pooh1989]

Nope. :)

I hate looking for something when I have no idea what I'm looking for.

Thanks for the tons of help tonight zoomfish1.

~~Ange