Bubble algae = no SPS???

[Kaos]

I'm getting ready to make the leap from Zoo's and LPS to SPS, but I have a question. I know SPS have to have near perfect water param's and a mature tank. Well, my tank has been very stable since the begining and it's almost a year old. All of my param's are perfect (except cal/alk which is slightly low/high but I'm using Salifert and they have been in question as to accuracy). The only question I have is I'm in the middle of a bubble algae bloom but my PO4 is reading 0 (Salifert). Everything in my tank is really healthy and growing like mad.

So am I ready to take the leap? If not why and what needs to be done? I'm starting w/ easy SPS first. TIA.

[Craig Lambert]

PO4 test kits aren't all that useful. Most only test for inorganic phosphates and not organic. An easy way to know if you have phosphates is how often you need to clean the glass. If it's every day or every other day, you have high phosphates. Unfortunately bubble algae doesn't need alot of nutrients to survive. As to your parameters, the three you need to track are Alk, Calcium, and magnesium. Those are what truly matter in an sps tank. A,N,N are a given.

[Kaos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11235269#post11235269 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Craig Lambert
PO4 test kits aren't all that useful. Most only test for inorganic phosphates and not organic. An easy way to know if you have phosphates is how often you need to clean the glass. If it's every day or every other day, you have high phosphates. Unfortunately bubble algae doesn't need alot of nutrients to survive. As to your parameters, the three you need to track are Alk, Calcium, and magnesium. Those are what truly matter in an sps tank. A,N,N are a given.

Thanks for the advise. I guess I'm fine on the PO4 because I only clean my glass once every 2 weeks (and it's not algae I'm trying to get off).

[bgcook]

that is interesting about how to judge po4 by how often you clean the glass. my phosphates are always zero and i use a phosphate reactor with iron hydroxide media. does this media remove all forms of phospate?? i have to clean my glass about every 4-5 days.

[dendro982]

I have bubble aldae, growing right on the magnetic mount of the sps coral :D
Have birdsnest, stylopora, pocillopora, porites, big pavona, monties and something big and flat - no problems, as long as I have MH and relatively clean water. Phosphate remover is in the sump all the time.

If you really like sps - go for them. They are hardy, grow well, and have better color under MH light.

[conorwynne]

Maybe when disolved organics are high, then you get more algae on glass? Dunno, this is a guestimate.

Since I currently don't feed my tank (no need as no fish, well...)
I only have to clean the glass of coraline, and maybe every three weeks I clean the glass. The snails look after that to be honest.

When the tank was well stocked, I had to clean every single day.
I like having no fish to be quite honest, it makes life much easier with SPS!

My skimmer is rubbish you see!

[conorwynne]

Forgot to add, I do have bubble algae -- but I added an emerald crab which is munching through them.

I also run carbon & phosphate remover.

[Kaos]

Thanks for all the help. I think I will take the plunge. My tank is fishless also which really keeps the param's in check. I do have a Pepermint shrimp that I have to feed a small piece of flake food to everyday since he destroyed my Aiptasia population.

[flyyyguy]

a little bit of bubble algae i s surely nothing to stop you from trying. If you have water issues and a little bit of bubble algae...it will turn into a epeidemic......a few bubbles here and there is nothgin to be concerned about.

to be honest, I have as nuisance algae free of tanks as you will ever see, however, when i move rocks around and look really hard I can find some bubble algae here and there.

And to those of you who keep buying hobby PO4 test kits and bragging you have zero phosphates. Save your breath. You are making false claims as well as wasting your money testing it in the first place

let algae be your guide