Advice on how to proceed with bubble algae outbreak

[emeraude1484]

Hi there,

I would like to know how to proceed in removing or at least controlling the spread of the bubble algae in my system. I was interested in purchasing both a Zebrasoma and an urchin. DT is 90gal and 30gal sump have only 2 clowns, 1 firefish, flame angel and atlantic pygmy angel. Would you recomend this? I'm considering this since both rocks that have the bubble algae are very large DIY rocks and I would need to destroy the whole tank in order to scrub them off manually.

Thank you

[Fishguy15]

I have had good success with my sailfin tang in my 75 gallon.

[66deuce]

Don't think of it as destroying the whole tank. More like hitting the refresh button.

[Mizdog]

Or a few emerald crabs.

[Bayliner]

I took each rock out and scrubed it with a stiff brush, Rock look great for about a week but it's comming back again....
Only advice I can offer is don't wait too long, this stuff spreads like crazey

Good Luck,
and if you find somthing that works Please post it here, As I need help with this as well.

Cam

[Zappo]

Scrubbing doesn't work very well with bubble algae. They attach pretty deep in the rock and you generally just pop the bubbles, leaving the rest to regrow. If you catch it right when it starts you can gouge it out with a screwdriver though.

As for the tang and urchin... I've never kept an urchin but my zebrasoma scopas cleared out all of the dreaded red bubble algae in my tank within about an hour of being introduced. It still shows up deep in rock crevices from time to time but never grows on anything that the tang can reach. If you have plans for a tang, sounds like now is a good time to pick one up.

[AuroraDrvr]

Remove Rock. Replace Rock.


Not much else you can do IMHO.

[BFG]

I've managed to get rid of my bubble algae problem with the use of a juvenile vlamingi tang.

[sivert55]

I took out the infected rock and left it on the driveway in the hot sun for about a week. No more bubble algea!

[barjam]

Not sure that I would recommend this but in my sps tank I removed all my macro algae and dosed Algaefix for an extended period of time (2 months or so) and it all went away. After that I threw in some emerald crabs just to make sure.

[ndh78]

My foxface eats it like crack! I also have good success with emerald crabs they can get places the fish can't.