Green bubble algae

[GoPhish]

What causes it. How can I get rid of it. Does it become a major problem?

[Lemeshianos]

Nutrients. Manual removal of algae without popping the bubbles and removing the source of the extra nutrients(overfeeding, dead fish, not enough waterchanges, overstocking, adding a phosban reactor or algae scrubber). Yes.

[thereeftank]

I was reading up a bit on the bubble algae. There are a few different varities. however, in regard the most common one, it doesn't have spores in the bubble if popped like the majority of believe believe. Others also stated that the skimmer should pick up most of the spores if they are released.

In my recent experience, I only have a few bubbles pop up, and it happened that I bought a hippo and yellow tang. Saw them pick at it and it's gone for now. We'll see if any comes back or whatnot... It's not the norm that these tangs would eat bubble algae.

[papagimp]

Does it become a major problem?

could depend on your location as I've heard of bubble aglae being desirable by certain reefers, I personally like the look and have kept a few rocks covered in the stuff, while cropping it back as needed. But then i've had tanks where it just went rampant and I simple couldn't keep it in check properly and had to resort to more extreme measure to rid the tank of all algae just to get rid of the 1 type I didn't want in their.

I've heard various claims on popping the bubbles and figured better safe than sorry and would scrape them off the rocks while holding a syphon tube on em during water changes, as popping a few was inevitable for me.

[snorkeler]

I've read a person in a Portuguese forum describe them as "the herpes of the reef", meaning, once you get them you'll never get cured. I've had a lot of it, and I agree. Solved them adding Mithrax crabs (more details at my blog on another site), but those crabs have the side effect of sometimes eating soft corals like Zoanthus, Green Star Polyps (they decimated that one) and Yellow Polyps (almost ate all of them...).

Snorkeler

[Db366]

Emerald crabs are also supposed to eat bubble algae. My tank had them when I bought it. I scrubbed and cooked the rock, if they come back I will buy new rock and start all over. I hate the stuff.

[papagimp]

I've read a person in a Portuguese forum describe them as "the herpes of the reef", meaning, once you get them you'll never get cured.

eeewwwwww lol

I've tried multiple emeralds before with no luck at all with them. I think it's kinda hit or miss. course my crabbies didn't touch my zoa's, gsp's, or yellow polyps either. Maybe mine were lazy. My luck always seems to be that way. But I've read enough success stories that i still recommend them to people trying to rid their tank of bubble algae