Baxta Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 I have Green Glassy bubble Algae spread throughout my tank. Is there any way of controlling this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Can you post a picture, normally bubble algae and grassy algaes are two different types. There are some differences to how you fix each but there are also some common base problems. Nitrates and phosphates. Addressing these will go a long way to fixing most algae problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Glassy not grassy :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Thanks for pointing that out Puttputt, was reading too fast. Do you have any useful advise on combating Green glassy bubble algae? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 , only thing that worked for me was a naso tang, and manual removal. They seem to grow well in low nutrient tanks so reducing nutrients probably wont help. Siphon them out when doing a water change, taking care not to pop them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 +1 popping them spreads it more i have taken rock out of tank, flicked algae off then washed rock in a bucket of salt water before replacing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 I got rid of mine by gently picking them off the rocks - I have fairly long fingernails, and can get them underneath the bubbles. You have to be careful not to pop them, so be careful if you are going to use things such as tweezers. One of our local club members bought a tank riddled with the stuff, she used to sit around in the evenings with a pair of tweezers and a piece of rock in a small container picking them off - took her ages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gannet Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 there are also some fish that will eat it, but it can be hit and miss. a yellow tang are normally prety good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 I got rid of mine by gently picking them off the rocks - I have fairly long fingernails, and can get them underneath the bubbles. You have to be careful not to pop them, so be careful if you are going to use things such as tweezers. One of our local club members bought a tank riddled with the stuff, she used to sit around in the evenings with a pair of tweezers and a piece of rock in a small container picking them off - took her ages! I think when they're very young you can pop them too, because they haven't developed any spores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baxta Posted March 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2010 Can't see how it can be Nitrates when that's between 0 and 5ppm and the fish are very leanly fed. Phosphates read 0 altho I know they can get used up in producing algae. I have phosguard regularly replaced in the system. The corals flourish and I think I have the water parameters very favourable for them, and possibly also for this algae. It's the sperical, single bubble type of buble algae. Only way I'd get nitrates any lower is to not feed them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baxta Posted March 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2010 Oh, and picking them off the rocks is impractical, I'm not joking when I say there are millions, the tank is 1.5 metres long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted March 14, 2010 Report Share Posted March 14, 2010 How old is your tank? I had problems with bubble algae for a long time till my tank fully matured and I got my nutrients very low. From memory my tank was a couple of years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted March 15, 2010 Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 Ah... the dreaded Valonia. PITA. Oh, and picking them off the rocks is impractical, I'm not joking when I say there are millions, the tank is 1.5 metres long. Remove the rock and scrape them off. When they pop (and if you have that many, they will) I believe it causes them to spread more. Once you scrape the rock, wash (ie: shake/swirl around hard out) in a bucket of fresh saltwater to remove any extra crud from the rock. Then, when the rock is back in the tank you need to regularly blast any detritus that settles on, or is inside the rock, off with a powerhead. Hair algae and Bubble algae grow really well on rock thats full of crud. I had problems with bubble algae for a long time till my tank fully matured and I got my nutrients very low. From memory my tank was a couple of years old Ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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