Stupid bubble algae!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
C

ckcdrummer

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 21, 2012
1,062
0
0
CA
So I have a 20 gallon saltwater tank right now and it's about 2 - 2 1/2 months old and I hate the look of bubble algae and I was hoping I wouldn't have to deal with it but the past 3 or 4 days I've been noticing the stuff growing a little bit on my rocks. I want to stop the growth before it gets to be more of a problem. How would I go about getting rid of this pest? I've heard you can syphon it out but I won't be doing a water change for another 5 days. I also heard UV sterilizers can take care of it. Any suggestions? Keep in mined I don't want to get any emerald crabs because my brother had some and they killed some of his small fish.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
When you remove the algae, try to remove the rock from the tank and get a pair or tweezers. If you try remove it in the tank you could unleash a massive outbreak. +1 "otherone" nutrients are the key. However, you may have exported them in on a rock or frag. I would take mine out to the kitchen sink and pull it as a whole piece then a quick fresh rinse and back in the tank.
 
My mistake everyone I did more research and it looks like green slim algae. How would I get rid of it? I heard you can turn of your lights for most of the day and it will go away eventually. Also what about a UV sterilizer? Would that do the trick?


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
If it's Blue-green Slime it's not algae but a bacteria that acts like algae called Cyanobacteria. This stuff is similair to algae in it's need for photosynthesis but it can generate it's own nitrogen. Most common causes are tapwater because of it's PO4 contents and frozen fish food - food decomps even when frozen, this process creates phosphates.

This worked for me - Lights cutback intesity (half the # of bulbs) and run 8 hrs only a day. Turn the pumps off - Manual scrub the rocks off with a tooth brush and catch it with a net. Cyano falls off like hot butter, don't even need to move the rocks. Run a Po4 reactor using Pure Aquatics Pure Power PO4 remover - Alumina Oxide. This product is way cheaper than GFO (Granular Feric Oxide) and inorder to remove excess PO4 you have to swap out the media every 4-7 days til readings are .02 or less. Doing this with GFO is pricey - pure aquatics easier on the pocket book and it does work. I have no cyano - period. My tank got it bad when I stopped dosing Vodka.

As for the UV - no it won't kill large volumes of cyano or flora. It will kill off the free floating spores. It can also kill off any and every type of micro fauna/flora like planktonic foods in the water colomun which is not a good thing.
 
Otherone said:
If it's Blue-green Slime it's not algae but a bacteria that acts like algae called Cyanobacteria. This stuff is similair to algae in it's need for photosynthesis but it can generate it's own nitrogen. Most common causes are tapwater because of it's PO4 contents and frozen fish food - food decomps even when frozen, this process creates phosphates.

This worked for me - Lights cutback intesity (half the # of bulbs) and run 8 hrs only a day. Turn the pumps off - Manual scrub the rocks off with a tooth brush and catch it with a net. Cyano falls off like hot butter, don't even need to move the rocks. Run a Po4 reactor using Pure Aquatics Pure Power PO4 remover - Alumina Oxide. This product is way cheaper than GFO (Granular Feric Oxide) and inorder to remove excess PO4 you have to swap out the media every 4-7 days til readings are .02 or less. Doing this with GFO is pricey - pure aquatics easier on the pocket book and it does work. I have no cyano - period. My tank got it bad when I stopped dosing Vodka.

As for the UV - no it won't kill large volumes of cyano or flora. It will kill off the free floating spores. It can also kill off any and every type of micro fauna/flora like planktonic foods in the water colomun which is not a good thing.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much, I do only use tap, I will buy a big tub of water conditioner or RO water. I recently got a mandarin goby and I bought frozen pods for him, I've been using those too. Thanks for the help.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom