bubble algea

[kyle and craig]

i have a 20g saltwater reef tank. i have a maroon clown fish, orchid dottyback, and a peppermint shrimp. all are getting along. i have a small problem with bubble algae and was wondering how i could get rid of it. thx

[Reefland]

Do a search for Valonia and see if that is what you have. If so, manual removal assuring that you do not bust the algae is one way, as well as some natural predators.

[Samper]

I let mine grow, so far it hasn't gotten out of control but I may eat those words one day.

[Poseidon]

I let mine grow, so far it hasn't gotten out of control but I may eat those words one day.

So do you want Salt or Pepper with this font???

Be VERY CAREFUL here Samper, my best friends tank has LITERALLY been OVERRUN with Valonia! He would kill me if he knew I posted this picture... And this was several months ago!

[ereefic]

Bubble algea can be a pain, it can start of slow then just explode if not attended to. It weird because we have 2 tanks running on one sump and only one of the tanks has alot of bubble algea in it, yet everything is connected.

We did add 2 emerald crabs and they seem to eat some but not like i'd want them too.

[Ninong]

So do you want Salt or Pepper with this font???

Be VERY CAREFUL here Samper, my best friends tank has LITERALLY been OVERRUN with Valonia! He would kill me if he knew I posted this picture... And this was several months ago!

Gene,

The bubble alga in the picture you posted appears to be Ventricaria rather than Valonia.

P.S. -- I tried to find the website that I was looking at earlier today that had pictures of Ventricaria ventricosa next to pictures of Valonia spp. and I ran into a lot of confusion. I ran a search using www.images.google.com and found a lot of pictures of Ventricaria ventricosa identified as Valonia ventricosa, so it is quite possible that there has been a reclassification of that particular species. They can't both be correct. One is valid and the other is not. I think I'll try to figure out which is current.

[Ninong]

Ventricaria ventricosa is valid. Valonia ventricosa is no longer valid; it is now a synonym for the newer (1988) classification Ventricaria ventricosa. Same old alga, new genus. http://www.algaebase.org/speciesdeta...E956sSoO5227AF




P.S. -- Here is an article Horge wrote for Reefkeeping: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcj/feature/

Notice that he calls it Ventricaria ventricosa.

[Samper]

Mike, I may get some boo's for this but I don't think Ventricaria ventricosa isunsightly at all.

[Ninong]

Mike, I may get some boo's for this but I don't think Ventricaria ventricosa isunsightly at all.

It's a good thing you like it because you're going to have a lot of it to like in no time at all.

[Poseidon]

Gene,

The bubble alga in the picture you posted appears to be Ventricaria rather than Valonia.

Oops I posted the picture... Mike NOT Gene!

Matt has BOTH types in his tank, that picture just doesn't show it all. The difference between the 2 he has is one area of his tank has "glossy" green balls, and another area has "matte finish" to borrow some photography terms. I really wasn't trying to get a picture of the valonia, just some general tank shots. I better post something GOOD out of his tank too...

[Ninong]

Oops I posted the picture... Mike NOT Gene!

P.S. -- You forgot to frame it!

[Samper]

It came in my tank when I bought my anemone. I bought the whole rock the anemone was and is still attached to and there was some bubble algae on it. So far some of the bubbles have grown rather large and some have even popped but none has spread to any other area of the tank yet. It seems to stay on the rock it came in on. I'll eat those words.............but so far that's the case.

[Ninong]

It came in my tank when I bought my anemone. I bought the whole rock the anemone was and is still attached to and there was some bubble algae on it. So far some of the bubbles have grown rather large and some have even popped but none has spread to any other area of the tank yet. It seems to stay on the rock it came in on. I'll eat those words.............but so far that's the case.

It reproduces quite easily via sporolation. You will have plenty of it in no time at all. The prudent course of action would be to manually remove as much of it as possible now. I found several small Ventricaria ventricosa spheres on my live rock a few months after I started up my tank but I removed them by hand as soon as I spotted them. I have not seen any new ones in more than a year.

You will be very sorry if you allow this alga to spread in your tank.

[Samper]

Ok, before every water change I'll take some out until I get it all. The only problem is I like to use gloves when working in my tank but I don't believe I'll be able to grab them with any precision with the gloves on.

[Ninong]

Ok, before every water change I'll take some out until I get it all. The only problem is I like to use gloves when working in my tank but I don't believe I'll be able to grab them with any precision with the gloves on.

I wasn't able to reach most of mine with my hand. I used a pair of 10" long stainless steel tweezers. I was able to remove most of them without bursting the bladder. You need to use as little pressure as possible and gently rock the bladder back and forth to loosen the holdfasts. http://www.customaquatic.com/customa...keyresult5.asp

[zhenya]

Gene,

The bubble alga in the picture you posted appears to be Ventricaria rather than Valonia.

Eh? Were you talking to me,George?
I am aware of the changes but didn't change the title for my picture as yet.
I guess I better do it.

[Ninong]

Eh? Were you talking to me,George?
I am aware of the changes but didn't change the title for my picture as yet.
I guess I better do it.

No. I was supposed to be talking to Mike but I used your name by mistake. He posted a picture of his friend's tank but he forgot to put a frame around the picture and I must have thought it was something you posted.

Whatever.

[Samper]

Ok I'll get on removing them asap. Thanks Ninong. I really don't find them unsightly as I said before but haven't seen first hand a massive outbreak so I don't know. What nutrients if any do they remove from the water column? Is there a way or benefit to having them in a refugium and is there a way to keep them from spreading to the display if so?

[Ninong]

I really don't find them unsightly as I said before but haven't seen first hand a massive outbreak so I don't know.

They will take over the tank, smothering your corals.

What nutrients if any do they remove from the water column?

All algae uses nitrate and phosphate, if that's what you mean.

Is there a way or benefit to having them in a refugium and is there a way to keep them from spreading to the display if so?

This is NOT an appropriate species for a refugium. Chances are that it would quickly spread throughout the system. Once the bladder matures, it ruptures, releasing spores which would spread throughout your system.

[zhenya]

No. I was supposed to be talking to Mike but I used your name by mistake. He posted a picture of his friend's tank but he forgot to put a frame around the picture and I must have thought it was something you posted.

Whatever.

So, now you want me to frame all my pictures, eh?
Sheesh, you guys are hard to please.