Have red algae with bubbles..what exactly do I need to do..got a angel and trigger..135 gallon tank..help!?

Question

Have red algae with bubbles..what exactly do I need to do..got a angel and trigger..135 gallon tank..help!?

Answer 1

As long as the red is not a slime, you have desirable Coraline growth...and that is a good thing, if it is not slime leave it be, if it is on the glass and you do not like it, wash it off with a white paper towel or a tank scrubber, if it is red slime you have to correct the problem, by cutting back the lighting, keep phosphate and nitrates down, maybe look into a r/o system and use a high grade salt mix like instant ocean

http://www.fishlore.com/aquariummagazine...

red slime

http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/web...

Coraline algae.

Can you post a pic?

Answer 2

It's possible that its corralline algae, but if the tank is new and you haven't been supplementing with calcium, it isn't likely.

Pics would helpful, but based on what you have, it sounds like bubble algae. This usually comes in on live rock, and things like nutrient control don't affect it as much as other algae. You have a battle ahead of you.

The first step, and I can't emphasize this enough, is do NOT burst the bubbles! They contain spores, which will only spread the algae.

The best method of getting rid of the algae is with mithrax crabs; they are the only confirmed bubble-algae-eaters. Unfortunately, a trigger or angel would eat him before he took two steps.

Some people have reported success with Indian Sailfin/Red Sea Tangs (Z. desjardini), but this is mixed. Some will apparently eat bubble algaes, but most will not. Because of your large tank size, it could be safe to keep a large one in your tank just to see if he'll eat it (they can grow to be more than a foot long), but he will receive an occassional nip from the trigger.

One option that could work is to out-compete the algae. If you have a sump set-up, or if you could make one, create a refugium in it. Try growing caulerpa in the refugium. Caulerpa is fast-growing, and will remove the nutrients in the water that the bubble algae would want to use to spread. By investing nutrients a hardy species in the refugium, you limit the algae in the main tank.

Another option, which may not work if the tank is new, is supplementing the tank with calcium. This will encourage corralline algae growth, which will usually outcompete virtually any other algae in the tank.