Bubble Algae?

[droth]

I seem to have got control of the green hair algae but the bubble algae is still there and growing. I tried to pull them off the rocks but for every 3 bubbles I get one bursts. The main group of these bubbles seem to be on one rock. Can I take this rock out, scrub them off the rock and then return the rock to the tank?

temperature: 78°F
specific gravity: 1.023
pH: 8.0
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 20 ppm
Started adding RO salt water and live rock January 08, 2010.
45 gallon tank
53lbs fully cured live rock
60lbs of live sand
Aquaclear 70 Filter
3 Power heads
Tunze Skimmer
Current Nova Extreme Pro Light (6 – T5 Bulbs, 4 white & 2 blue)
Heater
(1) Three headed pink tipped coral
(1) Two headed frog spawn
(1) Bubble Coral
(1) Brain Coral
(4) Neon Green Mushroom Coral
(1) Spotted Yellow Wrasse
(1) Coral Banded Shrimp

 

[Chris_150G]

You can do that but be careful not to piss off your corals by splashing them with random temperatured tap water. They don't like that. I just have a a siphon hose drawing water right next to the bubble as I'm trying to tweazer it by its nasty little tendril.

 

[Smitty]

Yep, you could scrub it, but it's best to scrub in a bucket of old water from a w/c...or else you could pick-up a few emerald crabs, who will eat the bubble algae.

 

[wontonflip]

+1 Smitty--make use of your old tank water :)

 

[puttycat]

How are you pulling them off? Take a small clean screwdriver and scrape them off at the base. They shouldn't pop doing it this way.

 

[droth]

I do plan on taking the rock out of the aquarium when cleaning it. I did try taking them off with my finger and once that didn't work I tried tweezers but the rock there on is vary porous and it's hard to get under them in order to wiggle them back and forth.

I took the rock out last night during a general tank cleaning and placed it in a bucket of salt water. I'll scrub it off tonight and then rinse it in a different container of salt water to rinse it off and then place it back in the tank. Does anyone see a problem with me doing this?

David

 

[wontonflip]

Nope...sounds like a good plan. Let us know what happens. Good Luck!

 

[puttycat]

I would still try not to pop the bubbles. rinsing with saltwater will not kill the spores