Bubble Algae and Cyano

[deaclauderdale]

I have bubble algae and cyano how do I get rid of them while they're in their early stages?

[lcstorc]

The bubbles you can either try emerald crabs or remove them carefully by hand. The emeralds seem to be hit or miss but people do report good results. If you remove them by hand be careful not to break the bubble. If you do it releases spores and you will have it all over.
For the cyano you can try increasing water flow, Replacing old bulbs, and most importantly starve it out. It is feeding on excess nitrates and/or phosphates. Do you rinse your food with RO water? If not, you should. Most prepared foods use phosphates as a preservative. Try running a phosphate reducing medium such as Phosban. Even if the trates and phos are reading 0 on your tests, they are still there or the cyano couldn't live. Since the algae is feeding off of them they are reducing the amounts in the water.
HTH

[rDr4g0n]

ditto

phosban and good waterflow for cyano, and careful removal of bubble algae.

[DrHank]

Ditto... ditto. You can also knock cyano back by leaving tank lights off for 48 hours but it will come back if more corrective measures aren't taken. You may want to increase the snails in your clean up crew and a sand sifting goby may also help. My emerald crabs do enjoy green bubble algae.

[deaclauderdale]

I'll remove the rock and carefully remove the algae and I will try and purchase a phosban reactor.

[deaclauderdale]

My bulbs are only 3 months old and how do you rinse food with RO?

[lcstorc]

If your bulbs are only 3 months old they are likely to be fine.
As far as rinsing the food, I have a very small strainer that I use. My RO happens to be at my kitchen sink so it is easy, but using a gallon jug would be easy as well.

[deaclauderdale]

Originally Posted by lcstorc

If your bulbs are only 3 months old they are likely to be fine.
As far as rinsing the food, I have a very small strainer that I use. My RO happens to be at my kitchen sink so it is easy, but using a gallon jug would be easy as well.

So do I just run the RO over the food in the strainer until it melts and then add it to the tank?

[SubRosa]

Desjardin's Tangs often feast on valonia,but individuals vary.Bubbles are imo the worst of all problem algaes because of the fact that you can't starve them out.If you want to try an interesting experiment,take a NO3 reading on a tank containing valonia.Then carefully collect enough bubbles to make a sample with their enclosed liquid.(If you let bubbles get out of hand this will be easier than you think!) Take a NO3 reading on that liquid and you will know why you can't starve valonia!

[Scouter Steve]

Originally Posted by deaclauderdale

So do I just run the RO over the food in the strainer until it melts and then add it to the tank?

I thaw my frozen in a small glass of RO and then pour it out through a brine shrimp net then feed

[prow]

i dont see any valonia aka bubble algae. cyano yeah.

it looks to me like your tank is about huummm 6-9 monthsish old and your anaerobic bac is starting to mature/establish itself and is really kick in. those bubbles look more like nitro bubbles to me. the cycano is blooming most likely because of the increased anaerobic activity. for the next few months you can keep your light period to about 8 hours and blow off those bubbles from rock and sand after lights out. dont let the bubbles get too much, blow them off during the day if needed and reduce your lighting period even more if they do, because if not that blooming cyano you see might turn into dino's which are not light dependant and more harmful. you dont want to deal with those. heavy bubbles for a week or 2 should not be a issue but if they get trapped and/or you still have lots after a month you may need to start takeing further actions.

[deaclauderdale]

Tnhanx for the info prow. I've drcreased my lighting to 4 hours a day and I see no adverse effect to the livestock I will keep this up for a few more days and keep you all posted.

[olivert00]

When I had cyano in my tank I tested for phosphates which were very high, I installed a phosban reactor and within 2 weeks I noticed my cyano gone and 0 reading when I tested. Around 75 for everything and easy to install.

Hope this helps.

Debbie

[Woodstock]

Ditto to the phosban reactor. Get the tiny mini-jet 404 pump for it. Use either phosban or rowaphos media in it. Excellent products that will reduce the po4 fast. Make sure you replace the media on a regular basis.

Also, some have reported a drop in alkalinity when using it so test your alkalinity weekly and adjust as needed until it stablizes.

[prow]

Originally Posted by deaclauderdale

Tnhanx for the info prow. I've drcreased my lighting to 4 hours a day and I see no adverse effect to the livestock I will keep this up for a few more days and keep you all posted.

no prob lots of good info in here. the only other thing is when you start to increase your lighting to normal do it slowly.