almost 0 Phosphates or Nitrates, but still have bubble algae and aptasia popping up all over the place

[am3ience]

Hi guys,

 

My tank is now about 8 months old and has a bunch of coral ranging from acropora to zoas. The coral are doing great, however I have started to noticed quite a lot of bubble algae and aptasia start to pop up in my tank and i'm afraid i'll be overrun soon. 

 

I bought a Red Sea test kit for Phosphates and Nitrates and after a couple tests I have little to no readings of either. 

 

Anyone have any remedies to the above algae? I'd like to get it under control before my tank is overrun. 

 

I bought a peppermint shrimp a couple weeks ago but I haven't seen the little guy since I put him in the tank, so he's probably dead unfortunately. 

 

it's a 24g AIO, i'm dosing All-For-Reef daily. 
Inhabitants are a YWG, a couple of mocha clowns, bunch of snails and a couple of hermits. Peppermint Shrimp MIA

[seabass]

Bubble algae is difficult.  It can usually survive low nutrients better than most coral.  I'd hate to say it, but Vibrant might be your best bet.  It's an algaecide that's marketed as something else.  It can be hard on corals, pods, and other marine life.

 

In fact, Vibrant in combination with low nutrients could potentially open your tank up to a dino bloom.  That could leave your tank in even worse condition.  A more natural solution is Emerald crabs.  I've tried them before, but even though they ate bubble algae, they also seemed to spread it.  I eventually got rid of it by fragging off affected pieces of rock

 

In general, I feel that your tank would benefit from higher nutrient levels.  I'd shoot for at least 3 ppm nitrate, and 0.03 ppm phosphate (dosing if necessary).

[am3ience]

9 minutes ago, seabass said:

Bubble algae is difficult.  It can usually survive low nutrients better than most coral.  I'd hate to say it, but Vibrant might be your best bet.  It's an algaecide that's marketed as something else.  It can be hard on corals, pods, and other marine life.

 

In fact, Vibrant in combination with low nutrients could potentially open your tank up to a dino bloom.  That could leave your tank in even worse condition.  A more natural solution is Emerald crabs.  I've tried them before, but even though they ate bubble algae, they also seemed to spread it.  I eventually got rid of it by fragging off affected pieces of rock

 

In general, I feel that your tank would benefit from higher nutrient levels.  I'd shoot for at least 3 ppm nitrate, and 0.03 ppm phosphate (dosing if necessary).

so I have to purposefully build up nutrients? I can lay off water changes to get my load up

[seabass]

Yeah, all photosynthetic life uses inorganic nutrients (and light) to make energy.  More nutrients means better health and growth.  This is true for photosynthetic corals as well as algae.  So don't necessarily cut back on tank maintenance; but don't change water just to lower nutrient levels (unless they are too high).

 

I consider 3 ppm nitrate and 0.03 ppm phosphate minimums.  But you should be good up to 10 ppm nitrate and 0.10 ppm phosphate.  Dosing nutrients is necessary in some tanks, while nutrient export is needed in others.  Keep monitoring levels, as consumption can sometimes change.

[Ratvan]

The only way I have successfully removed bubble algae was by hand, taking the rock out of the tank and scrubbing and picking off the algae in a separate container. Aiptasia I have had great luck with a Filefish (he did then develop a taste for Zoas) and Berghia Nudibranches when the amount got too much to hit with Lemon Juice, boiling water or Aiptasia X