Plump Bubble Algae on 10 year old bleached rocks

[dlux5life]

I’ve scrubbed, and bleached some 10 year old dry rocks that had bubble algae on them previously.

Ie: tank was broken down and rocks sat dry for 10 years. Scrubbed them and put them in a 20% bleach solution with a power head for a week.


Took the rocks out of the bleach solution today to find what looked like clear, very plump, poppable bubble algae on the rocks.

I wouldn’t have thought this is possible in a million years. I could understand there being reminiscences of the algae, but dried or crusted, never fresh looking after sitting dry that long.

I’ve scrubbed them again and put them back into another bleach solution, this time 30% bleach.
Any thoughts on this? Should I be okay after this round to start seeding them?

 

[Cooper2]

That's algae? it looks like silicone or something. Never seen crystal clear algae. I hope someone with a chemistry background responds here...interested in this!

 

[dlux5life]

Yea..it’s absolutely bubble algae. Had it on the rocks a long time ago and it popped just like it did before. Just very clear looking now assuming due to the bleach. There was other tougher hair algae that turned white that scrubbed off. It was very wirey, like it had been dried and reconstituted. This bubble algae seemed fresh.

 

[Cooper2]

I think I'd be nervous about that rock. Could your original wash have just been super weak or something? Bleach kills everything but maybe I use too much?...lol

 

[dlux5life]

Perhaps…that’s why I’m going 30%…heck may make it 40%. I scrubbed of everything I could, but I am nervous that I obviously couldn’t get every bit of every rock.

Maybe I follow this round up with a muriatic acid bath?

 

[dlux5life]

Going 5 gallons of bleach in 20 gallons of water. Bought all they had in the store. Going to add more tomorrow and hopefully get the water lines run to the fish room sink.

 

[thrillreefer]

That happens to bubble algae when you bleach them but don’t mechanically remove them. They’re dead, just not popped/removed yet

 

[rock-n-reef]

^+1
It turns clear when dead and the bleach destroys all the organic matter. Though the bubble is filled with fluids, the spores won't be active anymore.

I would hose down the rock, so that all the dead stuff is dislodged, and then do one more round of bleach. I wouldn't be too worried.

 

[dlux5life]

Okay.. that is exactly the plan. I am SHOCKED that bubble algae can reconstitute like that after being dry for 10 years. It looks so fresh.