Algae good or bad?

[saitoking]

I noticed this algae growing a few weeks ago and now it seems to be growing pretty fast is this bad algae or ok algae? Thanks saitoking

 

[ReefKeeper64]

It looks like a designer macro algae and is considered very good. The blue/purple color is awesome. Is that the true color?

I have Red Titan and Blue Octodes macro algaes in my refugium and both do an excellent job of consuming phosphates and Nitrates as does any macro. What you have will do the same. The designer you have offers great color for your tank or refugium. Do some searches for macro algae display tanks and you will find several very nice tanks dedicated to macros.

 

[saitoking]

It looks like a designer macro algae and is considered very good. The blue/purple color is awesome. Is that the true color?

I have Red Titan and Blue Octodes macro algaes in my refugium and both do an excellent job of consuming phosphates and Nitrates as does any macro. What you have will do the same. The designer you have offers great color for your tank or refugium. Do some searches for macro algae display tanks and you will find several very nice tanks dedicated to macros.

That sound great . Yes the colors are pretty much the same as the photos. At first I thought it was reflecting off the lights but it's not ,I turned them off and the purple was still there. I will check on some of the macro algae display tanks thanks saitoking

 

[tektite]

Possibly Fauchea...very nice macro regardless!

 

[Ptyochromis]

Nice looking macro, shouldn't be an invasive pest. If you don't want it feel free to send it my way lol.

 

[saitoking]

This is a current picture of the algae, it's getting rather larger. Anything I need to know about trimming algae? Thanks saitoking

 

[pitmindi]

It grows fast in my macro planted tank but its not invasive since it is easy to prune. It stays the purple/pink color

 

[dlplunkett44]

That's an awesome algae!

 

[llc]

nice, let me know when you're ready to sell clippings of it

 

[saitoking]

Update

Update

Up date 18 months.

 

[FinzAquatics]

That's the same stuff? Looks completely different. Still nice tho!

 

[saitoking]

Yes kind of weird when it was young it was uniform like spear head shaped and the color was much darker. After it grow out it looked more chain like long and not uniform at all and much lighter in color. This was taken with my iPhone too I will take a few with my real camera and post in a bit.

 

[saitoking]

This is another picture with the lights on.

 

[FinzAquatics]

I'm curious as to what species this is now...

 

[tektite]

Ah, I've seen that one before, don't know the name though. Did your light spectrum or brightness change? When I put mine under lower light the growth switched from the rounded branches of the first pic to the thin spikier branches on the current pic.

 

[Subsea]

I have several red macros from GOM that look like your recent picture. It is difficult for me to believe that #1 and #2 are the same.
Happy trails,
Patrick

 

[saitoking]

I moved the rock and it is sitting on a piece PVC pipe and has been growing and has never died off, it has continued growing since the start. There is no way that this is not the same as my first 2 pictures. But I do agree it's had to believe it's the same algae. I did add a T5 10,000K and actinic blue light to the tank shorty after it started growing. Not sure if that makes a difference.

 

[saitoking]

Two more have since developed since I first posted. Anyone know what these are? Thanks

 

[tektite]

Be careful with the second one. Can't remember the name on top of my head, but I've had it before. Its a very slow grower, but once it starts growing it is almost impossible to remove from the rock. It clings to the rock extremely strongly. I've taken a wire brush to it and it grew back... If you don't mind the aquarium eventually being covered in it though, it does create a fantastic breeding zone for pods with how stiff it is, fish have a hard time getting to them unless they come to the top of the algae.