Algae ID

[Mr. Demeanor]

I have some algae spreading pretty fast. This is a tank I just completely remodeled with a lot of base rock and a few peices of live. Very little coraline algae.
The algae is almost a fuchsia color. Like a mix of red and purple. It is easily brushed off, not matted or hairy for a lack of a better explanation. Because it brushes off so easily I do not think its coraline. In the pic, you can see a small spot of dark red coraline algae above it and a rock with purple coraline below it on the left. Its almost like a mix of the two colors.
It really like that dead coral and a barnacle cluster I have.

 

[Ron Reefman]

My best guess, and that's about all it is, an educated guess based on your pic and description, is that it is cyano bacteria. When you 'remodeled' in the tank, did you stir up the sand any? I'm guessing that the work you did has stirred up some detritus or released so nitrates & phosphates from the sand and that is feeding the bacteria. Do some water changes, be careful how much you fed for the next couple of weeks and see if you can't get some flow to the spot where it wants to grow. Cyano bacteria doesn't like good water flow.
Good luck.

 

[bertoni]

I agree that cyanobacteria is a good first guess. You might need to do some work on nutrient control, or the tank might need some time to get back to full filtration capacity, depending on exactly what was done during the remodel. I might cut back on feeding for a bit, and maybe spend a few minutes a week siphoning out as much of the slime as is easy to get.

 

[Mr. Demeanor]

Its still there and getting "thicker" but its more hard now. It has darkened a little as well and spread to some other stuff. LFS thinks its coraline gine crazy. When they tested my calcium it was WAY high. parameters are good. I added two more 1000gph circulation pumps basically blowing right at it and no effect. Again, nothing at all o the sand bed. Snails, crabs, shrimp, and serpent star do not eat it. It did get a little white edge to it that looks like dead coraline. You can see it has spread to some other areas but definitely prefers coral skeletons.

Edit: Just tested water and nitrates are right a 20. My wife needs to stop feeding the inverts!

 

[bertoni]

But the inverts look hungry...

I agree that reduced feeding might help a lot.

 

[Mr. Demeanor]

It still just doesnt look like coraline but cyano doesnt stick.....right? I have a little cyano now and then along the edge where my sand meets the glass. I can blow that away with my squirt feeder. Its definitely spreading!
My coraline has always spread i roundish spots. This isnt doing that. Water is perfect but calcium is high. itrates are zero (test kit wet bad when I thought they were up they were zero)
3 weeks from first post/pics:

 

[bertoni]

Cyanobacteria will rub off with a very light touch, and can be blown off a rock, as you've noted. If this other pest feels a little spongy, it might be an encrusting sponge.

 

[Pacu22]

I have a similar thing going on in my tank. In spots it is lighter and can be blown off, but in other spots it is darker and harder to remove. Haven't tested my calcium but I have very high nitrates, and a bit of phosphate.