Help! Algae ID Needed

[mcfarrow]

Hey Everyone, need some help. My buddy has some crazy stuff growing in his tank that I have never seen before. What is this stuff?

Here is his tank:

Hes religious about his water changes and keeps low nutrients. I've asked him to test them anyway. At first I thought it looked like bryopsis so he tried the Kents mag treatment but that didn't work. He just removes by hand and cycles rock through his sump. It grows/spreads fast.

 

[mcfarrow]

Any ideas what this stuff could be?

 

[mcfarrow]

Some photos of Cladophoropsis look like they could be close. idk

 

[mcfarrow]

It almost looks spongy but its not....I don't think. The sponges I have had before have all been more dense.

 

[mcfarrow]

Another shot of the stuff

 

[ItzJustinN]

this last pic makes me think of caulerpa,
but the first pic doesnt

 

[mcfarrow]

It does branch like caulerpa but it doesn't look like it grows those little pads on the ends.

 

[ItzJustinN]

not all of them grow those pads or grapes, some of them are more leafy

 

[danfrith]

That last picture almost looks like a thinner leaved form of Dictyota.

 

[danfrith]

http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/efsa/Marine_Benthic_Flora_SA/Part_II/image/300dpi/Part_II_Fig_065_GS.png

 

[mcfarrow]

Hey now there is an idea. When I look at the pics for Dictyota it looks like it grows from one point, like a tree. I'm not sure if this stuff clusters like that. Looks like each stalk is attached. idk. What do you guys think?
I got the test results:
kH 8.0/ Cal 400/ Mag 1455/ nitrates 0/ phosphates .19
They did another water change and replaced the gfo. They also got their refuge up and going again, hopefully this will bring the phosphates back down.

 

[ItzJustinN]

i would maybe try running lights out for 3 days to see if it recedes any.
it wont harm any coral or fish.
if it does recede, you can repeat the cycle while getting phosphates/parameters under control.

 

[mcfarrow]

Good idea ItzJustinN. I'll recommend that along with checking the tds on his RO.

 

[danfrith]

Could be pretty hard to get rid of it if it is dictyota, this algae usually thrives in clean, pristine water and grows fast. I would look into some sort of fish or snail combo to graze on it.

 

[mcfarrow]

Any clean up combo recommendations? Google turned up Foxface or Virgatus Rabbitfish.

Do you think it could be Cladophoropsis? I found an image on this page that looks kind of like it. http://www.3reef.com/threads/ultimate-nuisance-algae-thread.58657/

 

[ItzJustinN]

I found an image on this page that looks kind of like it. http://www.3reef.com/threads/ultimate-nuisance-algae-thread.58657/

just for the record here is their image of dictyota, and it doesnt resemble the pics you've posted.

 

[ItzJustinN]

also might be helpful to pull a handful out and take a pic of that too.