Help IDing reddish brown growth

[Kierkier]

So my tank has been set up since last spring and I have had good success with my livestock, but recently I have begun to get curious about the deep reddish-brown colored growths on my live rock. A friend told me it is likely sponge growth, but I guess I would like a second opinion.

In this first picture you can see the coloration of this growth as compared with some coraline algae (blurry purple splotches) towards the bottom of the rock.

In this image you can see one of my rocks almost completely covered in the purple growth:

And in this image there are some other tiny pinkish growths that look like little baobab trees, they are all over most my live rock, and I don't know what they are either:

thanks in advance for the help.

 

[xroads]

I am not an expert but it looks like the start of some algae. I would add or redirect your power heads.

Craig

 

[glaspie69]

This could be a type of algae. Have you tried blowing it off the rocks with a turkey baster? If it blows off the rock I would be concerned that it might be the begining of a red slime issue. If it blows off the rock, you may want to check your water quality as see what your parameters are, mainly check your phosphates. HTH Jason

 

[bgreenlee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9058476#post9058476 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by glaspie69
This could be a type of algae. Have you tried blowing it off the rocks with a turkey baster? If it blows off the rock I would be concerned that it might be the begining of a red slime issue. If it blows off the rock, you may want to check your water quality as see what your parameters are, mainly check your phosphates. HTH Jason

I was thinking cyano as well.

 

[leeweber85]

I used to have that same stuff on my rock. I don't think it's Cyano. I no longer have any of it left though.

 

[Kierkier]

It doesn't blow off the rock easily at all. I have had success removing patches of it experimentally with a clean toothbrush, but I really have to work at it.

I do have an issue with phosphates in my tank which I have been constantly working at since I got it up and running. The most frustrating thing is that I can't ID the source of the high Phos, and before anyone suggests it, I am not using tap water. I use RO water from a local Culligan distributer.

Anyone have any idea what the little pink guys are in the last photo?

Thanks all for your help.

 

[bgreenlee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9060592#post9060592 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kierkier
It doesn't blow off the rock easily at all. I have had success removing patches of it experimentally with a clean toothbrush, but I really have to work at it.

I do have an issue with phosphates in my tank which I have been constantly working at since I got it up and running. The most frustrating thing is that I can't ID the source of the high Phos, and before anyone suggests it, I am not using tap water. I use RO water from a local Culligan distributer.

Anyone have any idea what the little pink guys are in the last photo?

Thanks all for your help.

Have you tested your RO water to see what the TDS is, as well as NO3 and PO4?

 

[tibbs2]

I believe it's just a type of algae. it doesn't look smooth enough to be cyano and I see no bubbles either which is usually an indicator of cyano.

Looks like the stuff I have on my rocks. It shouldn't hurt anything.

I'd be a lot more worried about that caluerpa macro algae i see in that first pic taking over your tank.

Chris

 

[Kierkier]

I have had a beast of a time containing it. It came with my cleaner shrimp from the LFS as a source of food. Schya, right, like that guy wanted to eat any of that.

I have seriously cut back on the growths of caluerpa and tried to keep it in check.

bgreenlee - I have not tested for TDS in this water, would that cause a large amount of otherwise undetectable phosphates? I am currently using the anti-phos pellets (little white balls) in my media tray of my sump and changing them out regularly but with little actual success in lowering my phosphate levels acceptably. I really just need to id the source of the problem. I don't over-feed, I haven't added much of anything new and I try to keep the tank clean with regular water changes (~15 gal 1-1.5 weeks).

Thanks for all the tips, folks. Much appreciated.