Identification Please

[bcwalz]

I have some new critters growing in my reef tank. Can anyone please take a look at them and see if you might know what they are. The red balls are leathery and about half the size of a pencil eraser. I started with one little cluster of 3 a couple months ago and now I have a lot more.

The other one is purple and hitchhiked in on the candy cane coral.

Any help you can provide would be much appreciated. Basically I want to find out if I should let them grow or try to eliminate them if they are harmfull. Thanks. The links are below.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v253/bwalz/ReefID012.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v253/bwalz/ReefID008.jpg

 

[bcwalz]

bump

 

[Ludwigia73]

#1 is a red macroalgae... not harmful, but it does multiply. best to control it now.

#2 is another macroalgae or sponge. Dunno which, but I like it. I've had it crop up in my tank a few times, but it always died back in a month or two.

 

[DSMpunk]

Is #2 soft or hard? It looks like branching coraline to me (if its hard)

 

[bcwalz]

#2 isn't hard. it's somewhat stiff but very flexible and grows fairly rapidly. It's doubled in size in the last month and a half. It's color is not so good in the picture, it is purple to purple/blue.

Trying to decide if I like it better than the candy cane coral. The way it's growing it will probably choke it out before too much longer.