Is this good or bad?

I would say it's bad algae if it was in my tank. Hopefully thats the only patch you have. Do you have any fish or inverts that eat algae in your tank?
 
Looks like hair algae doesn't it?
I would take that rock out (if it is the only one infested with it) and brush it down.
 
I would take that rock out & throw it in a ditch! It looks nice at first, doesn't it? .... that's the evil of it - kill it while you can! If you don't, it will soon be looking to colonze your living room. :D
 
I have 3 rocks like this, but it looks like the algea is dying. I actually like the way it looks...if it stays where it is and does not start to spread. It gives the tank a nice color.
 
dollarz81

That's how it started in my tank -- get it out! Throw the rocks over the fence or at someone you hate ;) .

I thought it was under control also when mine first started - the next thing I knew, it was taking over everything in the tank. It is very hard to actually remove from the rock, it sort of digs in - so when you remove it, it always comes back.

Knowing what I know now, I would literally remove the rocks from my tank & trade them for something at the LFS. If you trim it back or remove it, I think it releases stuff that helps it spread to other rock. I do know even the tiniest bit that lands somewhere else in your tank will grow.

I know it's pretty, buy a 10g and do a species tank for it:D

It will spread - and by the time you see it for yourself - you will have a problem on your hands

Just my experience though- maybe others have had different???
 
Having a refugium full of macro algae and caulerpa will help getting rifd of the nuisance algae in your main tank.
 
I'd get rid of this one asap.
There are a few species that are not that bad and semi attractive to me, but this is not one of them.

Keep it till it ****es you off is one way of dealing with/keeping algae:) But there are many to choose from. Folks often stick with what does well for them. Some learn to like the nusiance algae even.
I try to be selective and look for algae that do well within certain parameters and that I like. If the algae compliments that tank well in the overall aquascape, then often I'd leave it. You may be in this boat. Most folks would judge this one as bad and get rid of it.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
Crab

Crab

Adding to the Idea from Mantisagogo, buy (rent) an Emerald crab and put your algae rocks and crab in a small tank. My Emerald crab wiped mine out in 3 days. It hasn't returned in 8 months. Return or keep the crab.:D
 
This guy sure loves it. He was found on the North Carolina coast, and has lived in my tank for about 4 months. He has devoured all the hair algea off one of the rocks...now he is working on a second.
 
Scrub the walls and let it settle and then do a water change vacuuming up the leftovers.
Next add enough Ca, Sr, Mn etc

Herbivores are often like us, they like tender fresh juvenile algae, not old tough adult algae. There's more nutrients in the young algae.
Cleaning tanks walls is needed every so often so it's not a bad thing to do and is much better than picking it off a rock, plant etc.
But the fact or the matter is that the herbivores are much more effective against the new growth than established growth. Make it easier for them to goggle up everything and keep on top of it.

Also they preferencially select for the Macro algae by converting algae into NH4/PO4 at low levels to now feed the macro/algae plants.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
algae

algae

the first thing you need to do is find out what is the cause of the algae . It is probable high nutrients {phoshphorus or silicate}
It could be your lighting.
could be a little of both first scrape it brush it whatever and get some cleanup critters.
If your not using ro/di water start. if its your ro unit take a sample to the lfs and ask them to check it.
Get a phoso pad and run it it will help remove the algae nutrients.

But the quickest and easiest and long term solution is a refugium.
 
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