nuisance maroon macroalgae

[shanealanbeaty]

I was hoping someone could help me id this filamentous nuisance maroon macroalgae. I would take a picture but it would just look like maroon coraline algae. When you look close it is very fine like less than hair follicle thickness filaments that grows in lighting bolt like paterns that has started to take over my live rock. It has even started growing on my snails and powerheads. I thought at first getting another emerald crab and maybe hermits would do the trick but it hasn't done a thing. Does anyone know what this algae is? More importantly, does anyone know how to combat it? I was thinking that I may need to get somekind of tang with a pointed mouth but wanted to see if anyone else has experienced this first. The only fish I have is a clownfish and blue tang. As always, thanks for anyone's feedback in this matter. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

When you touch it is it slimy? Might be BGA - which technically isn't an algae, its bacteria.

 

[Pickupman66]

Cyano bacteria. it is caused by phosphates in teh water. it does not like high flow. I am battling it myself now.

a Tang wont touch it. I have three that ignore it. the only way to remove it is to get the phosphate out.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Red Turf Algae! And It's a Major pain in the but to get it under control. The Powder Brown Tang seemed to be the only fish i know that ate it, And it will spread like wildfire.
It took over my 185 at one time and i never got it under control until the rock was split up into other systems.
Bill

 

[shanealanbeaty]

Thanks everyone for their feedback. It appears Bill was right. RED TURF ALGAE! Dirty word, dirty word! This stuff is like 18,000 Japanese entrenched at Iwo Gima. I have read that the following have been effective at reducing it:
Diadema Urchin
Royal Urchin
Tuxedo Urchin
Sea Hare
Mexican Turbo
Lawnmower Blenny
Foxface
But the stories out there all seem to contradict another. As if what worked for one fellow reefer did not work for another. I have to get to the bottom of this. lol Dang it!!!!

 

[poolkeeper1]

Sea Hare, Mexican turbo's, Lawnmower Blenny I tried these with no luck but the Turbo snails did eat some of it before they died. And you are correct that everybody says something different about this and how to fight it.
Bill

 

[Pickupman66]

Can you take a photo? ill take one of mine today.

 

[Nashvegas]

chemi clean?

 

[poolkeeper1]

He has described it perfectly, It's like a spider web with no reason or rhyme and spreads out over the rocks especially ones exposed to light. It seems to be fueled by light more than nutrients as I had been dosing Vodka on that system for many years. It is so tough you can hardly scrub it off with a wire brush and if you do it will come right back. Many have torn down tanks over this stuff and i personally can understand why! Good Luck in your battle with this plague as you will need it.
Bill

 

[shanealanbeaty]

I would take a pic but it would do no good. I do not have a camera that would be detailed enough to show this filamentous algae and its growth pattern up close. Not like a normal algae. It seems like the cleaner your water, the more flow, and the more light, the more it thrives. A steel brush probably wouldn't even get it off. This is the first time in reefkeeping that I have ever been scared! ughhhhhhh! dirty word!

 

[Pickupman66]

no worries. I guess I misunderstood the description.

 

[AdrianBryce]

Your best bet is to remove the rock from the tank. Nothing rid of it completely. Of the things you listed only the urchins are likely to eat it, unless you starve your tank and leave that as a last resort food source. Then the urchins will eat it but also cultivate it so that they don't run out of food. And then it will likely grow faster than they can eat it anyway. If getting rid of the rock is not an option, then I suggest taking the rock out and chipping off the portion with the algae. Another, more tedious way is to remove the rock and use a dental pick or other similar tool to pull it off the rock. Under no circumstances do I suggest doing this in the tank. It will be everywhere if you do.

 

[shanealanbeaty]

Thanks for everyones feedback. Bill specially to you in your help identifying the culprit. I was sooooooo freaked out that yesterday I went and bought a diadema urchin on my lunch break hehe. I do not want to jinx it but when I got home from work about 5 hours later there was a 1"x2" trail completely bare on the live rock where the urchin had been. As for physically removing what ever species this is would be completely impossible short of using a blow torch. I will replace the rock if I have to, but I honestly believe that the only way you could ever irradicate this kudzu of the sea would be to start completely over. I can not believe that there are not that many people in our club that have had this stuff.

 

[poolkeeper1]

There have been a few including myself, The best plan of attack would be to remove the rocks you can and bleach them and let them dry out to reuse. Then get the right fish to eat it and all the other way to attack it too. I actually broke coral off the rocks covered in that crud to get them out of the tank and soak them in bleach. In the end that rock went in 2 different tanks and the Red Turf is gone, But it was not easy.
Bill