What is this stuff?

[Matt Sable]

I bought some LR from a hobbyist selling his tank. It had filamentous algae growing all over it, but it was so I cheap I had to get it {I'm on a pretty tight budget}. I scrubbed the LR with a bristle brush before putting it in the tank to get rid of the filamentous algae. Well, the scrub brush pretty much got rid of all the filamentous algae, but when I put it in the tank there was still some kind of algae on the rock. It's obviously pretty tough stuff to survive the scrubbing. Here's a description: it grows in small patches{about half a centimeter in diameter} all over my LR, it's a maroon purple color, and it's fuzzy{ the "fuzz" stands just a few millimeters tall}. The LR also has small patches of coralline and encrusting coralline. I wanted to know if it was a pest algae or what. All searches for what I've got have been fruitless, so any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!

 

[sumpinhabitant]

Can you post some pics?

 

[TippyToeX]

Pictures would sure help.

Maybe some kind of red turf algae. Is it really rough to the touch?

 

[Matt Sable]

It isn't rough. It feels soft, almost felt-like. Here's the picture{the quality is pathetic}. The Pic is too blurry to see exactly how fuzzy the algae really is.

 

[Matt Sable]

Anbody?

 

[rustyf88]

Looks like turk algae to me also. Try boiling the rock. There are threads on here(Reef Central) on how to boil it.

 

[rustyf88]

Sorry, TURF ALGAE!

 

[moses13]

Got any snails or hermits?

 

[Matt Sable]

The tank only has 1 white-legged hermit, 1 large key-hole limpet, and 1 small key-hole limpet so far. Is turf algae a pest{able to overgrow corals,etc.}? Are their any fish or inverts that would eat this algae? Thanks!

 

[goulding.c]

I would try to starve it. phosphorous removers, maintain 0 nitrates, and add many differant types of snails hermits that might eat it.

 

[Matt Sable]

Starving it won't be hard. I don't have any fish, never tested any nitrates, have several different species of macroalgae, and just got a skimmer today. Looks like luck is shining on me:thumbsup:! If anybody has any more suggestions they would be appreciated!

 

[goulding.c]

be patiente. It took al ong time for my algea blooms to get under control but it eventually all worked out good. Sorry spelling and I don't get along.

 

[KDodds]

Friend of mine has "battled" a very similar (if not the same) algae for quite some time now. Personally, I don't see what the problem is since his doesn't grow in low flow areas (so it can't trap detritus), and it's not really invasive (at least no more than coralline), and doesn't seem to bother corals. The only thing in his tank that eats it is the Emerald Crabs.

 

[Matt Sable]

As long as it doesn't bother corals, and/or totally cover the LR; I won't mind it. After all is isn't ugly or anything. Though, since my tank doesn't have it's first fish, I might get some emerald crabs to mow it down a bit. Then remove them{if they aren't reef-safe and fish-safe} once I get my jawfish quarrantined.