Whats growing on my rocks?

[ricwilli]

Some kind of roots/weeds is growing on my rocks. Does anyone know what it is and how I can get rid of it? I have to clean the rocks every week. I would like to cure the rocks that have it but some of the rocks have shrooms and sponges attached to them. If I keep the rocks in a dark container for two or three weeks, will the shrooms and sponges die?

 

[Michael7979]

Looks like some sort of macro algae.

 

[alten78]

looks like what melev has id' on his page:

http://melevsreef.com/id/red_algae.html

 

[livingcorals]

red turf algae...sorry man

Scrub it off- If you can remove the rock from your tank and scrub it this works.If you cant remove the rock forget it the little fragments that get lost just repopulate wherever they get stuck even filter intakes!

Increase Flow- No effect

Turbo Snails- They actually do eat the stuff but I swear it grows faster than they eat it! They often eat a path enroute to the glass or somewhere else for another food source.

Tangs- BINGO!! Problem solved I've had my yellow tang for less than a month and it has literally decimated the turf algae.It will graze constantly all day on this stuff.it squeezes itself into the smallest places it can in order to get to it!!He also likes caulerpa,dried seaweed,and frozen foods but he LOVES the red turf!

So I hope this helps anyone else with the RED SCOURGE. I'm not saying everyone should go buy a tang if you dont have a large enough tank for one.
Perhaps you can buy a tiny one and return it later or give it to someone with a much larger tank 75gal+? Or you can do as I did and switch your 20L into a 55 just to keep him for a while longer!!

Also sea urchins of the long spine variety are about the only animal that will regularly munch on it

 

[livingcorals]

Sorry this might also help, http://www.wetwebmedia.com/redalgcompfaqs.htm

Good luck buddy.

 

[ricwilli]

THANK YOU......THANK YOU......THANK YOU...... Liningcorals for iding this algae. I've been battling this algae for months. I thought it would go away on its own. I currently have a 72 gal tank and my 120 is sitting in my garage. I will be upgrading soon, so the yellow tang should be OK for two months.

OK, since I have so much of it, will I have to feed the yellow tang any other food or will it be OK with the algae?

 

[livingcorals]

Its always good to give a few selections for food. Not a menu but just a few.
Dried seaweed or dried algae using a clip. Sometimes accept flake, pellet foods as well.

Good to keep just one tang in there because they use the blades at the base of their tales to slap at each other.