Red coraline, or something else?

[carlo]

I've been researching, and it looks like this red stuff is a type of coraline algae. However, I'm a little paranoid because I had a very hard time dealing with Red Turf algae on my old setup.

This stuff is hard, stuck on the rocks, and is slowly spreading. It isn't velvety in texture per se, but maybe it's a little too early to tell.

Have any of you seen this type of algae, and do you believe it is red coraline?

After further research I think this stuff is Lithothamnion algae, however I may be wrong. If I don't want it in the tank, would you have any suggestions on how to remove it?

 

[BigAl07]

I'm not positive on the ID but I had that exact same algae in my 90g tank for over 3 years and it just looked better and better with time. I got a ton of compliments over it because of it's rich deep color.

 

[mbdave]

Same here I have had that stuff several times, I was not convinced it was coraline, but I can't remember it ever being a problem.

 

[seafansar]

I have the same algae in my tank and never had any problems with it. If it's not coraline, it at least acts like it.

 

[soco]

I have had that in the tank I just tore down and it was i both brown and red like that. It was fine and acted just like coralline

 

[gr8oldreef]

I have this same type of what I think also is coralline algae and really like how it looks. The rest of your tank looks magnificent and I don't think you have any worries. You could be battling cyanobactor creep like me, so... count your blessings...

 

[carlo]

Thank you very much for the comments.

Unfortunately at this point I think I'd rather be dealing with Cyano than whatever this stuff is. In the past couple of weeks it's been getting worse. Some areas are starting to become bushy (almost like a velcro) so I'm leaning towards it being a type of turf algae. I had an extremely hard time dealing with it on my last build, so now I'm trying to find any solution on how to get rid of it.

lighting is new,
phosphates are at zero,
I have about 5-10ppm of nitrates (so I'll be increasing my water changes to 15 gallons a week in the hopes that things get better).

I heard of some tangs, (which I can't add to the existing setup), Urchins, mexican turbos... We'll see how it goes.

I may sound liek a paranoid nut, but that turf stuff is freaken hell to deal with...

 

[BigAl07]

Turf Algae SUCKS! I know first hand it sucks! You're much better off to address it early on and often!

Carlo what size tank is this? How much water are you changing now and how often?

In regards to Nitrate Reduction check out the NO3 message in my signature . . .

I'd try to get to the root of the problem (what's feeding it) at the same time as aggressive manual removal.

 

[seafansar]

I still think most of what you pictured is the same stuff we all have in our tanks, but I do see what you are talking about in the third picture off to the right. That does look like red turf algae. I had that in my old tank. It only grew a few places and then all died out, so I'm not sure how to help you with that unfortunately. I would zap those aiptasia when you get the time.

 

[carlo]

Turf Algae SUCKS! I know first hand it sucks! You're much better off to address it early on and often!

Carlo what size tank is this? How much water are you changing now and how often?

In regards to Nitrate Reduction check out the NO3 message in my signature . . .

I'd try to get to the root of the problem (what's feeding it) at the same time as aggressive manual removal.

Thanks Al,

the tank is a 90 g. with 120lb of live rock (probably more). It goes through a 45 gallon fuge and a 50 g. sump. (I have a build thread somewhere ). This stuff is horrible!!! I have a 6 stage RODI unit with Chlorimine remover, and I recently setup a vertex biopellet reactor.

The tank is still pretty new (since beg. of Jan. 2011) and in that time I did 3 15 g. water changes .

I'll be increasing those water changes to once a week and see if anything changes.

I still think most of what you pictured is the same stuff we all have in our tanks, but I do see what you are talking about in the third picture off to the right. That does look like red turf algae. I had that in my old tank. It only grew a few places and then all died out, so I'm not sure how to help you with that unfortunately. I would zap those aiptasia when you get the time.

Thanks... Some of that red stuff does look great, it may be coraline which I hope it is. . . But seeing that turf grow is discouraging. I tried my best to avoid any algae problems on this build. . . Hopefully mine will die off as well in time.

I have three peppermints in the tank, they got rid of most of the aiptesia, but left the larger ones alone. I should get rid of those larger pieces. Thanks for the advice.

 

[mgraf]

I have some in my 65, I think it is cool. One point, I always see little colinista (sp) snails on it when lights are out, I believe they are grazing on it.

 

[EricTheRed]

I have the same stuff in my tank. I was very worried at first but it hasn't done anything bad. However, I noticed that zoas and poly's wont grow on it. I actually had to take a few pieces of rock out and scrap it off when it started encroaching on my zoas. If it flakes off like a hard calcified crust, then its a type of coraline, if it brushes off it is something else.