Is there such a thing as red algae?

[ervine]

Hi guys,

I've been battling green hair algae for some time now and I'm FINALLY winning the battle... however, some of my rocks have been encrusted by some other type of bushy algae or some sorts, it's redish in colour, thin branching like clumps much like a bush of some sorts...

Any idea what it is and how I can deal with it (if it is meant to be dealt with)?

Sorry no pics coz my cam is back in my hostel....

Thanks a lot,

Ervine Lin

[ReeF_LoVeR]

u have cyanobacteria.......

do a secrch on this & you will know..

[Morgan]

If it is not cyano...it can't be bad

[ozy]

Is it cyano? I thought cyano is red and slimy. This one is red too but it is hairly. My FOWLR tank is overgrown with this red hair too. I am not too bothered because the coverage is rather consistent and it looks kind of ok (at least to me) that is why I did not remove them. Anyway some parts of the LR are slowly overgrowing with coraline algae.

[terryansimon]

touch the thing. does it feel slimy to touch?

[ozy]

touch the thing. does it feel slimy to touch?

No it is actually hairy, sort of like hair algae but shorter and "firmer".

I will try to get a pic up.

[ervine]

No not cyno... cyno's slimy and all, this is bushy....

[ervine]

Finally brought back my DC.. here's a pic of what I am talking about.. and BOY this thing is a toughie!! I tried yanking it from the rock but it's clung on so tightly I can hardly get much out...

Advice anyone?

[Morgan]

That just red algae...leave it as they are not cyano.

[ervine]

Yes I know it's not cyno but the thing is it's spreading too fast... over taking space for corals liao.. how?

[Morgan]

Then pull them out if you don't want them.

[CalciumReef]

Tested phosphate or nitrate?Maybe you might want to share what are the readings now....

[ervine]

Tested phosphate or nitrate?Maybe you might want to share what are the readings now....

Nitrates hover around 5mg/l, salifert...

Phosphates untested but running contraphos...

Salinity ~1.025

Temp 26-28 depending on time of day

Ca ~460

kH ~8

pH ~8.2

BTW, I tried pulling out the algae but it's VERY stubborn and impossible to pull out every strand...

[anakjoh]

I don't know much about preventing algae growth but I have a similar problem until I shut down and upgrade my lights. I am quite sure it will come back - only way is to ensure water quality to prevent an outbreak.

No use pulling it out, u may want to crop it temporarily - best if you could remove the affected rock and deal with it outside the tank.

Do update us when you have successfully overcome the prob.

[blacknails]

It actually looks pretty nice leh...

[Morgan]

I personally don't think this algae is a problem as it is not 1 of those nuisance hair algae or cyano.

If it really bother you to have them, simply put a tang in and it will be gone within a day.

[vincegoh]

I agreed. Red algae is Tang's staple food.

[ervine]

Hm... so it's a macro algae gone rogue...

I think it looks okay but the thing is it's snuffing out some of my shrooms, zoos and stuff... quite irritating...

[FuEl]

I've got that algae growing on my rock..my yellow tang prunes it every day.

[KingFish]

Those are tough to pluck.

Go for its food source. I put a piece of rock over mine to block out the light, killed it eventually.

And don't worry about Corraline, yours have reached pest status, so it'll grow back in not time.