ID Please- Algae?

beckzilla

Member
Could someone please ID this hairy green stuff and funny looking plant. My Tang and LMB wont touch it so I am wondering if it is algae or not? If it is bad, please inform on how to get rid of.
 

nm reef

Active Member
beckzilla...the first two pics look like the dreaded bryopsis to me.....it can quickly develop into a major pest. I fought it for about 18 months and finally managed to get rid of it after running rowa phos for 3 months. It hasn't returned and I hope it never does. The leafy green stuff in the third may be some sort of halimida.....a calcium consuming algae that poses no major problems other than depleting calcium levels.....not sure on the growth on the snail...but it too may be bryopsis.....
 

stuckinfla

Active Member
I agree with NM....I have a 55 at home that looks like a Chia Pet....all from less than 1 1/2 years. It is to the point that I have all but given up. Take the rock, snail and whatever else out & pull as much as possible.....then rinse before putting back in. If you try to pull under water, little strands will go through the columns and attach to other rocks. Run the Phos sponge too. What are your Phosphate levels? My mistake was using tap water for almost 6 years and not pulling it as soon as it started. The thing about this stuff is that you really cant see it growing until it looks like your front lawn.
 

epetrosian

New Member
ok buddy I had those too I used algone and a fox face buy a fox face fish. spend the money get a good size that is storng and your problem will go away.:jumping:
 

beckzilla

Member
Thanks guys, yea it does look like a Chia pet on my PH. So I will start pulling it out carefully. Will a phosphate sponge alone do the trick or should I do more? NM, is rowa phos a sponge or something else? Can i assume that this is not a result of too much lighting? Now that I look at pic #4 closer, it kind of looks like Phyllis Dillers head.
 

beckzilla

Member

Originally posted by epetrosian
ok buddy I had those too I used algone and a fox face buy a fox face fish. spend the money get a good size that is storng and your problem will go away.:jumping:

Did the Algone work for you because I have some of that stuff left over from my FW tank. Is it harmful at all to SW tanks?
 

nm reef

Active Member
What eventually worked for me was a combination of things. Increased circulation...expanded refugium (with caluperas and chaeto)...manual removal every few days....and running rowaphos in a phosban reactor non-stop for about 3 months. All those steps combined allowed me to finally be rid of the nasty stuff. I've since removed the phosban reactor and have gone back to running carbon once a month for 4-5 days. Rowaphos is a great product designed to remove all traces of phosphates...much differnt than phosphate or nitrate sponge materials...and in my opinion much more effective.
 

clarkiiboi

Active Member
Just wanted to add (incase you didn't realize) in pic 3 it looks like bubble algea growing also, another dreaded algea. Go with what NM said for the other.
 

beckzilla

Member

Originally posted by ClarkiiBoi
Just wanted to add (incase you didn't realize) in pic 3 it looks like bubble algea growing also, another dreaded algea. Go with what NM said for the other.

Yea, I forgot to mention that I have bubble algae also but my Emerald crab is taking his damn sweet time getting rid of it for some reason.
 
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