mystery macro algae & tank photos

[eeyrg]

http://www.sequester.net/reef/12-2003/index.html
That's the latest and greatest photos on both my tank and my husbands. Both of us are quite pleased with our progress after getting such a horrible start about 1.5 years ago.
Anyway, we've both got a problem with a maco-algae I've been told is shaving brush.
You can see a perfectly clear example of it here on a rock that I'm currently fragging a piece of star polyp on:
http://www.sequester.net/reef/12-200...olup_frag.html
We both are at a loss on how to get rid of it. Pulling it off is quite tedious and it just grows right back. It's even growing on my snails and hermit crabs. Regular dosing (almost constant!) with Kalkwasser has no effect (that wiped out our hair algae problem most quickly.) I thought I saw some emerald crabs chomping on it, but I think they were more after the stuff on the algae itself. Anyone have any suggestions? It's quite unsightly and annoying.
Let me know what you think.

 

[fender]

Are you referring to the green bubbles? Or the hair like stuff?
Looks to me like both a green bubble algae and hair algae problem.
BTW nice pics.

 

[eeyrg]

Originally posted by fender
Are you referring to the green bubbles? Or the hair like stuff?
Looks to me like both a green bubble algae and hair algae problem.
BTW nice pics.
Bubble algae is a pain in the A$$ but slowly going away. It's not hair algae, I've had that, this is much more coarse.
thanks re: photos.

 

[eeyrg]

Originally posted by Kipass4130
looks like you have filamentous hair algae and valonia... could possibly have bryopsis too
best way to get rid of this stuff is control your NO3, PO4, and CO2 levels
how old are your bulbs, what kind, what spectrum
do you have a skimmer... what kind
do you have a refugium with macro algaes?
how long have you had this problem?
I've got perfect water (so says the testing kits), MH less than a year old, Berlin Skimmer, no refugium, problem for about FOREVER, as some of it came on a rock (assume).
My husband does not have a MH or the same skimmer but has the same issue.
How to cure??

 

[beaslbob]

i agree that it is a filaementous algae. to solve the "problem" you really need a refugium, if you consider those macros a pest. Your water quality is good because these macros are constantly filtering you water and processing the nitrates and phosphates. By moving this algae to a refugium you will still process the water with the algae and not have the algae in the display.
Or you could just say OOOOOOO the "plants" look neat and do nothing.

 

[jawfishray]

I think the bubble looks great. I have grown up with those types all over the waters I have been diving. Truthfully, while they are not pink, blue, or electric orange they do have character and do show a healthly environment.
Not what you want to hear I know, but if it were me, I would welcome a mat of bubble algae over barren or brown rock...as a fair amount of reef tanks offer.
Green is good!
That said, I am sure that there is a grazing specialist for the bubble algae. If you are interested, I would be willing to ask around and see if we can come up with a bubble eater.
Ray