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FAQs about Red Algae/Rhodophyte Identification 5
Related Articles: Red Algae in General,
Coralline Marine Algae, Avoiding
Algae Problems in Marine System,
Algae Control,
Marine Maintenance, Marine Scavengers,
Snails,
Hermit Crabs,
Mithrax/Emerald Green Crabs, Sea Urchins,
Blennies, Algae Filters,
Ctenochaetus/Bristle Mouth Tangs,
Zebrasoma/Sailfin Tangs, Skimmers,
Skimmer Selection, Marine Algae,
Coralline Algae, Green Algae,
Brown Algae, Blue-Green
"Algae"/(Cyanobacteria), Diatoms,
Brown Algae, Algae as Food,
Related FAQs: Red Algae ID 1,
Red Algae ID 2, Red Algae ID 3,
Red Algae ID 4, Red Algae ID 6,
Red Algae ID 7,
Red Algae ID 8, & Red Algae 1,
Red Algae 2, Red Algae 3,
Red Algae in General,
Red Algae 2, Red Algae 3,
Red Algae Behavior, Red Algae
Compatibility, Red Algae Selection,
Red Algae Systems, Red Algae
Nutrition, Red Algae Disease,
Red Algae Reproduction/Propagation,
Coralline Algae, Marine
Macro-Algae, Use in Aquariums, Algae
as Food, Marine Algae ID 1,
Marine Algae ID 2, Marine Algae
Control FAQs II, Marine Algaecide
Use, Nutrient Limitation,
Marine Algae Eaters, Culturing
Macro-Algae; Controlling:
BGA/Cyano, Red/Encrusting
Algae, Green Algae,
Brown/Diatom Algae, | 
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Red Algae?, ID, 8/14/08
First off, thanks for all the info
that you have on this site to help us stupid people out.
<Not
stupid, just in need of some direction, we've all been there.>
You have helped me out of several issues. Not sure what I have here
as I cannot find a pic on the site. First the basics, 65 gallon reef
tank with live rock and a 25 gallon mud filter system that has been
up and running for over 2 years now. Only 2 fish a maroon clown and
a damsel.
Regular water changes with RO water being the source
and regular chemical maintenance. Lighting is fluorescent on for
about 8 hours a day. This "algae" started in one area and I tried
physical removal which seems to have caused a multiplication of this
growth in large quantities. I have included some photos please
advise if you can identify and what treatments you recommend to slow
or cease its growth depending on the situation. Thank you in advance
for your advice.
Chris
<Is a species of Botryocladia most
likely. I have this in my own tank, does spread but does not seem to
be aggressive as Valonia. Same control as any other algae, nutrient
control, water changes and manual removal. I usually try to snip off
large clusters at their base with scissors or a razor when I do
water changes. It just takes some time and discipline to get it
under control.>
<Chris> | 
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Red algae taking over 30g reef 4/27/08
Hi there,
This is
my first time asking a question on this site although I've referred
to it many times...amazing resource!
<You are a stranger here but
once. Welcome>
I have a 30g reef tank that has been running for
just over a year. I have about 50-60 lbs live rock, 1" aragonite
sand base, a Bak Pak skimmer, 2 MJ900 PHs, and the lighting is 4x39
watt T5HO. I have a variety of corals, mostly softies (zoos,
mushrooms, leathers, GSPs) plus a Platygyra brain coral and a
frogspawn. Most of the corals are doing pretty well. Lots of
coralline on the glass and starting to cover a good portion of the
rocks now. Critters include feather dusters, hermits, a variety of
snails (Nassarius, Astraea, Cerith and Nerite), a serpent star, a
cleaner shrimp and 2 fish, a Pygmy angelfish and a Falco Hawkfish.
Until just recently I also had a 6 line wrasse but he went carpet
surfing despite the egg-crate on the tank :-( I do biweekly 5 gallon
water changes, my SW is made with DI water and Reef Crystals.
<Sounds/reads very nice>
My problem is a nuisance red macroalgae
that is taking over my tank. I can't seem to find any pictures
online that resemble this stuff close enough to make an ID. It's
driving me nuts.....shading and bothering some of the corals and
catches lots of detritus. I yank out as much as I can but it grows
on everything, including the glass, the powerheads as well as the
rocks. Interestingly, some rocks in the tank seem to be more
affected by it, while others are relatively clean.
<A clue...
what sorts of properties here would favor the algae? Or disfavor it
on the others?>
I have 4 rocks that came from Tampa Bay saltwater
and they do not have any of this stuff on them. I don't know what I
can do to get this stuff under control; my tank is too small for a
tang, and none of my current critters will touch it. Was thinking of
Turbos or maybe an urchin but I'd really like to get an ID on this
stuff before I make any bad decisions involving a critter.
Pic
attached.....thank you for your help!
-Brooke
<Is almost
certainly a "true" Rhodophyte... my guess is on the genus Fauchea,
or of its Order. Please see here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/redalgae.htm
and the linked files above re
Control (Compatibility). Bob Fenner>
Brooke Longval
Marine
Ecosystems Research Laboratory
Graduate School of Oceanography
University of Rhode Island
Narragansett, RI 02882 | 
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mystery growth – 03/20/08
Hi,
<Mike>
I have searched in
vain for something to help me ID this red growth. My clowns seem to like
it and it's off in a corner of my reef and growing slowly. Any ideas?
Mike
<Is a Rhodophyte, a Red Algae... perhaps a Rhodymenia... Read
here: http://wetwebmedia.com/redalgidfaqs.htm
and the linked files
above. Bob Fenner> | 
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Please help ID this: Nemastoma - 2/24/08
Hi WWM crew,
<Good
evening, Mitch!>
I noticed some type of growth from my live rock in
the last few weeks, and wanted to see if you had any thoughts as to what
it may be. <Okay> I first thought it was a macro algae,
<Heeee! First
impressions are often correct!>
..but it looks more like an animal,
with its sheen and what looks like cell structure. Tank (180) is doing
great, SPS growing well, all levels good. I am thinking this is a good
thing, just have no clue what the new life is.
<It’s a red algae
called Nemastoma, and I think very pretty! Please see the FAQ/photo at
this link under the title “Red Algae IDs 8/2/03” for comparison:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/redalgfaqs.htm >
Thanks for your
thoughts.......
Mitch
<You’re very welcome! Take care, -Lynn> | 
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ID please: Rhodophyta - 1/5/08
Hello Crew,
<Hi Kelsey!>
After much searching, I have not been able to figure out this "weed"
that has been growing rampantly in my tank. First, tank specs: The tank
is a 24"x24"x20"h lit with 250W HQI. I have a refugium, skimmer and
closed loop with an OM 4-way and carbon running in a reactor. The Live
Rock was ordered from Fiji in April uncured. I cured the rock in bins
and set up the tank in July. I have been manually removing as much as
possible but this stuff is everywhere.
<Yikes!>
Any help as to
what it is good or bad, and what the proper control for it would be
greatly appreciated.
<It looks like a Rhodophyte of some variety. I
saw a couple of photos of Acanthophora spicifera that looked similar
(http://www.sms.si.edu/irLspec/Acanth_spicif.htm), but there are other
possibilities as well (Hypnea, Laurencia, Chondria). All are known to be
around Fiji. Bottom line is that in your case, this species is invasive
and you need to get the upper hand on it!>
Is there any biological
control or just manual removal?
<Best thing to do is track
down/eliminate the root cause of the rampant growth. Make sure you’ve
got your nutrient level under control and employ aggressive manual
removal. Please see this link, as well as, related links at the top re:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nutrientcontrol.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/avoidingalgaeproblesm.htm .>
As always,
thanks for your insight and time.
<You’re very welcome! I know what
it’s like to fight an invasive algae. It can be frustrating and time
consuming, but with enough determination you’ll get through it!>
Kelsey Azar
Houston, TX
<Take care –Lynn> | 
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Red / Purple/ Maroon Hair Algae? Nutrient Control 11/15/2007
Hi
WWM crew.
<Hello Jurgen, Mich with you tonight.>
I've been reading
and your site for a while now, and has given me tons of information when
I was setting up my first reef tank.
<Glad you have benefited.>
It's been almost a year now, and it seems to be doing great.
<Happy
to hear!>
But now, I need some expert help and guidance myself.
<OK.>
I've got this annoying algae growing in a few spots. It started
to appear in some very high flow areas at first (sump return area, on
the rocks in front of my closed loop outlets)
but in the last couple
of weeks I see it appear in some other random spots on my rocks. It's
not growing very fast, but it is slowly but surely growing.
<Happens.>
so far, nothing seems to make it go away.
<Nutrient
control is usually the key. Some suggestions here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nutrientcontrol.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/scottsh2ochgart.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/watchgantart.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/water.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/refugium.htm >
my water parameters seem to
be all right.
<Vague.>
- 90-gallon tank, with 29g sump.
- EV180
skimmer
- plenty of random water movement using an oceans motions
device and some small MaxiJet placed inside the tank.
- 8 x 54W T5
lighting; 4 bulbs (two actinic, one aquablue, one actinic+) on for 8
hours a day, all 8 (two more aquablue and two more actinic+) on for 5
hours)
- do a "reasonable" water change every weekend, sometimes
(depending on my schedule) every other weekend.
- only use RO/DI
water that tests at 0
- nitrates tested <5 mg/L (Hagen Nutrafin kit)
- phosphates tested undetectable (Salifert kit)
- SG is 1.025
-
temp is steady at 78F 24/7
All my corals (LPS, SPS, zoas, mushrooms)
seem to be doing just great.
<Good.>
I barely have any hair algae
at all (lawnmower blenny starved to death unfortunately)
<Very sad.
I'm sorry for you both.>
The only algae that I seem to be able to
grow is this nasty purple stuff, and some bubble algae, which my emerald
crabs won't eat either, but that is not as annoying right now.
<Keep
on top of the Valonia, it can become problematic.>
none of my
herbivores seem to even look at it either;
<Not surprising.>
I
have a few scarlet hermits, a few blue-legged hermits, Cerith and
Astraea snails (I believe one of the Astraea had this red hair on the
shell when I got them, getting it into my tank that way)
<Many
possibilities.>
emerald crabs don't look at it, Tomini tang doesn't
look at it...
<OK.>
I don't feed very much, and not very often.
three to four times a week, one cube of frozen food (nicely rinsed
first) and some live brine every now and then.
<The brine have little
to no nutritional value.>
some pellet food every now and then, but
more as a snack, nothing to fill them up with.
<OK.>
I'm attaching
two images, I hope you can help me out and point me in the right
direction to get rid of this stuff, before it takes over the tank.
<Looks like red hair algae, possibly Polysiphonia.>
PS: yesterday, I
threw two things in my sump,
<Hmm, hopefully they were things that
belonged there!>
just in case it might help, as I don't think that it
will hurt at this point.
- a bag of Kent Phosphate sponge (the
ceramic type media) will replace that one tonight with a new batch.
-
a 100ml bag of Purigen (will leave that one in there until it starts to
discolor)
Best regards,
Jurgen.
<Please next time use proper
capitalization, i.e. "I" not "I"
Cheers,
Mich> | 
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Gracilaria Questions, species IDs
9/6/07
Hi Crew,
Let me start off with the obligatory "you
guys rock" complement (because you do).
<Haha thanks>
I've asked
you a handful of questions since I started reefing and have always been
given solid advice. I always feel a bit intrusive about asking another
question, but I promise I looked high and low for the answer to this
one. If I never see another scientific paper again, it'll be too soon.
I'm hoping others will find this question useful to them. <:-)>
So
here goes. What's the difference between Gracilaria parvispora and
Gracilaria Pacifica?
<Not much. They're very similar and both have
the same common name "Ogo." They branch a little differently and are
each more common in different areas (Gracilaria parvispora is from
Hawaii).>
Is one better for tangs than the other?
<I highly doubt
it.>
I'd like to switch the macro I use for nutrient export over to
Gracilaria
<probably a bad idea>
(currently using Chaeto) but not
sure which to go with (or if it even matters?) I plan on feeding some of
the extra growth to my tangs and blue-faced angel, who all eat tons of
Nori at the moment.
<Aquaculture of this stuff is difficult. The
mariculture farms that grow it float baskets of it in ocean water.>
I
know Indo-Pacific Reef Farms is always highly recommended, and they seem
to be the only ones that carry G. parvispora, but it's really expensive!
<Hmm... G. parvispora is common. It's eaten by people too. Try looking
for "Ogo.">
Every other online dealer I've found carries G. Pacifica
at reasonable prices but no G. parvispora in sight except for at IPSF.
Should I save my money or is there a reason to splurge on G. parvispora?
<Unless you're going to eat it yourself, I see no reason to insist on G.
parvispora.>
Also, any quick tips on growing? I plan on putting it
where my Chaeto currently is, which sees about 1200gph tumbling in from
the display above-very turbulent and bubbly. For lighting I'm currently
using a 32W 6500k fluorescent screw-in about three inches from the
water's surface.
It has a good reflector, and I run it on a 12 hour
photo period. In case you ask, I have a clear acrylic lid between the
light and the water so it doesn't splash up.
<See above. I wouldn't
even bother trying to grow it in a home aquarium.>
Best to you all,
Wes Shive
<Best,
Sara M.>
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