Turf Algae

I have had a very slow growing green algae in my tank since I set it up. It has been up for just about a year and my p4 and nitrates are undetectable (bought a new test kit because I didnt belive the old one).

It isnt normal hair algae which I normally think of as long and flowing and greenish brown. It is short and very slow growing but nothing eats it. It actually reminds me of the grass on a golf course. I have turbo snales, cerith snails, hermit crabs and a lawnmower blenny and nothing will touch it. I even tried using a sea hair for a couple weeks but since he didnt eat the algae I took it back to the store.

I will get pics up this evening after work but I'm curious if anyone knows what it is and what will eat it. I spent two hours ripping the stuff off with pliers last weekend after doing a 10% water change. Dont worry, I was doing it in the waste water from the water change and rinsed it as well as possible after ripping and then scrubbing with a nylon brush.

 

Ok I took a couple bad pictures of the algae after I ripped it off the rocks.

 

Here is another one.

 

Wow, that does look like a piece of lawn.

Bumb

 

Has it always been submerged? Also is it course and thick (like a bristle almost?) or softer?

Keep it in the sump if you have one - that stuff works wonders. (Or send it to me

 

It has always been submerged. It us pretty course and grows in a very dense matt. It also does slowly spread to anything near it. I did keep the piece I took pictures of in my fuge until I find out what it is.

Anyone know of a fish or invert that likes to eat this stuff? Heck, does anyone know exactly what it is?

 

Does anyone know what it is? I have a rock I do t want to rip it off of due to some other life but I really don't want it to spread.

 

If it is hard and rough it is a form of turf algae. Maiden's hair looks similar to it, but is much softer. Turf algae works great at sucking extra nutrients out of the water - if you don't mind the look of it keep it. It is also a great place for pods to hang out.