Weird Red Algae

No one has been able to identify this red algae. It is slow growing and damn near impossible to scrub it off the rock. I soaked a rock with it in bleach for hours and then I had to scrub it hard with a brush before it finally came off. Its like to trying to scrub pavement off a highway with a sponge.

I'm trying to find plastic sheeting that cuts off ALL light and wrap the algae with it. I tried double wrapping it with trash bag plastic (1st pic) but the light came through.

Where can I find platic sheeting that will cut-off ALL light????

 

Coralline comes in nearly any color, and is tough to scrape off.

 

I'm guessing the OP is talking about the stringy algae to the second and third pics.

sen you need to treat it like hair algae by controlling phosphate and nitrate in your system. Remove as much as you can and a good clean up crew should help. IME small emerald crabs eat almost all types of algae.

 

It's probably a Asparagopsis species.

 

I have the same type of algae in my tank and the only thing that really works for me is a Turbo Setosus snail, this guy does a pretty good job keeping it under control. The other snails I have don't seem to be able to manage it at all. Caution though, depending on the size of your system and the amount of algae you may only need one or two snails. I had one about a ping pong ball size in my 90 gallon and I still needed to offer it food. I now have another and he is about half that size of the original.

good luck

 

gelidium or a gelidiopsis species maybe? coelthrix spp. also look the same. To get a positive species id on a short wirey red it has to be a very close shot. Probably microscopic...

 

lol --I did not mean the coralline. Yes the red stringy, vine-like algae which has grown out of control since I took those pics. Yeah, my current snails won't touch it. I'm thinking an urchin might eat it.

Also, my 'trates are not even measurable. Understand the red algae is a macro-algae. Its feeding them same way my cheato does. This is not a nitrate/phosphate reduction issue at all. Removing rock and scrubbing it is not an option. I cannot put a Tang in a 29G. I must find something small that will eat it or starve it for light.

 

chaeto is feeding on nitrates and phosphates as well, thats the point of having it in there. If algae is growing you have food for it, the algae is just using it up before you can test for it.

What cleaners have you tried already? Urchin may work but they can be a pain with knocking over corals and such.

 

I have turbos and hermits. I do not have any herbivorous fish. I have not tried the Turbo Setosus.

 

BTW, someone told me they thought the red macro-algae was attractive. If anyone wants some I would be happy to send you a sample.