Please, I need help with identifying this!!!

[jszebra]

This dark red or brownish substance began growing in my 150 gallon tank. It started as a circle and began to grow and grow. It is slowly taking over all the rocks in my tank. It is not red algae. I treated my tank with Red Slime, and it did not do anything. I tried to scrape it off. It is very hard and I wasn't able to scrape any off. It covers like a paint. I believe my snails are beginning to die. My cleaner shrimp is now nowhere to be found. I have tested my water, everything tests OK including phosphates, and salinity. Its ugly and I believe that it is killing the creatures that climb rocks. Hope these pictures help, but I will be willing to do whatever else I can to get this IDed and out of my tanks. Thanks for your help.

JD

[jszebra]

Here is the pictures!http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/137058DSC00831.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/137058DSC00829.jpg

[jkreefer]

Lobophora sp. - brown wafer algae.

[jszebra]

thanks for the idea on Lobophora. All that I have read about Lobophora is it is a leafy type of brown algae. This stuff grows no leafs, is not hairy and cover the surface of the rocks. Is this still a lobophora sp. and if so what can I do to rid the tank of it? I heard a Diadema might do it. Any suggestions?

[wicked_NaCl_h2o]

Is it like sheets of this? I think the only way you might be able to get rid of this... is to take the rocks out and scrub them down in the water you take out of the tank durring water changes. Use a new tooth brush or new kitchen scrubber to scrub it off the rocks. I have had this stuff on my rocks before. I can't tell you what it is but thats how I got rid of it. Also weekly 10% water changes has prevented it from coming back

[Cristi]

It is lobophora and is difficult to get rid of. I have some in my tank, but it has pretty much stayed on just a few rocks and not spread throughout the tank. I can scrape it off with something sharp, but it usually comes back in that spot. It has no effect on your snails or shrimp. It would not be causing them to die. I have heard that sometimes the Diadema will eat it, but I have not tried one in my tank.

[Quis]

I had lobophora in my tank at one point. At first it was on a rock for six months then out of now where it started to take over my tank. About 80% of my rocks was coverd with it, and it started to kill my zoa's. Someone on RC told me to get a Naso tang. At first I didn't want to get one, because my tank was only a 40 breeder at the time. One day I went to my LFS and saw a Naso that was about 2-3" so I bought it, because everthing else that I have tried fail. Within a day the Naso started eating the lobophora, and within a month there were no lobophora to be found in the tank. After a month he look like a pig. He's now in my 120 and is about 4" now.