ID this marco algae please (pics)

[heller792]

hi, can someone please ID this macro algae. I want to know if it should stay or go. I dont want it becoming a pest weed.

http://i354.photobucket.com/albums/r413/heller792/IMG_1526.jpg

[BuddhaKiss]

I have the same algae in my sump and its been growing pretty good. The guy at the LFS said its a type of caulerpra.

[landlord]

Without any fish to keep that in check it will indeed grow like a weed. At least in most aquariums it does. Tangs, dwarf angels, emerald crabs and many others are known to feed on it. I personally used a yellow tang and a bicolor angel to completely remove it from 180 lbs of liverock that I slow transfered from my old planted marine tank to my reef.

[discocarp]

Definitely caulerpa. Possibly caulerpa serrulata.

[heller792]

do I leave it or take it out guys? the only herbivore I have is a mythric crab and he seems happy enough scraping algae from the rocks

[discocarp]

Take it out. Belongs in a refugium or nowhere IMO. Can be a nightmare once established if you don't have a tang or something to eat it.

[heller792]

cheers, will take it of the rock tonight

[discocarp]

You will probably need to use tweezers. Get all the footholds or it will come back. Good luck!

[SWaquariast]

It looks like kelp to me.

[BuddhaKiss]

I keep it in my sump with some Chaeto. Some strands do get sucked up into my display but haven't seen any outbreaks...and I don't have any herbivores either...guess I'm just lucky.