Red Turf Algae?

[daginsu]

Ok, so we have had a tank at work for about a year now. Well, we started out with an old 38 gallon and upgraded to a new 45 gallon several months ago. However, over the course of the past year we have had a few cyano outbreaks that we have been able to control with water changes and vacuuming/manual removal. During these outbreaks we had a red furry growth (see pictures) on the rocks that I also assumed was another type cyano. However, I believe it to be something else now after doing more research and that it isn't (directly) related to the cyano issues.

The closest thing I can find (and finding images is extremely difficult) is probably red turf algae. Or maybe "cotton candy" algae, which I hope it's not because it sounds like that stuff is a nightmare.

I am able to brush the algae off with a stiff brush for the most part, but it just breaks up and moves throughout the system. We have quite a bit of flow (~1000 gph), our nitrate levels stay in the 10-15 ppm level and we do top-offs and water changes with RO. The tank has fish, soft corals, and your typical invertebrate cleaners.

Mainly I am trying to find out for sure what this stuff is and if there is a consensus on how to get rid of it.

Thanks,
Kenny

[brubinfeld]

i would get a sea hare as he eat all mine up ... but sell or trade him before he starves

[daginsu]

Anyone else have any ideas?

Not that I'm against the sea hares, although I have read a few things about them going toxic (when stressed or dying) or starving when they are out of algae which kinda scares me. I'm really just trying to verify what it is before I decide how to treat it.

[O'Man]

Mexican Turbos

[daginsu]

We have some Mexican Turbo snails and they don't seem to touch it. There's also a "Bristletooth Tang" (Ctenochaetus striatus) and a Bicolor Blenny that seem to ignore it.

The more I read about red turf, the more I think this is something else. From what I've read on RC and elsewhere, red turf is hard/stiff and difficult to remove from the rocks. While this stuff can be removed fairly easily with a stiff brush and it seems fairly soft as it "collapses" when it's out of the water.

I guess we could invest in a few more turbo snails, but again I would like to know what this stuff is before I go and buy more creatures.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

[frungkis]

The Turbos will be your best bet. I had a huge outbreak in my tank, I went to the LFS and bought 2 dozen Mexican Turbos. I got a variety of them (i.e. zebras, golden, etc.) in the hopes that at least one kind would eat the stuff. It took a while but the outbreak is gone now. I traded most of the snails back into the LFS but hung on to a few of them to keep the stuff from coming back. I never did see them actually eat the algea, but the stuff started going away after I introduced them into the tank. It did tank a while to go away though. (2-3 months)

[stanlalee]

thats not red turf. doesn't seem like you have alot yet. Dont brush it off the rock unless you remove the rock from the tank first. use tweezers and try to limit loose pieces. do you use any phosphate removal media? I think I'd remove it manually if possible (even if it means taking the rock out one by one over a bucket unless coral placement makes it not possible) then invest in an inexpensive media reactor to keep it at bay. I am unable to ID it though but I know thats not red turf in the pics.

this is red turf
http://dubfidub.homestead.com/30gallonsetup139.jpg

[ChadTheSpike]

How about an urchin?

[sohal1025]

I think an urchin is a hit or miss. I have two tanks and two urchins. One eats alot of algea but not the other. Not sure why.

[luther1200]

Looks like some kind of red Bryopsis more than Red Turf, IMO. But I am not sure if there is red Bryopsis.

[daginsu]

Thanks for everyone's input and suggestions.

As much of a pain as it will be, I definitely like the idea of brushing the stuff off outside of the tank. We had used Phoslock in the past and then stopped for one reason or another, but we have added it back to the system.

The outbreak actually is in several areas of the tank, but I took closer pictures to help with the ID. I would say that this stuff is on at least 75% of the rock, not totally covering it but growing sporadically on many different pieces.

I guess I will look into adding some Turbos to the mix as they are fairly cheap and easy to find and it seems to be somewhat of a consensus here so far that they will help to some degree. One of the people at the LFS said to get a Foxface Rabbitfish to take care of this, but we are already overstocked and would have to trade in some of our existing fish to put him in. And I know it would outgrow the 45 before too long.

And it's funny that one of you mention Bryopsis, because we actually do have a very small colony of that stuff growing on one of the rocks. We have been manually removing that as well and so far it is fairly contained.

Edit: I briefly read about the media reactor idea...I am new at this, but I have never heard of this device. Is this a fairly common addition to an aquarium? FYI, the only filtration we have right now is a Penguin Bio-Wheel (sized for up to a 55 gallon) and a Bak-pak style protein skimmer (which we are looking at replacing with the CPR AeroForce). I would obviously like to spend the money to get the best bang for my buck whether it be adding livestock, a media reactor, or upgrading/replacing some of our existing equipment.

[luther1200]

Yes media reactors are very common. I would recommend running a TLF Phosban reactor. But I would get the GFO from www.bulkreefsupply.com they are great. I use the HC-high capacity and it has worked wonders for me. I hear the regular is vgery good also.

[poolkeeper1]

It looks like a type of red lettuce Algae and If so a Tang will devour It! You are very luck It's not red turf because It's Impossible to get rid of short of bleaching the rocks In Clorox. Try a tang you may be surprised and It will be gone.
Bill

[daginsu]

Thanks for the info on the media reactor luther, I will check that out if it comes to that.

As far as the red lettuce idea, I have only been able to find one picture of "red lettuce algae" online and it didn't look anything like what we have in the tank. We already have a Bristletooth Tang (Striated Surgeonfish) and he doesn't touch the stuff.

I bought some LR for my tank at home from the same LFS that we get stuff for our tank at work at and it had some red algae on it that looks similar (it might not be the same stuff), but my turbo snails devoured it in a matter of hours. The LFS also have the same exact red algae in a few of their tanks and they swear that the Foxface Rabbitfish clears it up.

So, I guess I'm going to go with the turbos for now, but just in case does anyone have any comments/suggestions about the Foxface Rabbitfish?

[daginsu]

Well, the Turbos don't seem to be eating this stuff. I guess the next step is to trade in a few fish and get the Foxface.

Wish me luck :spin3:


Oh yeah, and we ended up getting the CPR AeroForce. It appears to be working a bit better than the BakPak we had, however it seems to only like to skim "wet" and no matter where we position the cup it just won't skim dry. Since we have this tank at work that is a problem, because the cup gets really full and has overflowed a few times over the weekend.

[daginsu]

Just an update in case anyone is still interested (if anyone ever was :)). We got the Foxface Rabbitfish this past Friday and he is still alive, so that is a step in the right direction. He seems to spend most of his time hiding in the LR, but he did come out to eat some Mysis earlier and I have seen him a few times. I have not seen him eating the red algae-like growth yet so I will just have to keep an eye on it.

I'll come back and post within the next couple of weeks and let everyone know how it's going.

[daginsu]

Ok, I guess this is the last update. The good news is that the Foxface Rabbitfish devoured the red algae growth whatever it might have been. There are a few remnants here and there, but for the most part he is taking care of it rather well.

The bad news is that he eats almost EVERYTHING. I noticed that he loves the mysis and the pellets that we feed them which isn't that big of a deal. However, he also LOVES to eat our xenias and has almost wiped out a couple of our colonies. At this point I'm not sure whether to sacrifice the xenia to keep the red algae under control or take the fish out before he starts munching on some other soft coral.

Trade one problem for another I guess right?

[Lyfey]

I loved xenia at first too when I first started, it took over my tank very quickly and I had to get rid of it.

what is the list of your parameters? What is the flow in your tank? what livestock do you have? What lighting?