ID Algae for me...(and help me get rid of it).

[Chuck H.]

Have this reddish/brown fine hair-like algae on several of my LRs at the bottom half of my reef tank:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChuckH/P1231048.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChuckH/P1231047.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ChuckH/P1231041.jpg

What am I dealing with and how can I get rid of it?

My parameters are good, no detectable nitrates or phosphates, pH stays steady at 8.2, alk is 11 dkh, mag 1360, calcium 420. Lights are T5, 18" UVL only running since Labor Day so they should be fine for several more months I hope.

I prefer to get a CUC species to take care of this, right now I only have a few small hermits and a few snails, perhaps I need to add more or something different. I do at least 2 or 3, 3 gallon WCs a month using Reef Crystals. Top off and WC source water is bottled distilled.

Any advice is appreciated.

[tkeracer619]

Looks like pink cotton candy. Not sure of the official name.

You probably won't have a clean up crew that can take care of it.

You have phosphates. There are no test kits that will give you a correct reading if you have algae in the tank. It grows on phosphates.

Hit the tank hard with GFO and manually remove it.

If you don't manually remove it you won't get it out of the system and it will take a whole lot of GFO.

[dzhuo]

Anotrichium barbatum (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=585144).

[Chuck H.]

Anotrichium barbatum (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=585144).

Thanks! Just read that entire thread! I guess I'll try a couple of Mexican Turbos first, maybe add some more Astrea and Cerith snails as well. Not going to try an urchin, yet, but I guess it could come to that. My little Pygmy does nip at it, but like some mentioned in the other thread, he's probably just getting algae that's growing on it off and not actually eating it.