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FAQs about Green Macro-Algae Identification 4
Related Articles: Embracing
Biodiversity, Green Algae By Mark E. Evans,
Green Algae, Green Algae 2, Avoiding
Algae Problems in Marine System,
Algae Control,
Marine Maintenance, Nutrient
Control and Export, Marine Scavengers,
Snails,
Hermit Crabs,
Mithrax/Emerald Green Crabs, Sea Urchins,
Blennies, Algae Filters,
Ctenochaetus/Bristle Mouth Tangs,
Zebrasoma/Sailfin Tangs, Skimmers,
Skimmer Selection, Marine Algae,
Coralline Algae, Green Algae,
Brown Algae, Blue-Green
"Algae"/(Cyanobacteria), Diatoms,
Brown Algae, Related FAQs:
Green Macro-Algae ID 1, Green
Macro-Algae ID 2, Green Macro-Algae ID
3, Green Macro-Algae ID 5, &
Caulerpas, Green Macro-Algae 1, Green
Macro-Algae 2, Green Macro-Algae 3,
Green Macro-Algae 4, Chlorophyte
Behavior, Chlorophyte
Compatibility/Control, Chlorophyte
Selection, Chlorophyte Systems,
Chlorophyte Nutrition, Chlorophyte
Disease, Chlorophyte
Reproduction/Propagation, Marine
Algae ID 1, Marine Algae ID 2,
Marine Algae Control FAQs II,
Marine Algaecide Use, Nutrient
Limitation, Marine Algae Eaters,
Culturing Macro-Algae;
Controlling: BGA/Cyano,
Red/Encrusting Algae, Green Algae,
Brown/Diatom Algae, | 
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A little identification help please – 10/13/08
Hello
crew,
<Greg>
I've had this algae/plant growing in my 150 reef
tank for quite a while. Very pleasant looking but starting to spread
more than I'd like.
<Mmm, yes>
Neither my tang, blennies,
hermits or snails seem to munch on it.
<Not very palatable... to
much of anybody>
Could you help identify it
<Mmm, likely a
species of Derbesia>
for me and suggest a way to lessen the
spreading.
<See WWM, the Net re this name... and likely
Bryopsis... both "treated" about the same... best by competition,
denial of nutrients... a few approaches to these...>
(I have
multiple corals so limiting the lighting would probably have to be
minimal). I'm running the PhosBan reactor so there's not a phosphate
problem.
<Okay...>
Also, I've worked with you (Bob) before so
my water quality is "up to snuff." Over the past few months I've
replaced all lights, drained water from frozen food and done weekly
water changes to keep nitrates very limited.
Thank you,
Greg
Esposito
<If there's room, you might try other predator
groups... maybe a Siganid... S. stellatus if you can find one...
BobF> |  |
Unidentified algae
8/14//08
Hi!
<Cath>
Here is a question from a fellow reefer of my area. He have an
unidentified algae in is tank who look very invasive. (see attached pic)
We want to know what kind of algae it is and who to get rid of it.
<... read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/redalgae.htm
and the linked
files above... part. ID, comp./control...>
He only have a 35gal, is
there any fish or invert that can be helpful in a such small volume?
Regards.
Cath
<Reading. Bob Fenner>
Unidentified algae... another try
Hi!
<Cath>
Here is a question from a fellow reefer of my area. He
have an unidentified algae in is tank who look very invasive. (see
attached pic) We want to know what kind of algae it is and who to get
rid of it. He only have a 35gal, is there any fish or invert that can be
helpful in a such small volume? Regards.
Cath
<Got mixed up with
other pix/algae... Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/greenalg.htm
and
the linked files above... This is likely Bryopsis or Derbesia... BobF> | 
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ID for a Green, Stationary, Segmented tube worm growing in my tank
Green, Stationary, Segmented tube worm growing in my tank, Algae
Actually 6/30/08
Hello,
<Hi>
Hope you all are well, and
thanks so much for providing the wealth of information and insight
that has made this hobby even more rewarding!
This email is a bit
lengthy, but I think that it is always helpful to give a complete
history, especially in the case of a tank crash.
<Fire away>
I
have a 55G long, Indo-Pacific reef tank that has spent the last six
months recovering from a 4 day power loss in PA in the middle of
December. Prior to the crash, this tank was populated with 6
different color/types of Zoanthids, yellow polyps, green star
polyps, white clove polyps, red mushroom corals, and assorted
crabs/snails, two huge batches of Halimeda and 3 fish (coral beauty,
false percula and blue damsel).
After the crash, this tank was
populated with really smelly mud. I was breaking down the tank and
noticed that, in fact, there were a handful of crabs and snails that
actually survived 4 days at 40 degrees.
<They are survivors.>
I didn't have the heart to chuck them down the driveway with the
stinky water, so I pulled out all that I could find, scrubbed down
the rock in a batch of RO/DI salted water and re-established the
tank. (The insult to injury in all of this was the fact that I had a
20,000 watt home generator installed that I thought would allow me
to avert such a crisis, but, unfortunately, it wasn't installed
correctly and we could never get it to come on and give power.)
<Ouch>
Flash forward six months later and I once again have 3
fish (all new):
a coral beauty, a false percula, and a yellow
Coris wrasse. Believe it or not, I've gotten about 50-60 yellow
polyps that have come back, a bunch of purple coralline algae
encrusting the rock again and I random worms/feather dusters that
have crept out of the rock that I'd never seen prior to the crash.
<They have no competition for the moment.>
This brings me to my
question. I've attached some JPG files of some stationary tube worms
that seem to be growing out my rock. I've searched your site and
across the web, but have found not a single picture or description
that matches these critters. They have a white, calcareous base that
starts narrow and gets wider to a rounded tip. They extend about 1.5
- 2 inches up from the rock. They almost look like elongated thumbs.
As you progress up the tube, there are rings of fine, green
"feathers" that get larger as the tube widens, then taper towards
the tip. They appear to be segmented.
<Not worms actually, algae,
Neomeris annulata.>
NOTE: The only thing new in this tank is a
rock with some blue-green Zoanthids on it, but it was placed in the
tank after these guys showed up. The rest is all indo-pacific rock
from about 8 years ago.
Any help that you can give me in
identifying these worms would be greatly appreciated!
Deb
<Neomeris annulata is harmless, calcium loving algae. Fairly common
in tanks, although it seems to fade over time. Enjoy it while its
there.>
<Chris> | 
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Algae ID... and more misc. 6/5/08
Dear Crew,
<Eric>
I'm
hoping you can help me with an algae identification ( photos attached).
I went through all 17 pages of Algae ID on your website but couldn't
make a match. They appeared pretty much over night a couple of days ago
and so far are only on the glass, not the rocks or sand. The largest
ones are about 1 cm. in diameter but most are 1-5 mm.
<Mmm, looks
like Bryopsis to me>
I included an email sent a few months ago
describing the tank. Since then it has been set up with 50 lbs of Marco
dry rock, seeded with another 30-40 live rock ( mostly into the sump ),
4-6" sand bed ( varies according to the flow ), cycled, and stocked with
an assortment of snails, hermit crabs, a cleaner shrimp feather dusters,
and orange-lipped ( or mantled - I forget ) conch, as well as some small
frags - GSP, toadstool, finger leather (probably wrong name ), candy
cane, mushroom, campenela and Kenya tree corals. There is also a couple
of large clumps of Chaeto in the sump. I also have two PJ Cardinals in
quarantine right now. I know you always like water parameters but I
don't have any current ones ( plan on doing tests tomorrow ). I am
running a reactor with carbon and once I get a manifold put together I
will might add a PhosBan reactor which is laying around anyways.
My
most recent test results were:
Temp - 80 C
SG - 1.024
pH - 8.0
NO3 - 25 ppm ( best estimate as the shades of pink are the chart are
very hard to distinguish when you are comparing two adjacent ones )
Amm - 0 ppm
NO2 - 0 ppm
Ca - 300 or 200
<Too low...>
Alk -
12.2/4.34 or 8.6/3.09
Mg - 1200 or 840
<Relatively too high>
The SG is currently 1.025 and temp fluctuates between 82-86 (when the
MH's are on). There is fan directed across the sump which helps a but
hood fan has to be replaced as it doesn't work. I imagine that will help
lower the temp a little more. I also have an ATO waiting to be hooked
up. I realized that my last three parameters are low and have thought to
use pickling lime to bring the Ca up and baking powder for the Alk or
one of the DIY additives I've read about that address all three. What do
you think?
<Mmm... I'd go with a calcium reactor...>
Lastly, I'd
like advice regarding my stocking list. It is similar to my original one
but others have made suggestions. I want a trio of PJ's but the third in
the LFS tank didn't look good and refused food so I'll have to get a
third another time.
<I'd just stick with the two...>
The other
must haves are a pair of CB true percula or ocellaris if I can't get the
former. (Are captive bred and tank raised the same thing? ).
<Yes,
synonymous meaning>
I'd also like a pair of shrimp gobies and/or
Jawfish. Can I get both in my tank ?
<... how big is this system? Is
there room?>
If not, which do you suggest?
<Reading>
I'd like a
flame angel or coral beauty but if its too big a risk, I'd consider
alternating with a flasher wrasses. Can you recommend a showy species
that wont break the bank ? Should I get a trio or a single male? I like
the clown gobies but was warned that they can harm corals by their
constant resting on them. What do you think ? Lastly I'd like a pair of
purple Firefish. So what do you think ? Any changes, additions, etc?
Thanks for taking the time to read and answer this email.
Sincerely,
Eric
<More specific questions please... and reading... Bob Fenner>
Re: Algae ID... and more misc. 06/06/2008
Dear Bob,
Thanks for replying so quickly. Is the Bryopsis a normal part of the
algae cycle or is symptomatic of poor husbandry?
<Is an opportunistic
misc. recruit... at times difficult to control... best aggressively
removed manually...>
As there are no fish in the DT yet, feeding
consists of one feeding every 2 or 3 days from one of the following:
flake, shrimp pellets, freeze dried Tubifex ( have them for my FW fish )
and thawed frozen cubes. As for your suggestion about a calcium reactor,
I'd like to stay away from buying any more ( expensive ) equipment and
since I don't plan on stocking SPS I was hoping that one of the
solutions I mentioned would work. The DT is 65 gallons ( I thought it
was in the first email ) with the rock being set up as an island in the
middle. One side has a straight drop and the other has a slope allowing
for different micro-environments when it comes to light and flow
intensity. Do you think I can go with a pair each of Yellowhead Jawfish
and shrimp goby?
<In this sized tank I'd choose between these>
If
not, would a single specimen of each work or should I go with a pair of
one species?
<Better to have either a couple of Opistognathus or
just one Shrimp goby... and an Alpheid shrimp in this limited volume>
If I forgo the dwarf angel in favor of a flasher wrasse species, do they
do well singly or would a pair or trio ( one male, two females ) be
preferable,
and possible in my tank ?
<I would skip on these...
the system is just too small>
Have you come across clown gobies
irritating corals to the point of killing them?
<Not often, but can
happen in small volumes, w/ little SPS of interest to the Gobiodon...
their sitting on, eating the polyps.>
Thanks,
Eric
<Welcome.
BobF> | 
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Green Thing - Coral? Algae? Alien Life Form? Algae: Dictyosphaeria sp.-
4/2/08
<Hi Ben>
This thing...
<Called love?>
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fyngyrz/2381193895/
<Pretty!>
...at
about 2" across, represents a mystery in our salt water aquarium. It
looks, by color anyway, to be some kind of algae.
<Right you are.>
But none of the many algae-eating invert varieties in the tank will
touch it. None of the crabs, none of the snail types (five)... and none
of the fish will touch it, either. They act with this the way they do
with the pulsing xenia, which is to say, they ignore it.
<That’s
pretty common when it comes to the less “leafy” varieties of alga.>
Plus, it has grown very slowly;
<Good. Your system must not be too
nutrient loaded.>
this 2-inch individual is the result of almost a
year of growth. No spreading out, just slowly enlarging. No other
individuals like this anywhere else in the tank. We assume the
progenitor came in on the live rock, of which there is about 75 lbs in
the tank.
It's not bothering anything, and frankly, I think it's kind
of attractive
<Me too!>
... so this is far from an emergency, but
I would like to know what it is.
So. Anyone know?
<Yep, it’s a
green algae composed of closely arranged cells/bubbles called
Dictyosphaeria, likely either D. cavernosa or D. versluysii. It’s also
commonly called “bubble weed”. At two inches across, it may be too early
to tell which species it is. Apparently, D. cavernosa starts off rounded
and cushiony like yours, but as the mass grows larger the cells rupture,
collapse and form thinner cup-like, convoluted structures. D.
versluysii, on the other hand, stays intact and cushiony. Both can be
that bright grass green color. Of the two species, you’d rather have D.
versluysii in your system because it’s less invasive. Probably has
something to do with D. cavernosa’s collapsing of cells. In bubble
algae, the cells contain reproductive matter than once released can
allow the algae to spread. It’s up to you to decide whether to keep it.
Personally, I think it’s pretty and would be inclined to leave it since
it’s slow growing and not causing problems. If, however, you notice the
cells starting to collapse, I’d get it out of there. Either way, if you
do decide to remove it, just try to pry off the mass without rupturing
the cells. If you can’t remove the rock it’s on from the tank to do
this, I’d have a siphon nearby to vacuum as your removing. For now, I’d
just keep an eye on it and enjoy! Please see the following links for
photos and more information:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/greenalg.htm
http://www.hawaii.edu/reefalgae/invasive_algae/chloro/dictyosphaeria_versluysii.htm
http://www.hawaii.edu/reefalgae/invasive_algae/chloro/dictyosphaeria_cavernosa.htm
http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=3723
http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=3722 >
Thanks to the WWM crew!
--Ben
<You’re welcome! Take care, -Lynn> | 
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Grasses... poor stocking, Chlorophyte issues, sm. SW sys. period
03/11/2008
Hi Crew,
I have been reading your site now for
maybe 2 months and found it invaluable for a newbie starting a new
hobby. I have purchased an Orca TL450 58 litre (12 gal) reef tank and
put approx 8-10 kg of live cured rock in. I also purchased a 400 LPH
powerhead and a refractometer..
Ok, here goes (deep breath)
The
items I have purchased for my "reef" consists of 2 original Percula's
(clowns!) 1 blue Seastar,
<...>
1 rose anemone (I think),
<...
needs more room than this...>
1 cleaner shrimp, 3 red legged hermit
crabs and? a few bunches of red and green bubble Caulerpa and some green
"fern" Caulerpa. The tank has been set up for approx 10-12 weeks and has
plenty of life which has come in on the rock such as 1 small crab, about
a dozen shoots of neomeris, 4 bristleworm (1 large), a couple of small
striped brittle stars (I think? cream colour with dark bands), various
tube worms that shoot webs to feed and Featherdusters and many small
clusters or polyps (yellow under the moon lights) and "grass".
This
is where my problem lies, the back wall and uppermost regions of the
tank have a? good covering of this grass like growth and due to the
poorly designed skimmer built in to these tanks, when turned?up it
creates many microbubbles which settle on the grass and turn into BGA
over a few days. I have siphoned off the BGA but it still tries to
regrow so I will invest in an extra powerhead to try some more flow in
the top of the tank. I have included a few (low kb!) piccys as I wish to
verify whether the grass is worth keeping or should be toothbrushed away
as a pets. Also if you can identify any of the life I would be grateful.
The top grass and the grass1 and grass2?are also different, the bottom
one seems more wiry.
<... likely Derbesia and Bryopsis species...
your photos are too blurry to make out much more...>
I don't have a
full test kit yet and this is my next acquisition, I have a red sea ph /
Alk / buff kit although I don't use the buff,
<I would not do so in
this small volume>
I use tropic Marin triple buffer, ocean fish salt
(prodac), salinity 1023,
<... too low>
temp 26/78, ph is circa 8.2
to 8.3, Alk normal 1.7 to 2.8 (more like 2) LFS test confirm Nitrates,
nitrite all negligible readings. Every thing is growing and thriving
including pink algae. BTW you are welcome to use my pics in any way
required.
Whew! sorry for the amount of info in there.
<Use the
Net, the indices, search tool on WWM (where you found out how to write
us), with the genera names listed above... and further on, re the set-up
and maintenance of small marine systems... You need a bit of education
re. Bob Fenner> | 
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