maralgid17

FAQs on Marine Algae Identification 17

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Marine Aquarium Algae Control

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Algae Identification 3/25/20
Bob,
<Eric>
How are your algae identification skills?
<Much better decades back when I was actively taking phycology classes in college>
I had a confirmed case of Ostreopsis in one of my tanks that I thought I was able to eradicate.
Recently the slimy snotty algae started to come back but it doesn't look like dinoflagellates under the microscope. Any ideas what it may be?
<Need more magnification to see flagella... Doesn't look apical nor clear on one end to be Ostreopsis... have you tried staining (with iodine et al.?) to determine storage food?>
Thanks,
Eric
<Bob Fenner>

Re: Algae Identification 3/25/20
I haven't. The yellowish photo was taken 40x which is as powerful as my scope is. It definitely doesn't move. I am thinking it could be some type of chrysophyte.
<Maybe; not as common as Dinos. B>

Re: Algae Identification 3/26/20
Curious as to what your recommendation would be to get rid of them.
<Posted on WWM>
After my tank was riddled with the Ostreopsis I raised nutrients way up, nitrates 40/ phosphates 1.02, and blacked out the tank.
<... won't do it. What's going to happen w/ these and other nutrients?
They're still there... once light is available, like Ahnold, they'll be back>
At least under the microscope the Ostreopsis is no longer there. From my understanding Chyrsophytes share a similar mechanism as Dinoflagellates. Should I bring the nutrients down?
<Yeah; a few ways to go, and other... read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/algaeconMar.htm
and the linked files above. BobF>

What is this? 11/7/18
Hey. Do you know what type of algae this is? It's an oddly firm texture and grows in clumps varying in size 2-4" like heads of cabbages or something similar. Solitary clumps attached to the walls in refugium under a Kessil grow light where there is Chaeto growing but nothing else intentionally added. Thank you!
<Hey John! This is so reminiscent of the genus Colpomenia to me... A Phaeophyte for sure. Not harmful but likely scarfing up most all iodide/ate you're adding. I'd keep it trimmed back therefore.
Thank you for sharing, Bob Fenner>

Re: What is this? 11/7/18
That's interesting as the Iodine was low (icp test) so I dosed it and two weeks later there were these.
<Ahh!>
Thank you for the info!
<Welcome! BobF>

Algae ID, no use of WWM.... 4.5 megs of pix 11/20/15
Hello, I have something no one at my group can ID, Can you.
<Yes>
It starts out slow like a slim algae than turns into polyps that are rather though. also hard to scrap off. It is spreading fairly fast now.
What can I do. Thanks in advance, Paul
<Read. See WWM re Algae ID period, BGA (which I think the first two pix are) and Botryocladia; which may be the third.
Bob Fenner>

Diatoms or Dinos 8/22/15
I need help identifying this ‘brown stuff’ on my sand-bed and rocks.
<Can only tell; and it's simple to do; with a look/see through a microscope... See WWM, books I've penned re>
I’m not certain if it is diatoms or Dinos. (or possibly brown Cyano?)
<My guess is on Dinoflagellates, but could be....>
I am pretty certain it is not diatoms, but I wanted to be sure.
<Slimy? If not, not BGA>
I have attached a pic of my refugium however this stuff is rampant in my main tank as well (75 Gallon Reef-ready).
Some info…
Tank is 2 years old.
RO/DI water using ‘Silica Buster Resin’ by SpectraPure. (measures 0ppm PO4 and 0ppm Silicates)
<Do you have other chemo-photosynthetic life (on purpose) here? They will need HPO4, NO3...>
All filters and membranes are 3 months old.
TDS measures ‘0’. TDS meter calibrated with calibration fluid, not distilled water.
<Okay.... will not be 0.0 in the system, and with time, added foods, supplements....>
Currently running carbon and Phosguard.
<Not a fan.... more bio., less tech.>
Vertex Omega 150 skimmer
Emperor Aquatics 25 watt sterilizer (new, 1 week old).
I use HW Marine Mix Reefer salt, 1.025 SG
Nitrate = 0ppm (Salifert)
Phosphate = 0ppm (Hanna Checker)
Alk = 10dKh (Hanna)
Calcium = 425 ppm (Hanna)
Mg = 1400 (Salifert)
Silicate = 0ppm (Salifert)
Maxspect Gyre 150XF and Tunze 6055 for flow.
Maxspect Razor 420 x2 (50% both channels 4 hours per day).
I siphon the sand bed (to include sand removal) however this stuff returns quickly.
It DOES mostly disappear at night, only to return in the morning with the least amount of light.
I was doing 20% water changes weekly.
<About right>
Attempted to go 2 months without water changes thinking it was Dinos.
This stuff is driving me crazy!
<Would you read if I referred you? What avenues do all have? Restriction of nutrient, light, more circulation.... competitors, predators....>
I use filter socks and changes them daily!
<Good>
It is beginning to smother corals.
<Actually; no... your actions are at base here.... SEE/READ re my stmt.s above... you're starving the "corals"; giving the Thallophytes precedence>
I can blow it off with a turkey baster but it returns very quickly.
However, ‘increased flow’ doesn’t do much except unless I blow the sand everywhere.
3 days of complete darkness helped at first but they returned within a week.
The remaining snails I have seem to be in ‘suspended animation’.
<Also symptomatic... they're being poisoned by the unpalatable algae....>
They haven’t moved for weeks. If I flip them over I can see they are still alive (or dying slowly). I’ve been reluctant to add more CUC in case it is Dinos.
I’m hoping a positive identification would help me in this battle.
<Not what you really need.... Are there friends, folks, the LFS nearby who can come by and give you some one on one? I'd be reviewing the set up.... adding a refugium w/ DSB, RDP, macro-algal culture, ditching the chemical filter media... And putting some time into reading some worthwhile articles, books>
Thanks for your help in advance!
<Am hoping to save you leaving our hobby.... do consider what I've written here; and do write back w/ specifics, your progress as time goes by please. Bob Fenner>

Re: Diatoms or Dinos 8/22/15
Thank you for the quick reply!
<Welcome Matt>
The pic I sent was a pic of the ‘brown stuff’ in my refugium.
<Mmm; I'd make that bed much deeper... likely by adding a few inches of very fine coral sand>
It is plumbed into the sump. That brown stuff grows in both refugium and display tank.
The refugium has about a 4” sand bed. Is that deep enough?
<Not really. See WWM re particulars. Sorry to state, I/we just don't have the time to re-key...>
Currently the refugium is NOT on a RDP. I guess I should change that…
<Oh yes I would>
When I do not run GFO or Phosguard, PO4 creeps up. I was blaming that for the ‘brown stuff’.
<The RDP macro-algae culture and increased DSB will solve this in a few weeks time>
I was running carbon ‘in case’ the Dinos were releasing toxins.
<Good point>
Yes, I will read anything I can get my hands on! Please!
<Do you see the search tool on every page on WWM? The indices?>
Will a simple microscope from Amazon work for ID?
<Yes... the QL et al. series are cheap and excellent... again, covered on WWM. B>
Thanks again for your help.
Matt Kasperski

Alg. ID, likely BGA 10/15/13
Hi, I know this is not the greatest picture..., but can you tell me what type of Algae this is.. it seems to be fleshy like and grown really fast..... I have had my tank up for years and never had this type and now it is showing up everywhere... how do I get rid of it and what is it????
<... do you have a microscope? Is, does it feel really slimy? This is highly likely BGA, possibly a sponge plus...>
Thank you for all your help and any products I can use to treat for this...
I have just fish, shrimp and hermit crabs in the tank with live rock...
<... none of the above will eat this. There are quite a few FAQs files, articles on WWM for free for you to peruse. Otherwise I do have a new eBook out on Amazon re marine algae, control in aquariums.>
Thank you for your knowledge and great information to all on the crew.
Paul
<Welcome! Bob Fenner>

Algae Question Identification, and control 3/22/13
Hi there.
<Hi David. Jordan with you today.>
Wondering if anyone there knows what type of algae I have in this picture and what the best clean up crew suggestion for it is.
<Appears to be Caulerpa verticillata. I have read reports of some species of Tangs and Rabbitfish eating it but they are few and far between. I would recommend manual removal. Remove the rock and scrub with a stiff brush. Be sure to remove all of the algae, including all rhizoids/rhizomes, and rinse with clean saltwater before adding back to tank. This will likely take multiple attempts before it is successfully eradicated. Hydrogen peroxide dips will kill it, but the dip will kill all other life as well.>
I have set up a new tank and just finished my cycle with Florida live rock and this stuff is starting to grow out of control.
<That is what Caulerpa does.>
I am ready to add my cleanup crew but need to know what will conquer this stuff the best. I appreciate any help! I have included some pictures below. Thanks!
<Quite welcome.>
David Rudman
<<Well done Jordan. BobF>>

Re: Algae Question Identification 3/22/13
Thanks Bob!
David Rudman
<Welcome David. BobF>
Re: Algae Question Identification 3/22/13
Jordan said Caulerpa verticillata. Which do you think is more likely the match?

Re: Algae Question Identification 3/22/13
Just Googled pictures. It definitely is Caulerpa verticillata.
<Ah yes>
David Rudman

Diatoms?: how to proceed 8/23/07 Dear Crew, I know the information is on your web page; I just can't seem to put it all together. Tank parameters: 90gal set up for 3 years. Have always seemed to have an algae problem of one kind or another since automatic fish feeder fell in the tank while I was at work 1.5 years ago. Water flow is approximately 1500 gph Filtration: sand and protein skimmer pH 8.2-8.4 NH3=0 NH2=0 Alk=9dKH NO3=undetectable with Aquarium Pharm. PO3=undetectable with Aquarium Pharm. Calcium=400ppm 5 gallon water changes weekly Livestock: 4" yellow tang 3" flame angel 2" cleaner shrimp 2 species of Montipora 3 species of Acropora 2 species of star polyps 1 frogspawn colony Three weeks ago I added Kalkwasser to replace evaporation since my calcium levels were a little low (350ppm vs. the 400ppm as present). Two days after I added the Kalkwasser I noticed my BGA was replaced by what I believe to be diatoms (I looked at them with a microscope and found they were too large to be BGA, but did not appear as symmetrical as I would expect from diatoms. <Bacillariophyceans are distinctive... as you state> Cells were oval shaped with only one plane of symmetry). <Not diatoms. Were organelles, nuclei apparent?> Also, many of them float to the water's surface during the day; less or not at all at night. The SPS don't seem to be affected but the frogspawn and star polyps don't look very good (stay closed most of the day). <Yikes...> In an effort to rid my tank of this bloom I replaced my DIY protein skimmer with a Tunze DOC 9005, added an inch of 1-3mm aragonite sand (it was down to 2.5), and switched from tap water to RO that I buy from the LFS. I also added a small clump of Chaetophora to my tank. <Really? Am assuming you mean/t the genus Chaetomorpha> What should my next step be? Keep up with the water changes and wait it out? <Yes, I would... unless the Stony Corals continue to "look bad"... in which case I'd effect another, larger water change and use carbon in your filter flow path> Buy some new live rock and/or order live sand activator to recharge my system with small detritivores? <Also a good move> Was this caused by the CaOH precipitating PO3 thus killing the BGA and leading to a diatom bloom? <Possibly... but not diatoms... some other Protista> Thanks for a wonderful website, Mark <Do send along pix if you can. Bob Fenner>

Re: Diatoms?: how to proceed 8/24/07 Hi Bob, Thanks for your quick reply. I forgot to mention that I also stopped adding Kalkwasser a few days ago. As a result the pH in my tank reverted to pre-Kalkwasser readings: 7.8 in the morning and 8.2 in the afternoon. Also my calcium increased to 420ppm. This could be due to experimental error (difference in reading of only one drop) or due to increase calcium solubility in the lower pH. <Better to look into bolstering alkalinity slowly through your water changes over time here...> The corals do look a little better today, but I am concerned about this Protist bloom. I looked at a sample I took from the bottom of the tank (first time was from top/dead) and found that when alive they are very mobile. <NOT Diatoms...> It looks like they use cilia for locomotion. Also they seem to contain brown chloroplasts and a nucleus. Enclosed is a Word document with a picture pasted onto it. Are there any good herbivores for this? I am afraid to buy fresh live rock at this point because I think it would become smothered. <Mmmm> Thanks, Mark P.S. I did mean Chaetomorpha (not Chaetophora) <Ah, good. Bob Fenner>

Re: Diatoms?: how to proceed... Maybe Euglenoids 7/25/07 Hi Bob, Just wanted to thank you for your help. I did some searching and it looks like these are Euglenoids from the genus Trachelomonas (though from what I've seen on the internet this is mostly a freshwater genus). The following link convinced me; especially the movement. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://silicasecchidisk.conncoll.edu/Pics/Other%2520Algae/Other_jpegs/Trachelomonas1.jpg&imgrefurl= http://silicasecchidisk.conncoll.edu/LucidKeys/Carolina_Key/html/ Trachelomonas_Main.html&h=235&w=288&sz=38&hl=en&start=27&tbnid=H0z0lEYVy3pntM:&tbnh=94&tbnw=115 &prev=/images%3Fq%3DEuglenoids%26start%3D20%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN <Okay> So eventually the alkalinity will improve with water changes? <Mmm, yes... should... with higher alkalinity in the new water...> I've had low pH (7.8-8.2) for at least 1.5 years with weekly water changes. Of course the addition of the Tunze skimmer may take some pressure off the buffers in the saltwater mix (Instant Ocean). Thanks again, Mark

Algae ID Please... Better Photo Please -- 8/19/07 Hey guys, <Hi there, Mich here, barely.> I have had this alga for the past 2 years and can't get rid of it. <OK.> What it is small clusters of very short red hair algae , it is not slimy and its taking over my rocks, even covering my Maxijet 1200 intake sponge. <I can't really tell anything from the photo you sent, is very blurry, but the blurs sort of resemble hydroids to me, but need better sot to really help you out here. You need to look for the Macro setting on your camera (The symbol usually looks like a daisy or flower of some sort. This will allow you to take better close up shots.> I have tried red & blue-legged hermits and sea bunnies but can't get rid of it. Only extremely low ph seems to work , but do not want to kill my BTA. Any Ideas? <A better photo might help.> thanks guys <Sorry I can't help you more.> here is the link for the picture: http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/1696/hpim0219dm2.jpg <You did look at this photo, right? I mean, I know I'm tired, and a bit bleary eyed, but dang! Mich>

Could You Try and ID This Algae? 8/8/07 This started out as a tiny paddle looking thing growing out of a mushroom rock. Now it is a bunch about 4 to 5 inches across. The 'leaves' are very crinkled on the edges and it looks brown with light speckles throughout. I can't even see down to the rock where it is attached to tell how it is attached. It looks really nice in my tank and moves with water flow. My tangs occasionally nip at it but mostly leave it alone. 2 photos are attached <We just had someone else send in a remarkable similar photo and now I can't seem to find it here on WWM. Bob where'd ya put it? I believe this is a Rhodophyte, a red alga. Enjoy it! It's a beauty!> Thanks, <Welcome! Mich> Agnes <Should be w/ the Reds, or alg. in general... poss. LR hitchhikers... Is a red. B>

Macroalgae ID 7/13/07 Greetings, Hey Crew! I have a couple of pictures of an unknown Algae that I was hoping you might be able to ID. <Actually, I think you have hydroids (most likely of the genus Myrionema). Not all hydroids are bad, but these ones are. And believe it or not, they're actually closer to jelly fish than algae.> This stuff is incredibly prolific and comes right back after harvesting from the rock. I'm afraid I would have to scrub the rock to get it off and as almost every rock has some other important denizen, I'd rather not. Harvesting is not a problem but I was hoping with an ID, I might find a critter who would benefit from harvesting it for it's own nutritional needs. <I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but these things get really annoying. You're not likely to find something that eats them. They sting and kill things. Basically, they're like Aiptasia. For more info, please see: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hyzoancompfaq.htm.> Thank you, <De nada, Sara M.> EL

Re: Macroalgae ID, hydrozoan control 7/13/07 Sara, I looked through what available literature there was on this species that I could readily find as well as cruising through the WWW forums. From what I read, short of removing the rocks and scrubbing them off, I am basically going to be in a situation of just constantly harvesting them out and trying to keep them from growing near any corals. <Pretty much, yes. Controlling excess nutrients with protein skimming, water changes, macro algae harvesting, etc. will also help.> However, I noticed that in a previous post Anthony mentioned that some limpets eat them. I was wondering if there was a way we could get his attention and find out a suggested suitable species that I could add to the system to enjoy a wonderful Hydroid snack!?! <I'll cc dear Anthony here. He's extremely busy so I don't know how long it might take him to respond. Also keep in mind that knowing the kind of limpet that eats these is one thing, finding them is quite another.> Again, thank you so very much for all your wonderful help! <Happy to help. Good Sara M.>
-EL

Plant id (Acetabularia spp.) AKA Mermaid's Wineglass or Mermaid's Winecups 7/12/07 Hello Everyone, <Hi there! Mich here.> If I missed this somewhere I'm sorry <No worries...Is on the site. You can see it here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/maralgae.htm but what is this growing <Is an alga, (Acetabularia spp.) AKA Mermaid's Wineglass or Mermaid's Winecups> and is it good <Is good.> and how do I get more to grow <Keep doing what your doing is the best I can tell you.> it is pretty.
<Certainly is! Enjoy them! Mich>

Algae Confusion... Coralline vs. Cyanobacteria aka Red Slime aka BGA aka Blue/Green Algae 7/10/07 <Hi Kristie, Mich here.> I have searched the Internet for pix & info on my question & can't seem to find the right answers. We have a 120-gallon marine fish only & 75-gallon reef tank. But I am unclear which is coralline algae vs. the red slime or other unwanted algae. <Really, well, hopefully we can fix that.> It seems that the large tank without the "excellent" lighting has the coralline algae & the smaller reef tank with better lighting is starting to develop red slime (& now bubbles building up). <Is possible, and coralline algae does not produce bubbles. Coralline algae are generally hard and encrusting, similar to an eggshell on a hardboiled egg in that it firmly encapsulates. Red slime on the other hand is very soft, often produces bubbles, may grow on your sandbed, can be easily blown off the rocks and sand and has more of a consistency of a raw egg.> I look online for pics, but am not sure what is what. <We'll help you here.> thanks for you help. <You're welcome!> I can attach pics of mine if you like, or if you have a reference to pics of each online or your website... <I will refer you here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corallinealg.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm This article goes into ways of controlling BGA. And do a Google image search... for more using the terms coralline. Cyanobacteria or Blue/green algae doesn't give the best results, use the WWM link provided above for a more accurate photo representation.> Thanks. Kristie <Welcome! Mich> ps. We took a huge green brittle starfish out of the reef tank & put it in the 120 gallon. Could this be why I'm starting to develop this algae? <Is a scavenger but it is unlikely that this is the cause. Please read the article re control.>

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