Re: White Hair on Live Rock
Thanks Bob for replying so swiftly... I don't know how you keep up!
<I key quickly, get up early, and don't have a day job>
Honestly, I think that you are right (being an algae). I've been struggling
with my phosphate levels because I was naive enough to add a liquid Zoe
formula to my tank when there wasn't enough inverts to absorb it. Now others
are feasting! I think that I will take the safe route and siphon it out.
Thanks again, Missy
<Thank you, BobF>

Red algae
Is red algae a good type of algae to have growing on your live rock?...does it later turn into the purple or pink coralline algae?
<?... Coralline algae can be red... is what you have encrusting... short, hard, stuck on the rock? Please read over WWM re algae types, identification... encouraging encrusting red growth. Bob Fenner>  

Algae???
I hope you can open the attachment and it is the
correct size as you requested.
<Is there, but small>
I've never attached a
file before.  If you can view my attachment, you can
see a yellowish coating on my liverock.  It has spread
very rapidly all over the liverock and is now in my
live sand.  There is no hair or any other growth,
other than the yellowish tint on almost all liverock.
Is this some type of algae?? Is this something I
should eliminate from my tank?  If so, what do I use
to eliminate it?
<Is very likely a diatom "scum"...>
I have a 24 gallon nanocube with moonlights.  The
lights stay on almost 10 to 12 hours a day.  My
parameters (PH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) are in
the normal range.  The water temp stays around 79 to
80 degrees.
Thank you for your reply.
Lila
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brownalgcontfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Algae Problem - ID?
Dear Wet Web Media!
I LOVE you guys!! Thank you so much for founding and maintaining such a wonderful site! Thanks in advance for your help in identifying these weeds in my tanks. I searched and searched on your site and internet photos before I e-mailed
you, for there are both a beneficial algae (turtle weed) and pest (blue green) that has pictures both looks like and unlike what I have.  
I took many pictures and I uploaded it on my website as not too blow up your mail box. 
<<Thank you!  But, where's the link?>>
Main tank - they are spreading everywhere, and I bought feather algae in the sump trying to compete for nutrition to reduce their spreading, doesn't seem to work. 
Nano cube - there seem to be 2 different type, some have fern like "leaves" and some are just like the ones from the main tank. I can't even see my rocks anymore!! 
<Joey, I wouldn't worry too much about the fern type plants (can't recall the name of them right now), they can always be pruned back. The green hair algae you have is a mess though. Don't know how big your tank is, but I would get at least one Sailfin Blenny (Lawnmower Blenny) for your main tank. These guys do wonders for hair algae. Also do a Google search on the Wet Web, keyword "algae control". You definitely want to keep your nutrients down. James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks a lot!! I look forward to hearing from you 
<You're welcome> 

Algae
Hi Bob 
<James for Bob today>
I have a 55 gallon fish only tank it has been set up for about a month. I read through all of your articles and I am still a little confused. I have a lot of rust looking algae growing of my rocks and glass. I have cleaned it off and it just comes right back. Should I be cleaning it or just let it grow. Is it good or bad algae. Any help would be great. 
<The brown diatom algae you are describing is fairly common in new set ups. Yes, I'd clean it off the glass, but it should soon go away. Poor lighting can lead to this also along with silicates in your tap water if that's what you are using. James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks, Matt 
<You're welcome>

Post Purple Plague - Others Chime In
>Marina,
I contacted TwoLittleFishies, and was told the Julian Sprung would love to look at it! If you can also pass it along to Bob, that would be great. The more great minds the better. I purchased Sprung's book on algae, and the closest I can come is a red hair algae called 'Asparagopsis'. It says Diadema urchins can help. I've read that they can harm some corals. Any thoughts on a Diadema urchin in a tank with lots of very rare LE SPS frags?
>>Alright, as I said I would, I sent this out to some other crewmembers who I felt might have more definitive/knowledgeable opinions on this whole thing. First things first: Adam Blundell says (regarding the mung itself) "Why control it? It is worth big money where I live. I'd keep growing it in the refugium and selling it to local stores. That stuff is awesome.
Adam Blundell"
>>I double-checked, as I thought he might be joking, but he is not. So, to address the Diadema urchin (which I didn't think would be harmful, but then you said "rare frags", and I thought I'd better get some other opinions. 
Adam Cesnales had this to say: "Not much to add, except that Diadema urchins are generally quite safe. Concerns over their spines impaling the tissue of LPS corals is quite overstated
(especially for smaller specimens). These urchins really are quite nimble!
Other urchins are risky in my experience, even the popular "tuxedo" urchins.
Do encourage him to be conservative in adding Diademas unless he is prepared to give them away. They grow large quickly! One per 50 gallons if they are small, reducing it to 1 per 100-150 gallons when large.
Adam Cesnales"
>>And there you have it. Watch the dailies, as I've got another message from someone with a similar problem to address. Marina 

One Man's Mung is Another Man's...... Mung?
>Hi gang:
>>Hello.
>I'm being plagued with the same nuisance algae described as 'mung'. In case it helps with identification/treatment, I can add this bit of 'wisdom': I used to have a problem with green hair algae, and after taking the steps described by WWM, this problem was virtually eliminated.
>>WWM in action, YEAH!
>The thing is, this 'mung' stuff jumped into the newly available niche...
>>Cripes.
>...and like the original aquarist reporting this stuff, who listed his 'levels at zero', my phosphates and nitrates are undetectable. But this stuff still thrives, primarily epiphytic, and gunks up my 'display' macroalgae.
>>"Epiphytic".. fascinating. Perhaps you might wish to contact Mr. Sprung TwoLittleFishies as well.
>It causes less problems in my refugium (some growth along the surface of my bed of Chaetomorpha) and shows no presence whatsoever in my main reef...
>>Thank goodness.
>...where either it can't grow or my tangs are willing to scarf it down. I'd dearly love to have someone identify something that favors this junk and would leave my other macros alone.
>>Well, it seems that if YOU could provide us the genus/species of tang that puts the serious mack down on this stuff, you'd be helping Brandon/others! Did you happen to catch today's follow-up of the mung thing/thang/thung? 
>Chuck
>>Marina 

Mungies, Rejoice! Asparagopsis - Not Mung!
>Marina,
Good Friday afternoon to you!
>>And a good Friday evening to you (just finished my homemade chili verde).
>I received a response back from Julian Sprung regarding my 'Purple Plague' mystery algae. It was indeed Asparagopsis. Mr. Sprung told me that very few animals feed on this algae.
>>I think it's great you've got a definitive answer as to what you've got, and there's at least ONE other fellow who may be *quite* happy to hear as well.
>After doing an internet search for Asparagopsis, I found an article by a gentleman named Michael Janes that owns a reef shop in Arizona.
>>Oh man, this is getting good.. but let's read on, shall we?
>He had the answer I was looking for. The article was solely on Asparagopsis, and what a menace it is. Mr. Janes then stated that one certain snail, Turbo fluctuosa, actually prefers this algae.
>>It's getting even BETTER!
>I ordered about 25 for my 125G reef tank, and they immediately gravitated to the red algae. They are doing a stellar job of cleaning it up.
>>Hot dayumn! 
>Ah, the oceans truly are magnificent, with a predator for every algae!
>>Indeed, my friend, indeed.
>Thanks for all the assistance.
>>You are very welcome, I'm glad for what little I did, MORE happy that you've found a solution.
>Brandon Wilson
>>Oh happy DAY! Marina

Mystery Algae, Watch Your Attachments!
Hi Gang,
<How goes it?>
Attached please find a picture of the mystery algae that has been troubling me so. It is purple, and it has the feel of cotton balls. Because of it's color and texture, no one seems to be quite sure what it is. Can you I.D. it? How do I get rid of it? I purchased about 50 Clibanarius crabs thinking it is Cyanobacteria. They aren't making a dent. I have good circulation, with two Tunze streams and a sea swirl providing current. I have an oversized Beckett skimmer to remove proteins. My levels of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are 0. What should I do, as this is causing me much distress and keeping me from fully enjoying my tank.
<Picture didn't come through, so try re-submitting or looking it up on www.algaebase.org. As usual, good preventatives are a high pH (~8.5, make sure it stays that high at night!), aggressive skimming, frequent large partial water changes, chemical phosphate removers, carbon changed frequently, and making sure your source water has no nutrients>
Thanks.
<Anytime - M. Maddox> <Editor's note: the photo was sent as a .lnk attachment, no program I use knows what to do with this.>

Cyanobacteria
Hi Gang,
I am having a terrible time with what I believe to be Cyanobacteria in my 125G reef tank. It is purple, and feels like a cotton ball. I would assume it is Cyanobacteria, even though it is purple. I can't seem to get rid of it no matter what I try. I've got two Tunze stream units and a sea swirl to give great circulation in the tank, my levels are all zero, and I do weekly water changes of 10 to 15%. I bought about 50 Clibanarius hermit crabs to eat the Cyanobacteria. I still can't get rid of it. I pull out what I can as well. Any thoughts?
<Doesn't sound like Cyano to me by your description. You don't mention if you are using a skimmer. Keep in mind in a tank your size, total flow rate should be a minimum of 1250gph. Also consider the use of PolyFilters or Chemi-pure. Here is a link that should help you out. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm . James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks.
<You're welcome> 

Algae Question
Hi,
I was hopping that you could help me identify a type of macro algae. I found it at That Pet Place and I was thinking of using it in my refugium. It was labeled as green needle algae. It was growing on pieces of live rock and it looks like grass. I've searched the internet and your website to get more information with no luck. Would it be a good algae for nutrient export? I am currently using Chaetomorpha and I am not happy with it. It constantly settles to the bottom of the refugium and is a pain to trim since it just gets everywhere. 
<Mark, without seeing a pic it is hard to identify but I'm thinking it is Maiden's Hair (Chlorodesmis sp.). Do a search on that and see if it helps. James (Salty Dog)> 

Green Algae ID 2/11/05
Sorry to bother you, could you answer the green algae id question on http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/thread.jsp?forum=19&thread=26343&tstart=0&trange=15  Thanks in advance. Sylphid
<It is a species of Pencillus. Anthony> 

Red Grape algae - Botryocladia 2/3/05
Dear WWM,
<cheers>
Your site is extremely helpful; I am a daily visitor.
<thanks kindly... please do tell others of us>
I have been trying to identify the species of macroalgae I recently purchased.  I believe it is pictured on page 61 of your recent book, Reef Invertebrates (paperback edition).  Could you please identify this species.
<Botryocladia... also mentioned elsewhere in the text (see plants and algae chapter).
Thanks, Pat
<do also check for info on algaebase.org  Kindly, Anthony>