FAQs on Marine Algae Identification
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Related Articles: 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: Marine Algae ID 1, Marine Algae ID 2, Marine Algae ID 3, Marine Algae ID 4, Marine Algae ID 5, Marine Algae ID 6, Marine Algae ID 7, Marine Algae ID 8, Marine Algae ID 9, Marine Algae ID 10, Marine Algae ID 11, Marine Algae ID 12, Marine Algae ID 13, Marine Algae ID 14, Marine Algae ID 15, Marine Algae ID 16, Marine Algae ID 17, Marine Algae ID 18, Marine Algae ID 19, Marine Algae ID 20, Marine Algae ID 21, Marine Algae ID 22, Marine Algae ID 24, Marine Algae ID, 25, SW Algae ID 29, SW Algae ID 30, SW Algae ID 31, SW Algae ID 32, SW Algae ID 33, SW Algae ID 34, SW Algae ID 35, SW
Algae ID 36, SW Algae ID 37, SW
Algae ID 38, SW Algae ID 39, & Marine Algae Control FAQs 2, 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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New! FAQ, ID Visual Guide
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Dusting on my sandbed BGA? 7/17/08 Morning crew,
<Hello.> I have a question regarding a dusting that has started
appearing on my sandbed. When I first saw it I thought it may be red
slime algae aka Cyanobacteria (not sure of spelling). Anyhow, I
performed some tests to see where my params where. Nitrates 0-5ppm
Salinity 1.023sg Ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 Alkalinity 7dh Ph 8 My parameters
looked fine so I figured maybe it was a flow issue but I have a 90
gallon tank with 2 1200gph powerheads not to mention the return pump
from the sump that adds even more flow per hour on top of the
powerheads. <Your water tests can be deceiving if the BGA is using
up nutrients keeping your tested levels low. I would raise your
salinity to 1.025 and possibly the KH a degree or two to give the
competing algae (coralline) an helping hand. In regards to flow, it
sounds like you have plenty, just be sure it is directed in a way to
prevent dead spots that become detritus sinks.> In the past, I have
seen red slime algae and it looked like a maroon color. Today I saw red
slime algae in a friends tank at it's beginning stages an it was
bright red (never seen that before) and my tank most definitely
didn't go thru any of that. The dusting on my sandbed is a deep
purple similar to that of coral line but different. <BGA has many
forms and colors.> From my experience I have never seen coral line
grow on a sandbed so this is why I thought red algae but this
doesn't have the colors of red algae. I have also started to get a
nice coral lone algae spurt growing all over my overflow box and
powerheads. <Good, in time this should take over the rest of the
tank too.> Any idea what this could be on my sanded? Is it red slime
and if so what can be causing it? <It does sound like BGA. Feeding,
dirty filtration, source water, sandbed, incorrect flow, all the usual
suspects: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm > Thanks in
advance <Welcome, Scott V.>
Macro Algae ID 7/11/08 Hello, <Jen> I
love your website -- but I finally have a question it doesn't
answer, at least as far as I can tell: what type of macro algae
this is? I can't find anything like it online. It's shaped
kind of like Padina, but it doesn't have any ridges, and
it's red with a pretty yellow-orange pattern along the edge.
It's about the size of a quarter, or a little larger. What is
it, and is it likely to become a "pest"? Thank you! Jen
<Mmm, it may be a type/form of Padina... though it appears more
"Red" than Brown in color... Can you send along a larger,
more resolved image for a closer look/see? Only a pest if it is
growing too much, displacing other life, or mal-affecting water
quality. Bob Fenner> |
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Algae ID 07/07/08 Hi guys -- just wondering
what sort of algae this is (foreground, at the right). It looks
calcareous but not quite like the scroll algae I found in your
algae ID FAQs. Any ideas? <Hmm, looks like Lobophora sp. (or
maybe Padina sp.). http://www.wetwebmedia.com/trialalgaeid.htm
Thanks!
Ed
<De Sara M.> |
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Algae ID 7/5/08 (2 photos
attached) Hey gang. I trust you all had a good 4th (assuming you
celebrated it). <Ah, no... not really. Not into this type of rah
rah so-called patriotism. A real patriot would be out doing what
they could to bring about the overthrow of the current regimes at
the fed., some State levels.> I'm sorry to bother you kind
folks again, but I'm having trouble identifying some type of
brown algae that has taken a foothold in my tank. Here are the tank
spec's: 65 gallon tank, ~70 pounds of live rock, 20 gallon sump
and 6XT5 lighting. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate all 0, specific
gravity 1.025. Top off done daily with 0 TDS RO/DI water and 10%
water changes every weekend (is it Saturday already?!). It also
enjoys candlelit dinners and long walks on the beach. Wait,
that's a different questionnaire. Never mind....... Anyway,
I'm sure just as the same with all algae's, excess
nutrients are feeding it, but I have yet to find this type on your
website. I'm sure it's there somewhere, but I've looked
over countless pages the past week and haven't found a photo
that resembles it. Any thoughts? Thanks for your time. -wuf
<Very likely this mulm is mostly a BGA... If you look under a
scope of moderate power you'll be able to see... Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/bgaidfaqs.htm and the linked files above.
Bob Fenner> |
Re: Algae ID 7/6/08 Thanks for the response Mr. Fenner.
<Welcome... wuf!> I don't think this is BGA
(Cyanobacteria). It doesn't come off the rock easily at all,
and isn't THAT fast of a grower. <Mmm, neither of which
are salient characteristics...> Attached is a link to an
animated gif that shows 8 weeks of growth on a frag, and you can
see the algae starting to grow during that 8 week period.
http://samwolfe.com/photos/acro.gif <Interesting> Sorry to
be a bother. -wuf <Not a bother. Do know that it is impossible
to ID Thallophytes, Cyanophytes by simple macro-viewing... Again,
a simple look/see will reveal whether much of this life lacks
nuclei... a definitive difference twixt. Please do read where you
were referred to. BobF>
Re: Algae ID... time, past, for a
scope -- 07/08/08 Ok, I have spent every night
since my last emails going through the bgaidfaq's on your
website, and I still can't tell what I am dealing with.
<... didn't we chat re this? A simple compound
microscope...> Upon closer inspection, there is actually
what looks like a clear hair growing on the brown spots. I
don't know if I have a major hydroid infestation (a guess
made simply because to the clear color) <Umm, no> or if
this an algae. <Is likely Cyanobacteria> Judging by the
fact it is only growing on the top of the rock and not
underneath in the shaded areas, I am guessing algae. I just
have never seen one that looks like it has clear fur. Also,
it will NOT come off the rocks, even with vigorous scrubbing
with a toothbrush. The closest thing I could relate it to is
a fuzzy brown coralline. <No my friend...> Attached is
a close up of the fur, if it might help to identify it. -w
<Not really possible to ID algae from macroscopic
images... A leading question... How slimy does it feel?
B> |
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Algae ID ... are they dangerous? 6/23/08 Dear
WetWebMedia Crew -- Thank for all your help in the past. First
the stats and then a few quick questions. <Ok> We
have a 55gal FOWLR tank with 2 Dartfish, 1 fairy wrasse, 1 sand
goby, and what used to be *lots* of hair algae. We added a small
one-spot fox-face Rabbitfish last week and he is plowing through
our hair algae. (Oh and a couple of peppermint shrimp and the
usual live-rock sponges, etc.) All of our numbers are good, but
our KH is a little low (8 dKH) as is our calcium (340 ppm). Last
week (on advice from you and others), we've started trying to
increase our KH and calcium [slowly!]. (KH is now 9, calcium is
still 350.) <Good> Since our Rabbitfish started in on our
hair algae, we've noticed a few new things and wanted to know
if they are dangerous. (1) Some red discoloration on our protein
skimmer. (See picture.) Is this red slime? <Does appear so>
We had a red slime problem when our tank was new (almost a year
ago), but haven't had an issue since then (we cured it with
an anti-red-slime treatment suggested by our LFS). If it's
not red slime, is it dangerous? <Mmm, I'd scrub this
contact chamber, rinse with hot freshwater> (2) New brown
circles have started appearing on our back wall. (See picture.)
Are these diatoms? <No... a Phaeophyte, brown algae> If so,
are they dangerous? <No> If not, are they something else?
We also have a small spot in a hard to reach (ok water flow, just
can't get my hand in there to scrape it off) on the front
wall. (Picture included if that helps.) The spot on the front
wall is clearly the same as the spot on the back. (2a) Also, you
can see lots of white circles in the picture from our back wall.
That's the remnants of purple coralline algae that turned
white when our hair algae started appearing. We've seen some
new purple coralline algae appearing at another location. Should
we leave the white remnants or should we remove them? <I would
not> (3) Finally, some white flowers have started appearing on
one of our rocks. At first I thought it was a form of algae. They
sometimes have green stalks and white tops. (See picture.) Any
idea what this is? <Perhaps a Hydrozoan, maybe a Clavulariid
"recruit"> Thanks again for all your help Dave and
Laura <Welcome. Bob Fenner>
Green Algae Mat 6/5/08 Hi Guys,
<Hello> I have some type of green mat on one of my
rocks. I think it's a form of algae, but its not one
I've seen before. <Not a true algae, is
Cyanobacteria.> I've looked at pictures on your site
and Google and couldn't find a close match. There are
no strands or "hair" coming from it, despite how
it looks in the picture, it's just a large green mat
and its "squishy" like a sponge. Any ideas on
what this is or if it will spread to my other rocks?
<Will spread if allowed, control nutrients and you will
control its growth. See here for more.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm >
<Chris>
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Can't identify this
growth -- Likely Coralline -- 05/27/08
I can't find anyone that can identify
this. The tank is a 75g reef that has been up almost 3
years. I thought at first it was some type of Cyano so I
use red slime remover. It didn't faze it. <Even if
it was, it's better to treat the disease, not the
symptoms.> The growth is more of a dark reddish purple,
almost the color of burgundy wine. It is soft to the touch
but not hairy. It can't be blown off nor syphoned like
regular Cyano. The only way to get it off is by scraping.
It is only on a few pieces of my LR and turbo snails. It
isn't getting onto my corals just the LR. I am stumped
as to what this could be. Thanks for the help ! <Only
microscope or chemical examinations will ultimately tell
you what it is. Probably a softer, darker type of coralline
algae with weaker ability to bind Calcium. I probably got
this one on some rocks, too. More light and good Calcium
and Magnesium concentrations and it will be replaced by
lighter varieties with time. Cheers, Marco.>
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Looks
like BGA to RMF.
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