Any idea what this white fuzzy stuff is??

Gwitness · May 28, 2015

I have had this whitish/tan fuzzy stuff on my back wall and some live rock for awhile now and I have no idea what it is or what causes it??? I brush it off very easily with a toothbrush and the. It's back on the overflow box a couple days later again??? Nitrates are reading 5 and phosphates are at 0.....any ideas??

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Gwitness · May 28, 2015

Sorry pictures aren't the best, but it's the white fuzzy, almost hair like.....it's not hair algae though....is it detritus? A bacteria or fungus??

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 28, 2015

It isn't detritus and not likely either bacteria or fungus (not sure there are fungi that grow under water), but it is probably some sort of living creature. Does it easily scrape off?

Gwitness · May 28, 2015

Very easy....I can gently use a tooth brush on it or turkey baster it off....it's just ugly and I have no idea what it is, if it's good or bad, or what causes it....

cloak · May 28, 2015

Bryozoans perhaps?

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/hitchhiker.shtml

Gwitness · May 28, 2015

cloak said:
Bryozoans perhaps?

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/hitchhiker.shtml

Funny you put that because I was researching like crazy last night and out of all of the stuff I found that was the closest thing i found to what I have....only thing is that it looks more branch than what I have but then again IDing this crap is tough sometimes!! If it is that I guess it's not a bad thing, just ugly!

JimWelsh · May 28, 2015

Boomer would know. I'll try to get his attention drawn towards this thread. He loves IDing things.

oceanparadise1 · May 28, 2015

Is it Pineapple Sponges? Maybe? I can't lie i suck at IDing but thats what comes to my mind.

Gwitness · May 28, 2015

JimWelsh said:
Boomer would know. I'll try to get his attention drawn towards this thread. He loves IDing things.

That would be great!!!! I've been trying for awhile and just can't seem to understand what it is or why it's there!! Thanks a ton!

Gwitness · May 28, 2015

oceanparadise1 said:
Is it Pineapple Sponges? Maybe? I can't lie i suck at IDing but thats what comes to my mind.

Haha I came across that one yesterday also and I don't think it's the pineapple sponges, just doesn't look like it up when I look up close but thanks for the idea!