ID this algae please

fragit · Nov 12, 2016

I have this strange algae growing I've never seen this before. I don't believe that it is bryopsis, nor do I think it's hair algae. This stuff is not growing in mats. It is very diffuse, it started in my refugium, at first I thought it was bits of Chaeto, but it is not. There does not appear to be any "feathering", it is just one filament. It does not grow as long in high flow areas. And some of the larger strands I can almost make out individual cell structures with the naked eye. Cerith, Trochus, and my Kole Tang do not seem interested. It does not seem to irritate any of my 7 corals. I have one scarlet hermit and have not noticed it picking at it either. Please help me ID this so I can take proper steps.

Display tank

Refugium

cowboy · Nov 12, 2016

#reefsquad we will call you some help interested in this myself.

john.m.cole3 · Nov 12, 2016

Is it on the glass and the rocks? @twilliard have you seen this before?

fragit · Nov 12, 2016

Yes John on the rocks in the DT only, in the fuge it on the rocks and on the glass of the C2C over flow. @twilliard your help would be much appreciated!

john.m.cole3 · Nov 12, 2016

Have you tried pulling it off? Is it tough to pull off?

john.m.cole3 · Nov 12, 2016

just trying to gather some info for our algae experts

dbl · Nov 12, 2016

Not an algae expert, but you may want to go ahead and post your parameters in case they're asked for. More information the better.

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 12, 2016

oh how neat!
I think i May have some.
soes it feel like a plant or plastic thread? (if that makes sense) stronger than a human hair.

Humblefish · Nov 12, 2016

Could be hydroids.

fragit · Nov 12, 2016

Yes @saltyfilmfolks it does feel like a plant and sort of plastic I suppose. @john.m.cole3 I did pull some off it breaks fairly close to the attachment point on the rock. It is like thread. @dbl parameters well what I check are salinity 1.025, alk 8, Ca 420, Mg 1240, temp 78. I am running the Aquaforest line up, and have not tested my nitrates or phosphates in a while. Really @Humblefish hydroids? It doesn't look like any hydroids I have ever seen. There are no feeding type tentacles at the ends or anything like that, they just terminate.

fragit · Nov 12, 2016

@Humblefish you might be right. I did a google search for hydroid images. So I thought I had some baby micro brittle stars in my refugium, I'm positive now those are hydroids. I did see some images that could be a match to what I am writing about in this thread but I don't think I can tell with any certainty without a microscope.

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 12, 2016

Does it look like this?

fragit · Nov 12, 2016

Yes sort of, only it does not grow in clusters like that. They are single strands that don't grow that close to each other. Like the picture I posted where they are on the glass. That is how they grow on the rocks too.

fragit · Nov 12, 2016

@saltyfilmfolks do you know what you have?

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 12, 2016

fragit said:
Yes sort of, only it does not grow in clusters like that. They are single strands that don't grow that close to each other. Like the picture I posted where they are on the glass. That is how they grow on the rocks too.

well that was most of what was in the tank when I pulled it, it didn't grow like that.
If you think its an animal (i dont yet, but maybe sponge framiferan) we should ask the master.
@Lionfish Lair

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 12, 2016

fragit said:
@saltyfilmfolks do you know what you have?

no.

.
But I think i killed it.
it was so hard like fishing line almost. really odd. but I had a lot of odd in this little tank i i did.
I actually at first though i dropped my hairbrush in. or it was the ugliest chato ever once I grabbed it. but it was tougher than both.

Lionfish Lair · Nov 12, 2016

Can you turn off the flow to see what it does?

fragit · Nov 12, 2016

@Lionfish Lair I will tomorrow lights are all off right now. What should I/are you looking for with no flow?

fragit · Nov 12, 2016

saltyfilmfolks said:
no..
But I think i killed it.
it was so hard like fishing line almost. really odd. but I had a lot of odd in this little tank i i did.
I actually at first though i dropped my hairbrush in. or it was the ugliest chato ever once I grabbed it. but it was tougher than both.

Mine is much softer not nearly as strong as fishing line or even hair for that matter.