My 4 year old algae

flooddc · Nov 24, 2018

This thing has grown in my sump for the past 4 years. I finally upgrade my sump light and took it out for some pics. No idea what is is (some kind of read algae) but looks pretty cool. About 5"+ in diameter.

Red Algae by t@#$%c, on Flickr

bottom of it

Red Algae by t@#$%c, on Flickr

BoomCorals · Nov 24, 2018

Is it growing ON that or calcifying its own structure? Looking interesting.

flooddc · Nov 24, 2018

BoomCorals said:
Is it growing ON that or calcifying its own structure? Looking interesting.

Just a clump of algae. I discovered a piece years ago in another system sump but tossed it out when I moved. When I set up this system, I found a tiny piece in the sump and and decided to keep it. Now grew to about 5". Interesting indeed!

Reefbuds · Nov 24, 2018

Maybe some kind of red sponge?

flooddc · Nov 24, 2018

wallace said:
Maybe some kind of red sponge?

Definitely not sponge. It's hard and free float.

Reefbuds · Nov 24, 2018

flooddc said:
Definitely not sponge. It's hard and free float.

Hmm. Very strange. Never seen an algae form like that before. Somebody on here will know what it is tho

flooddc · Nov 24, 2018

wallace said:
Hmm. Very strange. Never seen an algae form like that before. Somebody on here will know what it is tho

The top is smooth and is floating on the surface of the water. The bottom is fuzzy. Rubbery like to the touch. Maybe I can use it as a frisbee once it get bigger.

Reefbuds · Nov 24, 2018

flooddc said:
The top is smooth and is floating on the surface of the water. The bottom is fuzzy. Rubbery like to the touch. Maybe I can use it as a frisbee once it get bigger.

Man that is strange lol.

flooddc · Nov 24, 2018

Found old photos of it!

IMG_0524 by t@#$%c, on Flickr

Algae-1-2013 by t@#$%c, on Flickr

cristata.reef · Nov 24, 2018

I may be able to ID it. Can you try to get some pics without the red fuge lights? I suspect a type of fouling/scouring red algae

flooddc · Nov 25, 2018

Sonofives said:
I may be able to ID it. Can you try to get some pics without the red fuge lights? I suspect a type of fouling/scouring red algae

Red algae by t@#$%c, on Flickr

cristata.reef · Nov 25, 2018

flooddc said:
Red algae by t@#$%c, on Flickr
Red algae by t@#$%c, on Flickr

Hmm it looks like the ends of each shoot are fleshy and possibly even small bulbs in some cases. I'm stumped, I thought it would be more of a coarse brush-like algae

Bryce M. · Nov 25, 2018

Looks cool! and if it's been there for four years at least it's not bad. Want to send me a chunk! Haha

Scrubber_steve · Nov 25, 2018

flooddc said:
It's hard and free float.

could be a type of calcifying algae - calcareous algae,,, but not coralline ???

jack_aubry · Nov 25, 2018

ok that is weird. Weird enough that it might be worth sequencing. I am not a red algae expert, but several people in my lab are. Would you be willing to ship a piece off? We could sequence it and figure out what it is. If you want to let me know.

flooddc · Nov 25, 2018

jack_aubry said:
ok that is weird. Weird enough that it might be worth sequencing. I am not a red algae expert, but several people in my lab are. Would you be willing to ship a piece off? We could sequence it and figure out what it is. If you want to let me know.

Sure! shoot me a PM with shipping address. I'll cut off a piece to have it check out. thx