What algae is this & how to control?

[Picassoclown]

Hello Everyone,

Can someone please tell me what this algae is? It looks like a brown encrusting coralline algae, but it's brown and very slimy. What is the best way to remove these? Also, will coralline algae eventually grow over other algae that is present? Thank you everyone!

P.S., looks like I have some sort of sponge hitchhiker (the black spots all over the rock).

 

[Airwolf]

Looks like a newer tank to me. I went through the same thing with mine. Just kept blowing the rocks off with a turkey baster.

That stage of “uglies” lasted about a month.

 

[Picassoclown]

Looks like a newer tank to me. I went through the same thing with mine. Just kept blowing the rocks off with a turkey baster.

That stage of “uglies” lasted about a month.

Do you know what kind of algae that is?

 

[Airwolf]

I chalked them up to some sort of chrysophytes based on what I found online. How old is your tank? If newer don’t chase trying to solve everything new that comes up. Tanks go through a maturation process.

 

[Picassoclown]

My tank is 5 months old post-cycle. I was informed by another reefer friend that an urchin will bulldoze right over this type of stuff. I might try this out.

Does coralline algae eventually grow over other forms of algae? I read a few days ago that coralline will not grow over. I am not sure if I believe that.

 

[Airwolf]

If you mean grow over the top, probably not. If you mean eventually grow and fill in, then it may.

I am just starting to see coralline growth after about 8 months in. Started as a green, but now getting some pink and purple.

Urchin may help, but what will it eat if it consumes all the algea you have in the tank?

Patience to me is what is needed in a new tank setup.

 

[Picassoclown]

I have coralline growing already on my pumps and I already see the initial green spots all over the rock work. I definitely have the patience for it, just this kind of algae is so ugly lol. If the urchin happens to eat all the algae in a 210 gallon tank, I always have algae wafers on hand. My fighting conches love them and I'm sure they can share their snack lol.