what type of algae are these?

[reef150]

I have a fairly new tank (fullly running for about 6mo with lights, full rock, etc) and have recently had an outbreak out a couple of types of algae. I had what I considered to be hair algae and then it subsided, but I have a fair amount of this other stuff, which is pretty strong (can really break it by just tugging on it) and has quite a different texture than what I know as hair algae (which is very fine and "slimy").

I also have one other type, which are look a lot like white pipe cleaners with bright green tips

There is one other strange one that's popped up. Its greenish / brown and seems to be tublar and branching in nature. Sort of like the polyps of a torch coral.

Can anyone help me ID these, and let me know which I need to try and eradicate and which are OK. The snails, crabs and even the Sailfin tang do not seem to be touching any of these.

Thanks
Mike

 

[The Pirate]

Number 1 and number 3 is poisonous. Your fish will not eat it (hopefully). If and when your snails do they die. It must be removed ASAP. If it gets a good foot hold you might as well start over. The problem is it is more efficient at taking up nutrients then just about anything else. If I see it on one of my rocks that rock is in the back yard by the end of the day and will be soaking up sunshine for weeks. Sorry to be the barer of bad news. Good luck.

 

[aquarist=broke]

Number 2: http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=17084&highlight=green+things+attack

 

[Will C1]

i dont think #2 is that link if you look at his pic's i know thier blury but it has small hairs protrudung from it and has bands on it like growth rings. i dont know what it is, but i dont think is a type of velonia.

 

[reef150]

Yep... sorry for the picture quality / focus. My digital camera does not have the best macro capability.

The algae in #2 has almost a chalky white appearance and typically only the top 1/4" or so is green, when there are just starting and small it may be all green and has a yellow / green look.


As for #1 & #3 that were identified as non-nice algaes, other than removing the rock and letting it dry / bleach in the sun, any other suggestions for removal? If I were to remove the rock and cut this stuff back to a nub, and keep the nutriants in the tank low for a while, would this potentially starve it out?

Thanks
Miks

 

[Anonymous]

Can you get better pics?

 

[reef150]

Pics are at the bottom of the initial post.....

 

[Will C1]

if your still cycling the tank and dont have anything in there yet you could pull the rocks out and scrub them off then put them back and cut the lights off for a couple of weeks without lights the plants will die off.

 

[Anonymous]

The bottom one looks like it might be bryopsis. The middle one could be valonia with hair algea growing on it, and the top one looks like lettuce algea.

However, without better pics I don't see how anyone could accurately id any of them. I wouldn't want to do anything to the tank without first know what you are dealing with.

 

[aquarist=broke]

Number 2: http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=17084&highlight=green+things+attack

I only said this 'cause a Site Admin. said. I never even researched to see if the answer was right. Now that I searched it, those green thingies weren't bubble algae at all, but they were similar to the long green thingies he has pictured.

Sorry for the bad info.

<----AequalsB smacks himself around a bit with a large trout.