Mystery Grass - Pictures Attached

[nonntt]

I have a 12g nano, about 3 yrs old, mixed reef. I stay on top of things pretty well - water changes, etc. All my levels are fine but over the last couple years, this reddish purple grass (algae?) has started to take over all of my rock. It appears to be a grass-like growth more than a slimy green algae type grass. LFS was no help. I'm stumped.

Check out the attached pics

Has anyone seen this before?

Do I have any options besides replacing all my rock?

Thanks

N

 

[Len]

Looks like it could be Gracilaria or some other red algae species. These should be pretty easy to manually remove, so I'd keep up with that until you've exported enough nutrients (from their removal) to prevent further growth. If your tank was bigger, tangs would probably eat up this stuff in a heartbeat. I can't think of any smaller fish that will though.

 

[jmeader]

I've had 2 types similar to that. One was soft and the other was like wire. Just pick it out and lower nutrients as you were told. I would add one note though. Red algae generally won't grow or do well without elevated levels of organics in addition to the nitrates and phosphates. A little phosphate free activated carbon could help.

 

[Sea Turtle]

Run a GFO reactor in your tank. That cleared up all my algae problems. Really does work.

 

[Sea Turtle]

You know, I put a tuxido urchin in my tank a year ago and I can't say he is the best of additions (plows over corals) but her really does a great job on algae like that. Might consider one.

 

[nonntt]

Thanks all. I found some pix online of Gracilaria. That is definitely what I have and it has propogated to nearly all of my rock. I have tried to manually remove as much as I can at every water change for over a year now but I don't see any improvement. I just grows back.

I am going to try to do weekly water changes (instead of every 2 weeks) and see if I can export more nutrients that way.

I would install a protein skimmer but I can't find one suitable for a nanocube.

I may consider a tuxedo urchin, but I have some nice corraline that I'd hate to get mowed.

Great advice once again.

Thanks!

 

[Sea Turtle]

Thanks all. I found some pix online of Gracilaria. That is definitely what I have and it has propogated to nearly all of my rock. I have tried to manually remove as much as I can at every water change for over a year now but I don't see any improvement. I just grows back.

I am going to try to do weekly water changes (instead of every 2 weeks) and see if I can export more nutrients that way.

I would install a protein skimmer but I can't find one suitable for a nanocube.

I may consider a tuxedo urchin, but I have some nice corraline that I'd hate to get mowed.

Great advice once again.

Thanks!

I was not aware that the tuxido urchins eat the corraline algae. Is this true?

 

[Len]

Urchins eat everything. They are indiscriminate. You can often see urchin tracks on rocks (removed algae, including some coralline).

 

[Sea Turtle]

Urchins eat everything. They are indiscriminate. You can often see urchin tracks on rocks (removed algae, including some coralline).

I have been getting a little frusterated with mine. Pulls frags right off the rocks even when they are crazy glued down.

 

[jmeader]

Urchins will only eat the regular algae but they tear up everything under the algae doing it.