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Unread 04/16/2006, 08:32 PM   #1
Beemo
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red algae or worms?

the past few weeks there has been this red string looking algae on the glass. its different than hair algae, it seems to be single threads, about 1-3" long and very very thin like hair thin.
then i started to wonder if they were worms, but i doesnt seem to crawl
is it algae? worms? is it bad?


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Unread 04/17/2006, 01:01 AM   #2
bertoni
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If it doesn't appear to move on its own, I would suspect some sort of photosynthetic microbe, possible red slime, but it's hard to say without a picture. I don't know of any worms that's grow on glass in that fashion.

So I'd guess you're seeing a sign that the tank is getting more food put into it than the export system can process, which is common in new tanks. How long has this one been running?


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Unread 04/17/2006, 09:34 AM   #3
Beemo
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the tank is running about 3-4 months now
i dont over feed, but a few weeks ago i did add some kent phytoplex, i under dosed but i did notice a brown algae spike after that
amonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
the thing that worries me is that when i see this string in one position then the next day it will be gone.
they also peak out of the sand. i tried to get a pic but i dont have a macro lens and since they are so thin and waving in the current all i get is a blurr.
i know its not slime algae. does hair algae come in red? sometimes it will float free and tangle around certain corals


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Unread 04/17/2006, 10:41 AM   #4
bertoni
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There are definitely red hair algae that show up from time to time. Whatever it is, you might need to reduce feeding or improve nutrient export. This article has a lot of ideas:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...t2003/chem.htm

Growing and harvesting a macroalga helped me with my algae issues.


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Unread 04/17/2006, 11:14 AM   #5
Beemo
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but my nitrate is zero
i hope it is red hair algae at least i know then its semi safe and not a coral eater
theres about 20 strands at various places so im not over run yet.
its the oddest looking "stuff" but i guess that comes with sw territory
are their any pictures of red hair algae somewhere? ive searched and only find green pictures


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Unread 04/17/2006, 12:11 PM   #6
bertoni
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The algae are consuming the nitrate, and dropping the measureable level to zero. The methods in the article might be useful in getting the food consumed elsewhere. I don't think you have a coral eater in any case. You could try a google search on Asparagopsis, which is one name that's been attached to a red hair alga that looks exactly like one I had.


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