PLEASE HELP: Red Cotton Candy Algae in Fuge

[etszoo]

I always thought algae (even this one) was "normal" in our systems. Any swing whether it be new additions (cycle) or some other disturbance like changing aquascape
could cause the bloom. Mine started in my fuge after changing the rockwork and or
removing caulerpa and replacing with chaeto. I'm still leaning.

 

[jackie]

any pix or id so we know more about this type of algae?

That was my next ??? but I spaced it. A pic would be helpful, nothing on the internet that I could see. Sounds much worse than trying to get rid of cyano.

 

[etszoo]

I thought it was a type of cyano.

 

[jackie]

Is this it?

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-12/nftt/

 

[Liam]

Yes i just got some macro with this in.I actually noticed some on a colony i just got also.It is dark red,very tough and has a felt like texture.
Not good!!!

 

[clamm]

jACKIE, i think that is what everyone is speaking of....

 

[etszoo]

Guess mine WAS cyano.....phew..lol

 

[jackie]

Thanks now I know what to look for. And TG I don't have it, and don't need it right now

Good luck Chuck!

 

[JustDavidP]

I've had this stuff in my sump forever though I've never had it in the display tank. It tends to sprout up in the low flow areas (in and around my baffles and in dense clutches of macro). I typically remove it physically when I do water changes. If a bit gets back into the display, my yellow tang eats it quickly.

Dave

 

[Moe_K]

The stuff I've seen (which grew enormously in somebody's tank) looked just like we're describing it: pink cotton candy.
It grew in huge clumps (as big as one's hand) and really started taking over the tank.

 

[gordonzoo]

Nope, not what I have. Mine is stringy like chaeto. Guess I'm ok. I still would like to find a name for it.
Rich

 

[~Flighty~]

Hmm I have that in my tank.

There was a member a few months ago who broke down their tank and had that in their system, so I think that could be why a lot of us are seeing it now. I know lots of us got things from that tank. I saw it on the colony I picked up and didn't think much about it. It hasn't been a big problem, but I definately have it in my main system in low flow areas. My LMB seems to bite at it, but I don't know if he is eating it.

 

[clamm]

although my system is pretty new I have to agree with justdavidp at this point it seems to hang around the baffles and is easily manually removed. Its also on the eggcrate in the fuges, i just manaully remove it and thus far its not in the display, ill keep my fingures crossed.

 

[Syris]

I beleive I have this algae but its more like a short turf instead of cottony.

Heres the best pic I have of it. You can see it all over my overflow, powerhead outputs and LR. This was at its peak in Dec 2003

I could not get rid of it by scrubbing. What finally got it under control for me was 2 Tuxedo urchins.
Here is a recent pic and you an see it is mostly gone. I've never been able to completely get rid of it (small tuffs appear now and again mostly on ph) Maybe I should get a dozen Mexican turbos to take out the rest of it.

 

[Alex]

I had this stuff a long while back in my old 55 and it reached plague proportions. Funny thing is I had an incedent where my tank got way to hot. It ended up just disappearing after that along with some of my corals unfortunately. I recently noticed some in my fuge as well but it seems to be in check.

 

[JustDavidP]

Keep in mind, that although some of this may have recently been passed around, it has been around FOREVER...and within BRS forever.

I remember seeing my first ever reef tank (the one that got me hooked), years back, and the owner had it in his sump and grow out tank too. I'm sure that almost ALL of you have corals or prodgeny thereof, that were from his tank.

Just as with ANY nusiance alga, it typically rears its ugly head only when conditions are right...or wrong that is.

D

 

[Greg Hiller]

Though I cannot speak for Chuck, I think that the article listed above:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-12/nftt/

is in fact talking about the same stuff. There was also an article about the stuff in Sea Scope a few years back that gave the species or genus name of the algae. That was where I first read about it, though I'd seen it in a fellow BRS members tank before that. Sorry I don't have the species or genus name on this handy. As Chuck mentioned, the really big turbos can control it. Sometimes unfortunately, it will grow in patches between the branches of SPS corals where the snails cannot get it. Thankfully this is one pest I've managed to avoid (so far!!).

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

That's the stuff!

Greg, that IS the stuff. I used to have a name for it but can't remember what it is. It is obviously in the Rhodophyta family. I also remember that this algae takes on 3 different foirms, including planktonic and that each form is considered a different species.

The Turbos are indeed eating the stuff left over in my refugium. I removed all of the chaeto since it would be impossible to get out the red cotton stuck in between all of the strands.

I have noticed that there is some in my tank...stuck in between coral branches that I have begun to remove. I have many turbos in the display, so I hope they take care of the majority of it. So far it isn't at plague proporations in my display....but the refugium was another story.

Though I cannot speak for Chuck, I think that the article listed above:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-12/nftt/

is in fact talking about the same stuff. There was also an article about the stuff in Sea Scope a few years back that gave the species or genus name of the algae. That was where I first read about it, though I'd seen it in a fellow BRS members tank before that. Sorry I don't have the species or genus name on this handy. As Chuck mentioned, the really big turbos can control it. Sometimes unfortunately, it will grow in patches between the branches of SPS corals where the snails cannot get it. Thankfully this is one pest I've managed to avoid (so far!!).

 

[denvig]

Chuck when you have it under control I can restock some of your chaeto. I'm about to pull a bunch, just let me know. And no there is no cotton candy in it or any other bad stuff that I am aware of.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Thanks

Dennis,

I will definitely take you up on that offer. I will let you know as soon as the "turbos" clean the tahnk out!

Chuck when you have it under control I can restock some of your chaeto. I'm about to pull a bunch, just let me know. And no there is no cotton candy in it or any other bad stuff that I am aware of.