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View Full Version : Need an ID - Algae/Starfish


nolofinwe
02/08/2004, 07:02 PM
I posted this about three days ago on the main help forums. no takers. any help from you guys?

Two types of red algae. Both seem to be calcium-dependant.
one:
<img src="http://www.nolofinwe.com/image/algae1.jpg" />
the second:
<img src="http://www.nolofinwe.com/image/algae2.jpg" />

I also have hundreds of what looks like dime-sized brittlestars. anything neat live off of them? any specifics?
<img src="http://www.nolofinwe.com/image/starfish.jpg" />

thanks

fishfarmer
02/08/2004, 08:38 PM
I've been battling what looks like the red algea in the second pic for a while(like a year or so). I don't know what it is, but it came in on Florida cultured rock and really took hold after a tank meltdown/heatwave(long story). It took a while to start growing on my Fiji rock, but is taking a foothold. I think it spreads by fragmentation, so any effort to pull it off sends it everywhere. It outcompeted a non sexual filamentous algea in my sump.

I'll admit I'm lax on water changes and my skimmer is under powered, but I feed sparingly and what corals I have look fine and grow. I try to harvest as much as I can every couple of weeks and have even pulled rocks and scrubbed it off. I switched to new bulbs, that killed one other pesky algae, but hasn't affected this one.

I think this algae goes sexual on me and dumps nutrients back in my tank, so I really can't get rid of it, unless I do massive water changes and get a better skimmer. I'm not sure how calcium plays a role, I'm lax on weekly testing and don't trust my test kits anyway.

It is THE BEAST in my opinion and haven't traded frags out of my tank for fear of spreading to other systems.

My plan of attack is a complete teardown of my 55 gallon. Bigger skimmer, newer rock, very thin sandbed and better turn over through my tank.

I would carefully try to remove it manually and keep an eye on it.

Later, Al

nolofinwe
02/09/2004, 01:08 AM
yeesh.

I never paid this much attention. they both came in on seperate shipments of figi over a year ago, probably close to two. they never grew worth a lick, but since about a month ago they have started growing. the first much more than the second.