What is this ?

[David]

Hi: I have my tank for about a year now. Lately I see these brown/rusty looking stuff started to grow. Please advise how do I get rid of it and what they are. Thanks in advance.

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_0128.JPG
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/IMG_0129.JPG
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_0130.JPG

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Looks like Lobophora....a type of plating algae. I have it in my tank and it hasn't caused me any problems.

[Redrover]

Me thinks it's a type of incrusting brown algae::question:

[christyf5]

Brown wafer algae. I have it too. Scurge of the marine world (except for grape caulerpa, and dinoflagellates). I have no idea how to get rid of it, I just remove it manually once it gets big enough you can peel it off in mostly one piece.

I think reef_raf had this as well. Not sure what he did to get rid of it.

[Ephraim]

Peel it off? I love the look of it in my tank, once it grows in really big it looks like miniture monticap.

[christyf5]

Well yeah at first it does look kind of cool, then when it takes over and outcompetes your coralline. I'd rather my rock not all be brown, it kind of detracts from the rest of the tank and gives it a "dull" look. JMO.

[bv_reefer]

-IMO i'd get rid of it asap, cuz honestly anything that interferes with coralline
growth is not a guest u wanna accomadate in youre tank!

[marie]

I don't know it makes a pretty darn nice hat :mrgreen:
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/july20_014.jpg

and besides I am not particularily fond of coralline algae at the moment :wink:

[bv_reefer]

-lol well i'm actually cycling so @ the moment can't get enuf coralline algae!!
-just don't let it over run you're tank:wink:

[Static]

I have it, it grows right over zoanthids. I wish I could get rid of it. The diadema urchin has helped, but will only clean the flatter rocks. The only other thing I've heard of eating it are naso tangs.

I thought it was kindof neat at first as well, untill it covered half my rock and started wiping out collonies of zoo's. It tends to grow on the stalks of euphelia's as well and threatens to grow over the fleshy parts. I haven't let it get that far yet though.

[tharkema]

Been almost 3 years since this post was touched... but I have the exact same stuff that I have been trying to get rid of for 1+ year. I had a blue tuxedo urchin, but he would just eat around it. I heard a Naso Tang might do the trick but my tank is not big enough to support it (60g).

I have been putting 2-3 pieces of live rock in my sump and waiting about 4+ months for the stuff to disappear. However after switching cleared up pieces with stuff in display tank it eventually comes back.

Anyways any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have been peeling off what I can... but need to get rid of this stuff :(

[Lance]

I hate that stuff! It is a PITA to get rid of.

[christyf5]

The faunamarin ultralith system gets rid of it. Took about 6 months with the basic 4 ingredients (rocks, bio and minS and bak), then a few more to really make sure its gone. I think I did a year total of "low nutrient" system (6mo ultralith, 6mo zeo) before I got bored with it. I still have some on one of my clams as it was moved to a different system recently and acquired it there. I just keep him away from the rock.

[bvlester]

I have some also and don't mind it salaris blennie eats it and some angles eat it Naso tang I had ate it really well. It is some sort of macro algae at least the stuff I have after a while it started growing in bushy patches. it has a burgundy look to it and feels kind of like Velvet. My urchin does not eat it either but has picked a piece top wear looks like red Cheeto.

Bill