what kind of alage

daugherty

part time reefer
i have had a tank free of alage for a long time then i bought a couple new corals and now i have this can anyone tell me what it is. and how to rid it it is hard

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Neomeris annulata is what it looks like to me but I could be wrong.

From Melev's Reef:
Usually you'll see at most 5 branches of this calcium-based macro algae, and it tends to only live a short duration.

That is COOL looking! Do you keep your calcium high?
 
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I searched around and couldn't find too much info on it. What I did learn is that it's a rare type of algae and usually doesn't grow more than a few pieces, then it disappears. Because it's a calcium based algae (like halimeda), it will compete with your corals for calcium, and calcium is fueling it.

Is there a reason you keep your calcium so high?
 
Its valonia, (bubble algae), and can overrun your tank if your not careful. I have a single stock and a pair of stocks of neomeris annulata and it is a lot different. The bubble algae is almost see through and has fluid in it, neomeris is bright green, like flourescent green and has tiny little hairs around it, almost making it fuzzy. The bubble algae you have is long and thinner, which it the kind I have too. If you get some emerald crabs and don't feed the tank a lot they will get hungry and will eat the bubble algae. I will take a photo of the two tonight and try and post them to this thread.
 
I've never seen valonia like that before. I've only seen bubble algae that's round in shape, not tubular... You're probably right though, I made the ID only from looking pics up on the internet as I've never seen that type of algae before. If so, it's still pretty neat. Reminds me of the long skinny balloons you make animals out of...
 
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Lol, its a lot less pretty when its starts growing in your tank. Yea, most people get the round stuff, but every now and then the longer stuff seems to pop up. The neomeris is pretty and isn't much of a problem cause it grows slowly. The bubble algae on the other hand will take over a tank if you let it. I have been lazy lately because of school so I haven't gotten rid of some stuff. Valonia and aptasia are the two that I need to deal with soon. My aptasia has been spreading and is getting bad, I bought some stuff to kill it, but I haven't used it yet, maybe I'll do that today.
 
Yeah I have majano out the wazoo on one rock... I've tried everything on it but it always seems to come back stronger than ever. I even have majanos living in the midst of big zoa colonies and on the skeleton of my frogspawn and fox corals :(.
 
it has taken about 7 months to get this big and and i add nothing to for cal suplments and it is always between 450 and 500. i only have one sps and one lps but it just is alwayd that high
 
If it's bubble algae, then that's not calcium based, that's nitrate/phosphate based like most other algaes. I would try emerald crabs, most love bubble algae, but add more than one just to be sure you get one that does.
 
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