Help to ID this red stuff that's on the rock
 

This red stuff has been on a piece of liverock since I set up the tank. It didn't spread for a while but I have noticed that it has started to spread slowly on to the other rock. I would like to know what this is so I can try to kill it/get rid of it. Is it some type of algae? Any advice on how to fix this problem is welcome. Thanks in advance ......

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m265/yvr_75/R1.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m265/yvr_75/Red.jpg

cheers

Ill join you on this thread I have it to

ah crap - That looks like cyano or red hair algae... I'm not sure which... What I had started off as a small chunk on a rock, noticed it had a lot of air bubbles on it, figured out it was cyano.

It might not be spreading now, but it could soon - you're great at water changes, so maybe slowing down the feeding? When did you start to see it spread, did you add anything else in the tank around when that happened?

well, all the water parameters are fine. This stuff came on a piece of liverock that came with the tank. ( I bought my SW tank for a canreef member that was leaving the hobby). There is not a lot of this stuff but I noticed that it has started to spread slowly over time. I don't think that it is red slime , this is more hairy. I do weekly water changes and as I mentioned before, all the water parameters are fine. I feed the fish once a day and try not to overfeed.

looks like red cotton algae

here's a link for ya

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...nftt/index.php

what type of skimmer are you using?

Ya mine looks like that red cotton algae

Thsi tank does not have a skimmer. I do weekly water changes and I don't feed a lot. All the water parameters are fine, I use Salifert test kits and they are suppose to be very accurate. There are so many people with small tanks that don't use a skimmer and their tanks do extremely well. In fact, the Canreef Tank of the Month does not use a skimmer, sump or refuge and it looks amazing. I know some people are going to say that I need a skimmer but as I mentioned before, there is proof that a tank without a skimmer can be done successfully.

I did a bit more research and found the name of this algae, RED TURF ALGAE. Apparently Mexican Turbo snails eat this algae. I wonder if J$L has some in stock.

cheers

There's a lot of people on the boards that have extensive setups and don't use skimmers, however I figure it NEVER hurts to have one ;) (Got a prizm you could use, my friend!!! ^_^)

I'm going to call J&L pretty soon, want to get a few emerald crabs from them to help with my horrid Valonia problems! I'll let you know if I hear from them before you do :)

Sounds like a bit of an epidemic lately:

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d=1#post240186

If it's localized and it it has only spread to one other rock , I would remove it from the tank and scrub it off with a brush with some kalk paste