Algae Indentification and Help Please

[ScubaGirl]

So...my tank seems to have "the plague", at least that's what I've been calling it jokingly. However, it's not such a joke any more, it's spreading.

It is a thread-like red/brown algae that lays over the live rock and flows like a strand of my hair would in the water flow. Originally I thought it may be the mucous that the exquisite wrasse supposedly wraps itself in at night breaking down but it is clearly more than that.

I have treated 2x now for red slime/cyano and it has not affected these strands but did clear up a very small amount of slime that I had a rock in the back. That area is all gone now after the 2 treatments but these threads remain and have grown longer.

I have tried physically removing the strands. They do not feel like anything in my hand when I tear them off the rock. I cannot feel the texture in my hand so the strands are very thin and even delicate.

My skimmer is working overtime now after the red slime treatment and I can see some of these strands getting pulled out but there is still an issue.

I was using Instant Ocean salt and have now bought a bucket of SeaChem and I'm now mixing the 2 together 50/50. My magnesium has been really low and my calcium a bit low but I've been regularly dosing for both to try to bring them up and they are just shy of where they should be now. Water parameters otherwise are great. Nitrates and nitrites are 0, ammonia has been about 0.05, pH is 8, and alkalinity 8.

After the first treatment for red slime, I did a 40% water change. I have just finished the second treatment yesterday and skimmer has been running for about 12 hours now. I'm going to do another water change. How much do you guys suggest?

I just started preparing my water ahead of time. I was using tap water with no apparent issues previously. I still don't know if that is what has caused this particular algae issue but you have to be suspect. I'm also using vanquish now to treat the new water.

Can anyone identify this algae? I've googled it like crazy with no real luck so far. Has anyone ever had this issue before and what did you do/use to treat it? You can almost see it grow, it grows so fast and I'm getting worried. Please help, I appreciate any information you can offer.





A bit out of focus but you can still see the "thread"


This patch has just shown up on the glass 2 days ago and you can see how long some of the "threads" are already. One is probably a good 6 inches long already.


Some cascading down the rocks