Red algae ID?

[jiriki76]

Googling red algae or red coraline algae didn't do me much good..

 

It looks quite pretty but is it a good thing to have?

[lakshwadeep]

Can you easily scrape it off with something? If not, then it is probably a darker species of coralline algae (note the two l's in "coralline").

 

http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/pulley-ridge/coralline-algae.html

[jiriki76]

Can you easily scrape it off with something? If not, then it is probably a darker species of coralline algae (note the two l's in "coralline").

 

http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/pulley-ridge/coralline-algae.html

 

It's hard as a rock. Not slimy really. Yeah.. google said "did you mean..." too

 

Cool... I hope I keep getting more. It adds quite a bit of color to the tank. Most tanks I've seen only have the pink/purple coralline algae. That's why I was worried.

[lakshwadeep]

Don't worry. A few years ago, I was lucky to get a live rock that had a deep crimson coralline that was a plating variety. It was just like this:

[mmelnick]

I've got some coralline that looks just like that. It grows fast, but the darker purple stuff takes over after about a month. They both look cool, so I won't complain.

[The Propagator]

It also over takes coral so be careful what its next to.

[jiriki76]

It also over takes coral so be careful what its next to.

 

It'd be a battle between my Red Sea Pink Pulsing Xenias and this red coralline algae. Who'd win?

 

How would I control this red stuff? What's making it grow?

[The Propagator]

The Xenia. It will only over grow stonies in most cases.

Its a coral line algae so it thrives on calcium and lighting.

 

The only way you can really control it is to scrape it off or trim it back.