# Help Identifying algae



## Invic (Sep 20, 2011)

So I have a small bit of live rock started in my tank and it came with some algae on it. Its in bad shape but fear its an invasive type. I hate to start out with a nasty algae spread 

This is a pic from another site that does not label what it is. My rock is similar the taller single green algae in this pic look very much like mine. 










Thoughts? really do want to remove it, I have some feather duster hitchhikers my wife likes on the same rock.


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## kay-bee (Dec 6, 2006)

I'm not sure what type of algae it is.

You can try keeping the tank un-illuminated to restrict its growth and spread until the introduction of photosynthetic lifeforms or after the tank is completely cycled, and try using some sort of phosphate remove to attempt to starve it out.

In a completely cycled tank clean up crew such as emerald crabs and turbo snails would make short work of the algae you have.

In addition to the algae you've seen on your rock, new SW tanks are typically assailed by diatoms, various nuisance algae's, cyanobacteria ('red slime') etc for the first several months.


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