Red algae

[mark]

I've recently increased the light levels in one of my tanks and some rather odd clumps of red algae have grown. It looks just like the green hair algae but... well, it's red. Any idea what it is or why it's red?

 

[hayden]

It looks like craft fur or something.

 

[jennifer]

I've seen black algae like that, but red, wow, never seen that.

 

[s1ren]

I don't know what this algae is; but I had it in one of my tanks last year.

Usually when my algae flares up, it settles itself out in a few weeks, so I generally leave it alone.

This red stuff, though - I ended up having to scrub down every rock and leaf and surface in the tank several times in a month to get it to give up and go away. Tough stuff - and it spread VERY quickly. Before the last of it died off, it turned a very pretty dark purple color.

Dunno if that helps.

 

[jennifer]

It looks and is described exactly the same as the black algae I used to have. The black algae grew in tufts at the edges of everything. I wonder if it grows different colors under different conditions. Annoying stuff!

 

[mark]

The black hair algae is growing in the same tank so I guess it's just a colour variation. I quite like algae and let it do it's own thing most of the time. My theory is, if it grows it must be beneficial to the bio-cycle of the tank so leave it be. I do have one of those algae removers on a stick to keep the glass clean -it's nice to be able to see in the tank!

 

[stewart]

Is there any iron ore in the tank? That could make it go red.

 

[chris]

well I guess that I am not alone 'cause I have algae in the tank that is a light orange color....I just threw the piece of wood it was on away...