Can you help me identify this macro algae?

[bluepointer]

Hey fellow reefers,

I have this kind of macro algae in my 14 gal biocube and inspite of my best efforts, I can't seem to figure out what it is.

Any ideas? I rather like the look of it now, but I don't want to keep it around if it is a bad kind. The leaves are each about 2 inches long.

Thanks!

I also attached a pic of the tank at large, but you can't see my small clown or firefish.

[Phurst]

No idea but it's pretty cool looking.

[CarmieJo]

I don't know either but it is very pretty. How long have you had it and how much has it grown?

[bluepointer]

Hi CarmieJo and Phurst, A couple of months, it came on the live rock I bought, its the rock at the top of the tank pic, to the right of the pump outflow. So in about 2.5 months, the leaves have grown about an inch or so

[CarmieJo]

In that case it doesn't sound like it is taking over your tank. If it was mine I'd just keep an eye on it and trim it if it starts overshadowing your corals.

[PhotoJohn]

I had something that looked similar when I first started reefing. It had a central stem with leaves much like a compact terrestrial plant. I didnt know what to do so I plucked it out of the rock, it died and never grew back...I didnt think much of it at the time, but I wish I still had it now. It was really cool and unique.

[rayme07]

I have no clue what it is but your tank is amazing.

[bluepointer]

Thanks rayme07, its my new baby, I'm quite excited I just got my first candy coral (its the small dude in the top left)

[Skurvey Dog]

That is cool looking. Would like to see what it looks like in about a year. Thanks for sharing and the pics!

[bluepointer]

I think I figured it out, I think it is a type of brown algae, Sargassum sp.
Thanks for the help!

[johnmaloney]

+1.............

[dustin.j.purdy]

i just started using purple up a week a go and i have the same algea bloom.

[PhotoJohn]

purple up=waste of money

[rayme07]

I agree with John purple up is a waist of money all it is, is a higher concentration of calcium additive which normally tends to raise your calcium to very high levels. The best way to get Coraline to grow is get some from another tank that has it growing well and put it into the tank that should start it off. :)

[7perseo7]

if you want some purple,buy some live rock with purple coraline in it.it will spread in the rocks with in a couple of months,my girlfirend likes it,so in her tank i scrapped purple over some of the rock to seed it and is starting to grow.