Please help! Algea identification can't remove

[Stripecat]

I moved this 250 gallon tank to a new house about 2 months ago. It was a giant fiasco as it was a long distance move and I was able to put the fish in a smaller tank but the liverock had to go in the bathtub for about 2 weeks while we put supports under the house and set RODI water system up. That being said the tank was set back up and let sit to cycle like it was new again and all this algea grew. I know most of it is green hair algea but not sure what the brighter more dense algea is. The green hair algea is easy to remove but the other is not easy at all. Can anyone identify what this could be and give me any pointers I could use to possibly get rid of it before I go crazy. Tried peroxide and no luck. Tested phosphate, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, PH, and ammonia and all are in normal levels. Doing water changes at 20-25% once a week with RODI water. I really appreciate any help anyone can give before I give up. The last picture is the algea in question as the first one is green hair algea I am pretty sure

 

[mcarroll]

Looks like hair algae but white....

Can you get some under a microscope?

 

[Stripecat]

I can't put it under a microscope I am in very northern Michigan and we don't even have a local fish store I can go to for help. I could maybe order one off of amazon. Not sure how else I would do it. Will do anything at this point to get rid of it so if thats the only option for identification I will order one up.

 

[PointerReefs]

FluxRX? :o

 

[Subsea]

“Tried peroxide and no luck“
Please describe your peroxide treatment. Also, pictures with white light helps to identify.

Is growth only on rocks. Full tank shot with white light helps to see scope of problem. You mentioned that all live rock was in tub for two weeks. Were they submerged in water? Fresh or salt?

Can rock be removed from tank?

Reef Cleaners

A good guide to identify most of the nuisance algae that plagues the hobby. Complete with pictures and suggested treatments

www.reefcleaners.org

I suspect, you may have this, which is grouped with gha.

Bryopsis pennata and B. plumosa​

Some of the hardest to remove species of macroalgae encountered in the hobby are B. pennata and B. plumosa. These two species have noticeable discernible midribs (center portion of the algae), that are wider than their branches. They are fast growing, and form a mat like root system on the rocks. Algae that grows from mats, instead of singular holdfasts, are harder to remove if they spread in your tank. This is due to the tedious work that is required to remove all of the algae from the surface it is growing on. Any piece that remains will likely continue growing.

B. pennata (pictured on the left) has irregular and more sparse branching than its closely related cousin B. plumosa which has more symmetrical and fuller branching. (picture coming)There are many, many species of Green Hair Algae that have feathery branching, and are not necessarily members of the Bryopsis genus, nevermind B. pennata and B. plumosa. Simply because the hair algae in your system has branches does not mean it is one of these algae species.

Sea hares, nudibranchs, urchins, Emerald Crabs, chitons, and even the larger Astraea tuberwill eat both of these species, but often do not consume it faster than it can grow, or the algae lingers half eaten. Pitho Crabs are effective at fully removing Byropsis.

 

[mcarroll]

But it's white.....so if that's it (Bryopsis), then it's dead. I'd think it would become easier to remove...

But then I also don't know of a white algae that it could be.

@Stripecat is it possible that the peroxide treatment was successful but that the "skeletons" are all still remaining?

I.e. Do you see new growth of this white algae? And is the new growth white?

For the microscope, literally anything will do....even a toy scope. If you think you'll get more than one use out of it, consider spending a little more to get a good, basic microscope....it'll be metal instead of plastic, and it'll most likely use real microscope optics vs plastic lenses. $50 and up, usually....still doesn't need to be fancy or high end....although that can be fun too!

Selecting a microscope

(Ed: You can start with post #66 if you want to see what I picked for my first scope.) 40X-2500X LED Trinocular Compound Microscope w 3D Two-Layer Mechanical Stage $225 (on sale) seems like a great price. And it seems to have all the necessary features. But they have so many similar models...

www.reef2reef.com