What is this red stuff?

zoaprince

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It doesn't blow off (with a turkey blaster) nor does it come off easy. It doesn't bubble. Does not feel calcium based; It's a little slimy to the touch. It's also growing on my power heads and on the rocks (but it's not consuming the rocks). It is not growing on my substrate, which is aragonite. I've had this stuff for at least 6 months.

Tank has been running for 1.5 years.

Phosphate ~. 05
Nitrate - ~10
 
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Theulli

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It doesn't blow off (with a turkey blaster) nor does it come off easy. It's a little slimy to the touch. Does not feel calcium based. It's also growing on my power heads and on the rocks. It is not growing on my substrate which aragonite.

Tank has been running for 1.5 years.

Phosphate ~. 05
Nitrate - ~10
Coralline? Cyano I've dealt with happily grows on substrate, and is easily dislodged with a turkey baster.
 
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zoaprince

zoaprince

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some type of cyanobacteria,
most likely red-slime…
That name certainly seems fitting. Comparing pictures and it looks similar. Thanks!
...Did you get that plug like that????
No, it was completely clean when I got it. Slowly over the course of a few months the stuff kept spreading.
 

BanjoBandito

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That name certainly seems fitting. Comparing pictures and it looks similar. Thanks!

No, it was completely clean when I got it. Slowly over the course of a few months the stuff kept spreading.
Is it just on that plug???? Or is it in the DT itself? It's most likely Cyano. The clue was when you said it felt "SLIMY"
 
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zoaprince

zoaprince

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Is it just on that plug???? Or is it in the DT itself? It's most likely Cyano. The clue was when you said it felt "SLIMY"
It is also in the DT.

For a long time I thought it was red corralline because my snails don't eat it and because it doesn't blow away, but when I felt the slime I had doubts.
 
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WheatToast

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I made this post on a similar thread. This might be the algae:

That is probably the Burgundy Crust Algae Peyssonnelia (often called red coralline algae despite not being coralline algae). Definitely not cyanobacteria. It is harmless and (in my opinion) looks incredible when growing alongside purple and pink coralline.
http://www.saltcorner.com/AquariumLibrary/browsespecies.php?CritterID=2127
https://www.melevsreef.com/creature?id=qINRkr0MKrkfQJhUe5YN

The “slime” you described might just be biofilm on the algae. I’ve never touched it, but I would assume it (the red algae) should be slippery instead.
 

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