Dirty leather help

[carnthetiges]

After some advice on my leather.
It's my first, has been going strong for a bit over a year.

Have had a bit of nutrient issue recently that's resulted in a lot of GHA - po4 levels slowly on their way down.
As you can see the leather has a fine coating of what i'm assuming is algae.
It's got flow, has shed in the past but can't seem to shake it this time. Probably two months since polyp extension.

I've used the baster, given it a brush with a toothbrush.
That got some it off but it's since come back.
Is there anything else i should be doing - peroxide dip, killing the whites for while?

Cheers

 

[MnFish1]

After some advice on my leather.
It's my first, has been going strong for a bit over a year.

Have had a bit of nutrient issue recently that's resulted in a lot of GHA - po4 levels slowly on their way down.
As you can see the leather has a fine coating of what i'm assuming is algae.
It's got flow, has shed in the past but can't seem to shake it this time. Probably two months since polyp extension.

I've used the baster, given it a brush with a toothbrush.
That got some it off but it's since come back.
Is there anything else i should be doing - peroxide dip, killing the whites for while?

Cheers

This often happens after a stressful event - IHO - you do not have 'that much' hair algae - at least based on your pictures. I would suggest that you continue to watch your parameters. Have you done any water changes - are your other parameters/corals, etc doing ok? A health coral will usually not grow algae - ie. the algae is a symptom of a problem - not the problem itself on the coral. Sometimes - less 'basting' is better.

 

[Dbichler]

+1 and you probably need more water flow. I run a softy only tank and they all do best in high flow.

 

[carnthetiges]

Yeah, the GHA is pretty short (is turf algae short GHA or something different ).
I'm all softie as well, in a 15g cube.

Concern about bumping up flow is the mushrooms along the bottom are going to have a hard time.
Sounds like the leather will need to be moved to higher ground to get full flow from the nero without bothering everything else.

Are leathers ok with a high amount of light?
Assume i can run an acclimation over a couple of weeks and it'll be ok?
There's a rhodactis on the rock as well so ill have to tilt it so it can get some shade.

 

[MnFish1]

Yeah, the GHA is pretty short (is turf algae short GHA or something different ).
I'm all softie as well, in a 15g cube.

Concern about bumping up flow is the mushrooms along the bottom are going to have a hard time.
Sounds like the leather will need to be moved to higher ground to get full flow from the nero without bothering everything else.

Are leathers ok with a high amount of light?
Assume i can run an acclimation over a couple of weeks and it'll be ok?
There's a rhodactis on the rock as well so ill have to tilt it so it can get some shade.

You can try a lot of different things - Do you happen to use carbon? In case you have some coral toxins - or something else in the water that you're not measuring in the usual parameters?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Blow loose with a turkey baster and elevate the leather to mid tank. This happens often when there is a lack of water flow and it will skin over and accumalate mulm and diatoms as you are experiencing. Increase water flow towards them, not at them and add occasional iron to the water.