Help with corals being smothered and not being able to open.

[Jesse571]

I need help trying to figure out how to deal with this brown mat and brown hair algae that is preventing my coral polyps from opening up. It’s smothering them. I have directed wavemakers at it, brushed it with a soft brush, pulled out by hand the hair algae. It’s the mat that seems to be laying on top that I can’t remove. Would taking the rock out and dipping it in Coral RX help? It’s not Cyanobacteria and it’s no where else in my 75 gallon on other then a large additional rock with GSP on it. Nitrates are 5ppm phosphate is 0.03. All corals are doing just fine except for these covered rocks. Thanks for your input with this.

 

[Bucs20fan]

I would recommend a 70% tank water 30% hydrogen peroxide dip for the entire rock. The gsp will survive this. Dip the rock for 2-3 minutes. Be aware this will kill all the beneficial bacteria on the rock, but it will also kill the algae. Also be aware that the algae can just as easily come back if the root cause is not solved. The algae will not come straight off, the algae will turn white and wither away in a few days.

 

[Smoke-Town]

If it's mostly just that one rock, I would probably take it out, scrub it off as best as possible with a tooth brush, and spot treat problem areas with hydrogen peroxide

 

[Jesse571]

I would recommend a 70% tank water 30% hydrogen peroxide dip for the entire rock. The gsp will survive this. Dip the rock for 2-3 minutes. Be aware this will kill all the beneficial bacteria on the rock, but it will also kill the algae. Also be aware that the algae can just as easily come back if the root cause is not solved. The algae will not come straight off, the algae will turn white and wither away in a few days.

One of the rocks have clove polyps on it can I dip it the same as the gsp? I have used a soft brush but don’t want to “scrub” the rock which will tear the mat with the cloves growing on it. I have been doing 30% water change every two days. Like I wrote nitrates are 5ppm and phosphate is 0.03 so those are good. This is only on my rock with clove polyp and rock with GSP. I just don’t want to kill the clove or GSP by dipping…?

 

[kevgib67]

One of the rocks have clove polyps on it can I dip it the same as the gsp? I have used a soft brush but don’t want to “scrub” the rock which will tear the mat with the cloves growing on it. I have been doing 30% water change every two days. Like I wrote nitrates are 5ppm and phosphate is 0.03 so those are good. This is only on my rock with clove polyp and rock with GSP. I just don’t want to kill the clove or GSP by dipping…?

Does the algae look fern like? I can’t tell from the picture.