Newish Tank Algae ID Help

[MPCReefer]

Please help this noob out! My tank is 4 months old, real live rock, 3 fish, no corals currently. Also have some macro algae growing that came on the live rock. Parameters are as follows:

Salinity 1.025
Temp 77
Nitrate 5
Phosphate .03 (Salifert, so not sure how precise)
Alk 7.8
ph 8.0
Calc 450
Mag 1290

Recently, Alk dropped from 8.2-8.4 to the 7.8 range. All other params have been fairly stable after having higher P04 a couple months ago (.1-.25 range). Have tried to visually ID the algae which just started showing up this week, but am confused whether cyano, dino, or diatoms. Had some diatoms early but they diminished and were not as prevalent as what I'm dealing with now. This is greenish/brown under all whites. Not slimy, but more hairy and sticks to the sand when trying to blow it off. Does not seem to release into water column easily. Stuff seems to be growing on the glass as well. These are the best pics I can do with iPhone. Thanks!

 

[vetteguy53081]

It’s bryopsis. It’s a hard algae to battle but can be defeated. What you want to do is net and sift what is in the sand. For other surfaces, use either a dental pick or small crochet needle and pull the roots up off the rock and surfaces and it’s gone for good. Lower white light intensity a little which helps bryopsis thrive.
Fluconasa (flux) works too but doesn’t always destroy the roots.

 

[MPCReefer]

I have a couple mollies converted to saltwater. One of them is going wild on the stuff. Guess I should enhance my CUC which has dwindled a bit. Is briopsis just part of the tank maturing process?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a couple mollies converted to saltwater. One of them is going wild on the stuff. Guess I should enhance my CUC which has dwindled a bit. Is briopsis just part of the tank maturing process?

No, actually an accelerated form of macroalgae/ siphonous marine green algae that is made up of units of single tubular filaments.

 

[DKPminus]

What kind of cuc do you have. Lowering light and even limiting on time period will help slow the growth since it’s photosynthetic and a good cuc is almost a must.

 

[MPCReefer]

Actually, the green algae was short lived once my diamond goby went in. Then, somehow my nitrates and phosphates bottomed out shortly after and dinos took hold although it took them a couple months to do so. I'm just now getting nutrients balanced to 10 nitrates and .10-.15 phosphates so dinos seem to be subsiding. Keeping a close eye on levels.