Proactive algae removal help please

[Dan7575]

I am starting to notice threads of what I assume is algae starting to attach themselves to corals and rock work. They are dark in colour some thick some thin and in different lengths. If I gently blow a syringe of water at them they just disappear but always come back. There isn’t a lot of it and unless you were really looking probably wouldn’t notice it but I am starting to see it increasing in volume. I would like to be proactive in stopping it before it takes hold, what would you recommend I do?

 

[najer]

Do you have pictures please, what are your nitrates and phos?

 

[Dan7575]

It’s really hard to see but you can just make out some fine threads on these zoas

 

[Dan7575]

Ok so I tested and the nitrates are 10 and pho’s 0.3, I thought they were in a good range?

 

[Chrille26]

Almost sound like bacteria like cyano or dinos from your description of it disappearing and coming back by blowing it away. Could you take a pic of it with whiter lightning? Its hard to see in your pic above.

 

[Dan7575]

This is a real close up of the leather, you can just see those black thread things on it

 

[Retro Reefer]

Ok so I tested and the nitrates are 10 and pho’s 0.3, I thought they were in a good range?

what are you testing phosphate with? Levels to prevent nuisance algae would ideally be under .1

 

[Dan7575]

That is with a Red Sea kit. I have been doing some reading and yes they are too high so just trying to work out the way to lower them, my god it’s complicated!!!

 

[Retro Reefer]

Hard to test PO3 accurately without using something like the Hanna ULR tester.. I like phosguard for gently lowering phosphates.