Red algae that i cant kick

CavamaroZ28

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I have this weird fuzzy red algae taking over my tank. I think its red hair algae or maybe cotton candy algae? Its scrubs off easy with a brush and my fish constantly graze it but never get it completely. I just can't get it to go away. I can't pull the rock out to scrub it. It's very heavily stocked with coral.
60g mixed reef
Alk 8.4 sailfert & trident
CA 435 sailfert & trident
MG 1290 sailfert
Nitrate 5ppm sailfert
Phosphate .03 ppm sailfert
(Hanna Phosphorus ulr 2ppb x 3.066 / 1000= .006ppm...? very confused by that, tested twice)

Fish, I have a purple tang, fox face, blue hippo, and a long nose hawk.
Cleanup I have about 5 hermits and 7 snails (3 different kind. Don't know names.
Screenshot_20220205-164413_Gallery.jpg
 

blaxsun

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On the plus side, it's actually kind of aesthetically pleasing. Looks like cotton candy algae. According to what I was able to find, emerald crabs, urchins, some hermit crabs and Mexican turbo snails will all apparently eat this algae. Plus tangs, but tangs are known to stop performing their algae duties in favor of other tasty snacks.
 

Wasabiroot

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May want to post this in the Algae subforum (Nuisance or otherwise) if you want ID. I agree it is pretty. Your parameters are good though so I doubt it is a water chemistry issue. Maybe a short spine or tuxedo urchin would do it. They tend to love coralline and other tougher, calcifying algaes.
 

When to mix up fish meal: When was the last time you tried a different brand of food for your reef?

  • I regularly change the food that I feed to the tank.

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  • I rarely change the food that I feed to the tank.

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  • I never change the food that I feed to the tank.

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