Help. What is this?

[burrito]

So most of my rock is slightly  red/Brown with  bunch of these patches of some kind of algae. Any idea what it is and how to fight it?

 

Tank is about 2 months old. Parameters are good with exception of nitrates. Trying to get it down to zero. Was about 20 and did a 50% WC on Tuesday. Reading about 10 now. Ph stays around 7.8. I’m dosing 2 part. Alk 9, ca 430. 

 

Some browness later in the day in the sandbed too. A few weeks ago I think I had a diatom issue and was able to blow most off the rock and cut my lights back a bit. This doesn’t blow off but I can scrub it off with a toothbrush pretty easily. 

 

Ill try try and get some more pictures in a few minutes. 

[burrito]

Pulled some off my return nozzle

ita actual more green it seems

 

 

[Sancho]

First pic looks like bryopsis. Just google it or search here theres a deep rabbbit hole of how to get rid of it. 

[burrito]

One more

looks more fuzzy when in the water

[Rob22]

Last one looks like hair algae out of the water. 

[seabass]

If you don't have bryopsis - nutrient control, a robust cleanup crew, maintenance, and time should help you control or get rid of most of the algae.  Algae blooms are pretty common in newer tanks.  Also, check your tank's phosphate level with a low range test kit.  Phosphate should be detectable, but less than 0.03 ppm to discourage rapid algae growth.  Note that blooms will consume much of the available inorganic phosphate, and a test kit might not confirm the problem (even when there might be one).

[burrito]

Checked phosphate. Zero detected

[seabass]

50 minutes ago, burrito said:

Checked phosphate. Zero detected

What brand of phosphate kit do you use?

[Oldsalt01]

I agree with Sancho. I think you have a bit of Bryopsis going there, as well as some Cyano on the return nozzle. The green algae holds it's shape too well out of the water to be hair algae, which just turns to green slime without water support. Even with a low-range phosphate test kit, as suggested by Seabass, you may not detect phosphate as the algae can take it up before it becomes detectable. 

[burrito]

Red Sea low range test

 

best way to combat both cyano and Bryopsis?

[seabass]

Cyano is pretty easy, but bryopsis can be difficult.

 

Cyano can be a result of a build up of organics (usually accompanied by nutrients).  Tank maintenance is usually the best first step.  Overfeeding is sometimes a contributing factor.  In addition, a bacterial imbalance can also lead to cyano.  ChemiClean or even Microbacter7 are commonly used to help combat it.

 

People have used Fluconazole to help combat bryopsis: