hair algea

[dmh41532]

My trumpet coral has hair algae growing on the stem, and around the flesh. I have been just using tweezers to remove the algea or scissors to cut it back. This is the only coral and only spot in my tank with hair algea. Is there a safer way to remove it from the coral? It is in the low flow zone of my tank, that's where it seems to do the best. Thanks

[Palting]

Algae doesn't grow on live coral tissue. Usually. Most likely that area where the algae is growing is dead or bare coral skeleton. I have two large colonies of Caulastrea, one a trumpet and the other a candycane. When I first got them, algae would grow on the bare stem, and I would just turkey baste them with a jet of water to get them off.

Not so sure about the low flow preference, though. I have mine in a moderate to high flow area, and they are growing well. Articles I've read call for moderate flow.

[dmh41532]

It's mostly on the skeletal stem, but there is just a bit on the polyp. The tissue isn't dead. Perhaps I will try moving it to a more modeate flow area. thanks

[Skinnysloth]

You can try to dip it for 2-4 minutes in a solution of equal parts 3% peroxide and water for a 50% mix. If you're nervous, you can dilute it further to 25%. Rinse it with tank water before putting back in the tank. I dipped my frogspawn with a non-diluted solution for a couple of minutes with great results. The main reason I didn't dilute it was because I though all the heads were dead, but to my surprise, one of the heads was alive under all that algae. Here are the pictures:

Before
http://i50.*******.com/2u7cepz.jpg

After
http://i50.*******.com/2i0rk1k.jpg