steel wool algae

[oldron]

I am bothered by a persistant red algae that looks and feels like steel wool it spreads slowly but does not falter
it is attached but when torn loose does not re-attatch there is also another type that is like little tufts of wire
and grows to various lengths. the tank is reef and 4yrs old
6"DSB No3-0 Po4 un 0.1 very low bio-load VHO lamps 7 mos old
9hr photoperiod, need some advice on eradication.

[Chuck S]

Ron are you able to take some pictures?

The one type sounds like Bryopsis to me and the best way to eradicate is hand removal and good nutrient export. It will disappear rather quickly if left no nutrient to spread.

[oldron]

no camera

[Chuck S]

The other is most certainly bryopsis. I will round up some pics if you have not found any to identify it with. Usually though algae needs nutrients to survive and will usually fade as stated above with adequate export mechanisms. Usually the existence of algae even though one tests relatively low in nutrients is the unability of the skimmer to export enough nutrients to disallow the growth.

[oldron]

omegatron, locate any pics yet?