Are delicate corals physically delicate or just chemically sensitive.

[Perpetual Novice]

I was wondering how gentle I need to be when handling/touching my Acropora and Montipora. I'm dealing with some red slime (i think its dynos but maybe cyano) and I don't want to use chemicals to knock it out given the many SPS in the tank. however, because of that, I frequently need to manually break up the mattes to prevent them from overwhelming the corals (especially the Montipora). The slime grows up to the edge of my Acropora and Montipora frags and, in many cases, even begins to grow onto the surface of some Montis and even on the tips of one Green Slimer colony. My hands are not the most steady and gentle and my impulse is to use a toothbrush to gently brush the matte away. But how close can I get to the corals, especially the spots where the matte grows onto the coral itself. Fanning water at the corals doesn't dislodge the slime so I don't see any other choice than to gently brush the corals live surface.

Which is the lesser of two evils? brushing the corals surface or letting slime starve out parts of the coral while I wait for reduced light, increased flow, and water changes, take effect?

In the case of Montipora and Acropora are they touch-sensitive or just chemically fragile?

 

[Spare time]

Physically they are like a rock. You can blast them with a wavemaker and they will be fine. Their hard rock-like skeleton keeps them up when waves pound them. I would not brush them because they will bleach on those spot.

btw check out bulk reef supplies video on dino and cyano

 

[Perpetual Novice]

Physically they are like a rock. You can blast them with a wavemaker and they will be fine. Their hard rock-like skeleton keeps them up when waves pound them. I would not brush them because they will bleach on those spot.

btw check out bulk reef supplies video on dino and cyano

ahaha the BRS video is my guru for dealing with this. thank you. good to know they would bleach where brushed. that's still better than being choked by the matte and killed in those spots like is happening now. what would be your removal method for those spots where the flow isn't removing the matte?

 

[Spare time]

ahaha the BRS video is my guru for dealing with this. thank you. good to know they would bleach where brushed. that's still better than being choked by the matte and killed in those spots like is happening now. what would be your removal method for those spots where the flow isn't removing the matte?

I mean if you blast them with a pump or wavemaker and it doesn't come off, I would use chemiclean. If you can lift the mat then do that but when I tried to use my finger to rub it off the coral did not respond well. Chemiclean works really well just make sure to follow the instructions.