Help identify algae in young reef tank (microscope images included)

MapleReefer · Jul 9, 2023

I've had this nuisance algae growing on the rocks/sand for a while now. NO2 and NO3 are both 0, and PO4 is ~0.07mg/L (working on lowering slowly with Brightwell Phosphat-E slowly in a very small micron filter sock), so I imagine the algae is using NO2/NO3 as a nitrogen source to grow. I have 2 nerite snails, 2 clowns, and 1 branching hammer in the tank for now. The nerites don't seem to eat this algae.
Scrubbing the rocks with a toothbrush helped remove a lot, but it's already starting to grow back again.

I took some close up pics of the algae, as well as on the microscope at work at 25x, 100x, 200x, and 400x to help with identification.
Curious to hear what people think this could be, and what the best treatment or CUC addition would be!

Thanks.

I have some other pics here too, in a previous post.

Macro image in petri dish:

25x:

100x:

200x:

400x:

brandon429 · Jul 9, 2023

This isn't to dodge the question, don't know the ID, but it has no bearing on recourse

Anyone who fixes reef algae issues doesn't alter modes between plant genus the most important part is the full tank picture. From that your lighting intensity/ trends towards way too bright/ stands out evident in the pic and other factors such as rock type (white vs coralline covered live rock) matters in recourse and bioloading of the tank... all from pictures vs just the plant