Reddish algae growing on Chaeto

[GoFish]

Anyone ever get a reddish purple slimy film algae growing on top of their chaeto?
I'm just over 2 weeks into a 3 week vacation and my tank sitter let me know a couple days ago that there is a fungus growing on top of the chaeto in the refugium (purple greenish white). He doesnt know much about the science in the hobby so im guessing this is aglae (the white is probably bubbles, and green probably the chaeto). He emailed a photo but all i have is an ipad so i cant post a pic, if a photo is needed for advice I would need someones email to send so they can post a pic for me.
Normally I turn the chaeto and replace the filter socks every 7-10 days, asked him to change the socks at about the 10 to 14 day mark as I only have one extra pair in the rotation and trying not to be a pain for him to rinse bleach dry etc a second time. And I didn't ask him to turn or prune the chaeto.

I've seen the aglae start before so I'd either take that time to prune the chaeto or just turn it over, drowning the slight film and it never caused a problem.

If I get him to turn it over, that would be ideal, as its the easiest method and i can remove that when i get home next week. But only if this won't cause a problem in the display. I don't believe there is any algae at all in the display, at least there hasn't been in 6 months so i don't want this advice to be a mistake

Second option is to ask him to prune it, which i think is ideal, but it's a pain creating small bits of chaeto that can mess with the skimmer in the same section.

Pertinent details: aqueon Proflex 3 sump/refugium, 2 x 4" filter socks, cadlights pls 100 skimmer in same center section as chaeto and miracle mud bottom. 46g display, 48g of total water volume, 6500k LED flood light on from 12 am to 12 pm
Nitrates and phosphates are probably nearly zero as they have been for a year and he's been shown how much to feed (rinsed brine and mysis)

Not sure if missing anything besides a photo if anyone cares to host or provide advice without a pic?

Thanks in advance

[dudley moray]

Sounds like cyano

[GoFish]

Your avatar pic appears to compliment your reply :) thanks

I usually have low Alk, low flow (60 gph from drain back to display) and the flood light used puts out a fair bit of heat on the surface of the refuge. The cyano doesn't bother me, in the REFUGIUM, just not wanting it exported to the display if that's a possibility.

Flip it, clip it, or rinse it in a bucket of fresh salt water?

[dudley moray]

Personally I would rinse it

[Wheelman76]

I've had that on my chaeto before , and usually when I had cyano in the display. Just get him to pull the ball of chaeto out and rip off the gross parts and toss it back in.

[GoFish]

Thanks for the input guys. I just asked him to do one of those things

[asylumdown]

such a shame about how invasive cyano is, if you could convince it to only grow where you wanted it it's a fantastic scavenger of nutrients. But tiny little bits of it always find their way to places you don't want them.

[GoFish]

Back in town now, I guess my sitter didn't get the emails so it was still growing on top. The skimmer was a little plugged up with chaeto bits and barely bubbling so that could've been the reason it got worse than normal. Nitrates and phosphates creeped up a little due to lack of WCs and dirty socks
None ended up in the display thankfully. Did a 20% WC and rinsed the chaeto in the old water and threw the top half away, all good.

[lastlight]

my last outbreak was ONLY on my chaeto in my fuge. I rinsed the huge ball off and turned 3 buckets from my water change neon red in the process. Chaeto ent back in clean as a whistle and It totally vanished (for now).