Visibility has presented a challenge to connecting humans and undersea ecosystems. This is particularly pertinent for microalgae, whose size often forces interactions with them (if they even occur) to be visual, static and two-dimensional. Awareness of algae often comes primarily from negative direct or indirect experiences, like a bloom, cementing negative biases. I am investigating public knowledge and attitudes about algae in Finland and Australia. I survey and observe participants attending an exhibition showcasing 20 different microalgae and marine microbes as 3D models printed in an algal-based biopolymer and through Augmented reality (AR) videos, in addition to traditional microscopes. In anticipation of the exhibition and study at Melbourne City Library Gallery 15.10-9.11.2025, I present preliminary results gathered in Helsinki, Finland. For many attendees, algae meant only two things: emblematic Baltic Sea macroalga bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus), and blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), whose blooms have been increasing in frequency along Finnish coasts during summer. Attendees expressed delight and surprise at the diversity and beauty of microalgal forms, and appreciated their concreteness and three-dimensionality. Our results demonstrate how methods like AR, 3D models and bio-based materials can enhance traditional microscope interactions to support establishment of knowledge and connection, even with the ocean's smallest inhabitants.