Need some help.

[Zayne]

I'm starting to feel defeated and the frustration level is getting pretty high -

This tanks is about 18 months old. Started with dry rock/sand. It's a reefer 425 running a reefmat (drive crapped out this morning, but that's not really important to this) , Skimmer, and a 15 watt Aqua UV (Yes, I'm aware it's slightly undersized). There aren't that many corals in the tank - thee are a couple acan frags, a candy frag, a pavona frag, monti cap, a frogspawn that is close to barely hanging on and some zoas. This hair algae (not sure what it is) popped up maybe 2-3 months again and has taken over the rocks and sand. It comes off the rocks fairly easily, but clumps to the sand making vacuuming almost impossible. It already killed off a goni and a hammer, and is choking out the frogspawn and zoas. The candy cane seems to be growing nicely now, as well as the pavona and monti and the acans.

I'm on a well and use a 7 stage rodi that has 0 tds before hitting the mixed bed.

I just dosed the tank 2000 mg FluxRX (about 18 days in) and haven't noticed much, if any change in the algae.

Clean up crew wise I have a rimless clean up crew package from Reef Cleaners (These crews feature Emerald or Ruby Mithrax Crabs, Astraea Snails, Assorted Hermit Crabs, Dwarf Ceriths, Florida Ceriths, and Nassarius snails) but no telling how may are left from the orginal numbers as the crabs and snails have been warring for over a year. There has been a tuxedo urchin in the tank for about 6 months and I just added a second along with 3 Turbo snails and an additionl 5 emerald crabs. There's also a Tomini Tang and a Foxface.

Phosphate spike up to around .3 or so (prior to getting Hanna testers) in April but have been using GFO on an off after. Nitrate has been faily low (sub 10) for the past 6 months or so.

Phosphate is at 0.07 (via Hanna)
Nitrate is at 2.3 (via Hanna)
Also have Sailifert tests, but I can't distinguish the Phosphate numbers and the Nitrates are barely detectable with it.

I have a GFO & Caron reactor (both are offline atm)

I don't have Alk, Mag, Calc atm because my Trident is offline, but i do have access to Sailfert tests if needed.

 

[VirginiaReefer]

cut your lighting schedule or do a blackout for a few days, manual removal to manually export algae and nutrients, water changes

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

This would be my suggestions:
-Increase the flow, like really increase it big time. I can tell the flow is way too low in that pic from all the algae on the sand.
-Start wet skimming
-use a filter sock and then blow out your rocks with a turkey baster, turn up your flow while you do this to get everything into the filter sock. Use a toothbrush and brush the heavier area's, loosen the algae to flow into the sock. Change the sock daily and do this daily.
-Feed less amount per serving, but feed more often. Don't let food decompose in the water, the dissolved organics is the main food for algae. Dissolved organics combined with low flow will cause algae to take over the tank.

The main idea is reduce the amount of dissolved organics in the water and increase flow to get more water through the filtration system and help stop algae from setting root.

 

[Zayne]

This would be my suggestions:
-Increase the flow, like really increase it big time. I can tell the flow is way too low in that pic from all the algae on the sand.
-Start wet skimming
-use a filter sock and then blow out your rocks with a turkey baster, turn up your flow while you do this to get everything into the filter sock. Use a toothbrush and brush the heavier area's, loosen the algae to flow into the sock. Change the sock daily and do this daily.
-Feed less amount per serving, but feed more often. Don't let food decompose in the water, the dissolved organics is the main food for algae. Dissolved organics combined with low flow will cause algae to take over the tank.

The main idea is reduce the amount of dissolved organics in the water and increase flow to get more water through the filtration system and help stop algae from setting root.

I'm running 2 WAVs they were both running Mavericks from 20-30% - I've upped it to 40-50%
There is a rollermat that has been in constant use until this moring when the drive units crapped out.
I feel like I'm skimming fairy wet,although not sure what everyone defines as wet vs dry. It's a Reef Octo 150INT. I have to empty the cup every couple of days.
I feed 1/2 a cube of frozen daily and maybe a sheet of nori every couple of days.
Stocking wise other than the CC that was mentioned earlier
Tomini Tang
Foxface
2 Clowns
Royal Gramma
Midas Blenny
Yelllow Watchman Goby
2 Cleaner Shimp
2 Peppermint Shimp (May only be 1 now - I haven't seen the other is a few months)

I have an AWC set up to swap about a gallon a day - it's currently paused due to the FluxRX dose.