Spaghetti worm/GHA/bubble algae control

[r1ckep]

Been operating a Biocube 32 for a little over a year (first foray into the hobby). Struggling with bubble algae, GHA in spots, and an army of spaghetti worms. I started with a sand bed and transitioned to a black gravel bed over a period of weeks several months ago. Stocked with a clown, pajama cardinal, fire shrimp, anemone (down to one; started with one that split into four over time; gave away three because they were crowding out the corals), and multiple softies and a couple stony corals. Several Cerith and Trochus snails as well.

Water changes average every 14 days (due to traveling for work). RODI water with only 1 ppm TDS.

Fish and corals seem healthy and happy. But the worms and nuisance algae seem to be winning.

Am I over feeding? How does one know the right amount for the fish?

Is there some other detail I may be missing?

Considered getting a wrasse and small tang for help controlling the worms and algae with the intent to eventually move into a larger tank, but I feel that could cause territorial and overstocking issues. The clown is an aggressive pig so I have to work hard to spot feed the shrimp and cardinal before he forged himself on anything free-floating.

I’ll try to attach some pictures but got a lot of reflection this morning even with the blinds closed.

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

for the issue with your algae you will have to just monitor your nutrient import (feeding frequency and food type) and export (scrubber, skimmer, WCs [water changes], etc.) methods, the “worms” look like vermitid snails which help control nutrients by collecting detritus, but can be an issue if they become invasive in your tanks. Bumble bee snails could help with them in your tank and won’t add much of an additional bioload inhabitant. Also, the black gravel you have looks like that course grained lava rock that I see in some saltwater tanks . Over time that basalt rock leaches out iron which will just add fuel for your algae problem. Almost every reefer I’ve known who has swapped out their limestone sandbed for this black basalt sand usually wind up with an algae problem down the line. If you want to keep it just make sure you keep up with regular WCs and have good nutrient controls.

 

[TBSB2019]

If it is the lava rock type it could possibly have magnetic particles in it which will attract to your mag cleaner (if you use one) which will in turn scratch your glass.