ALGAE

[obsessedwithfish]

I have a 92 corner reef tank with alot of clams, snails, crabs a few small fish (one tang one angel and a couple of damsels). This tank has been up and running for a year. I can't seem to get my alkalinity up enough. I change the water every two weeks doing and 20% water change. I then use kent marine ph buffer, my levels are in line not great but not bad. The tank is by a glass block window and I try to keep the lights on for 6 hours because there is alot of coral. The coral's and fish are doing great but the algea is green on my rock and am forming a bright green algea under gravel and a brown on top of gravel. Not alot but enough to make me worry. I would love for the live rock to flourish with purple and pink instead of green. Also I have been feeding my corals in inverts DT'S live marine phytoplankton which makes the corals hugh are all live plytoplankton the same this is kind of exspensive and would like to order something on line. I also have filters to absorb the nitrates and phosphates, and a protien skimmer. My main concern is the algae and how can everything else be doing so good. I do keep my temps at 75 is that too low? Thanks

 

[beth]

By saying your tank is located next to a block window does that meant that it is exposed to daylight filtering in? Aquariums should not be exposed to sunshine, or you will get big algae blooms.
Check out the quality of your water source. If it has nitrates or phosphates, then change to distilled or RO water that tests zero for both nitrates and phosphates--doing this anyway could greatly improve your alkalinity. Get a cleaning crew that will chow down on your substrate debris and keep the substrate churned up. And 75degees is perfect.