Can't help myself. Strange algae outbreak.

[barracuda]

Whassup guys and gals,
i will probably need a help or i will find myself getting into the tank and eating algae by myself
i was always sort of easy for me to find and eliminate a problem for diatoms and microalgae spikes. Now, i have faced the problem, i cannot solve. My LS outgrows with some kind of algae, which looks like hair algae, but a liitle bit different. This 3d tank was actually moved from previous location, where there was no problems. The same LR and the same LS. The tank started up at the end of october 2002. Everything was just fine until..... i started to notice this algae in a few spots. I just didn't pay attention. My tank was free of fish, as in the prev system i had a little disease outbreak. My clean up crew consisted of 10 Astrea snails, 3 Blue legged hermits and 2 fighting counch. Then i started adding the fish and feeding with Garlic xtreme DAILY. I did not realize that this garlic xtreme adds a lot of nutrients to the system and shouldn't be used daily (as Kent Marine representative told me). So i just stoped using it a week ago. Algae spreads very fast and by now covers 7/8 of the entire sand bed. I did 2 x 25% water changes with interval of 3 weeks. Used HW salt. I thought maybe Red sea salt i was using last month caused this algae to grow fast. I use RO unit. Mi water parameters are:
PH - 8.4 stable
Alk - 3.4 meq/l
Ca - 450 ppm
PO4 - 0.2 ppm (cannot bring it down to 0)
NO3 - <1ppm
Livestock:
1 - Purple tang
2 - Lyretail anthias
1 - Sixline wrasse
1 - Blue green chromis
2 - lawnmower blennies!!!
Several different LPS/SPS/soft corals
Clean up crew:
10 - 15 Astrea snails
3 - Blue legged hermits
2 - Fighting counch
2 - Cleaner shrimps
1 - coral Banded shrimp
some Pistol shrimps.
Additieves weekly:Kent Trace, Iodine, Strontium
Top off: Kalkwasser drip 24/7
Any help or suggetion will be appreciated

 

[barracuda]

My digi has no manual focus offset, so here's the best pic i could get.

 

[barracuda]

Just checked for silicates. Found 0 according to Seachem's test kit.

 

[barracuda]

no suggestions or...?

 

[barracuda]

Lights schedule:
2 x 54W blue bulbs are on for 12 hours
2 x 54w daylights on for 8 hours
2 X 54w daylights on for 5 hours

 

[barracuda]

Thanks Sammy for an idea. I did it ones, few weeks ago. I just collected the very top "contaminated" layer of the sand and removed it. Everything was cool only for a couple of days, then it began to regrow. We don't have any type of LS to buy right now, so i will need to wait for a while to accomplish, what you have suggested. As for circulation, i have a circulation as i can see this algae moving back and forth, left and right.
Thanks!

 

[broomer5]

PO4 - 0.2 ppm
Getting a measurement of phosphates on a test kits indicates some level is present.
It could be higher - or it could be lower.
All depends on the test kit I guess.
0.2 phosphate may be contributing to this algae growth.
What test kit are you using ?

 

[the fisherman]

I soak my food in algea often when I think their might be added stress to the fish. New additions, ect. I also have had to fight a similar algea. A weekly harvest is all that seems to keep it under control, I suppose it is good for the compost pile?

 

[barracuda]

I use Red Sea PO4 test kit. I used Seachem's to compare, but it is still 0.2ppm The funniest thing is.... i use seachem's Phosguard for 4 days as directed, but it never falls down. I think i know why. My RO unit water has 0.2 ppm of PO4. I use this water for water changes as well as for kalkwasser dripping. I will try and get my RO water checked for "conductivity test".
I think there's still a lot of nutrients in the water. I did 2 water changes, stopped using garlic for now, added phosguard and KM's reef carbon, and added another 500 gph pump to recirculate water through the sump and skimmer. I hope all these thing i've did will help me.