sand algea growth??!! PLEASE HELP

[pettyhoe]

I have started to accumulate an algea growth on my sand bed, I stir it everyday and it just grows back. It seems as though it started to spread when I took my 3 mexican turbos back (they were starting to look malnurished) but they never touched the sand bed. I will be buying a few margarita snails tomorrow or so, unless the populous here thinks otherwise.
Current Stock list (29g BC):
3 small h. kuda seahorses
1 yellow watchman goby
2 false perc
30 nass snails
~25 assorted hermits
zoos
ricordia
mushroom
tree sponge
candy cane
disc coral
feather duster
hitchhiker snails and stars
I perform 3 gallon weekly water changes and use buffered RO/DI water. The tank is approximately 3 1/2 months old, is this a normal algea bloom? I feed the horses in a ziplock bag and suck up anything they don't eat as to reduce excess food in the tank, and feed the fish some scraps every now and then (every three days or so). Photo period is approx 11 hours with stock biocube lighting (4-5 watt/gal).
levels are:
amm: 0
trite: 0
trate: ~20 ppm
temp: 76
pH: 7.9 - 8.1 (strips suck, digital reader in mail)
don't know phosphates or calcium, but use premixed water from lfs (great stuff)
I have included a picture, it is about twice as much now:

PLEASE HELP!

 

[pettyhoe]

oh yeah, some of my xenia just died off due to a pH drop, but it has recovered, could this be a factor?

 

[reefreak29]

do u know what your phosphates are ?

 

[socal57che]

Check phos level and increase flow at the sandbed. Not enough to blow it everywhere, but try getting a little more water movement.
ps...None of my turbos have ever liked sand.

 

[pettyhoe]

the problem with the water flow is that I have a low flow deflector to keep the seahorses from flying everywhere

 

[clown316]

I have the biocube as well... i have the perfect solution for you!... there is a fish called a golden headed sleeper goby... its an amzing fish... it does all the work for you!... it sifts the sand by putting the sand in its mouth and filtering the sand.... the bottom of my tank was covered with that algae and cyano bacteria.. and in one day it was spotless! I think i bought him for 30 dollars at the lfs...

 

[socal57che]

Originally Posted by PettyHoe
the problem with the water flow is that I have a low flow deflector to keep the seahorses from flying everywhere
My bad, I missed them in your stock list and didn't see them in the pic.

 

[pettyhoe]

unfortunately I had a temp spike today so the seahorses died.. I think my heater is broke. So I'll be buying a new one of those as well. Poo on that. I'll look for that sleeper goby, I have a watchman goby, will that be a problem?

 

[clown316]

You can have two gobies with caution... Just watch them for the first couple of days... they should be fine...

 

[clown316]

o and i forgot to mention... they have sleeper gobies here at saltwaterfish.com

 

[reefreak29]

useing a phosgaurd will probably eliminate your problem

 

[big]

I had similar issues. Drove me nuts till I got a Diamond Goby.. He keeps it clean and is a great addition to my tank. He is a non stop clearer of the substrate.. Only issue is that any of these type guys will reduce you pod population too.. Good Luck.......