Ohh nitrates...

For a long term solution, have you considered an Algae scrubber? I don't see any references to an algae problem in this thread, but starting a scrubber is inexpensive, and easy provided you have space over your sump and for me at least has made taking care of my reef incredibly easy. What I like about it is it acts as a backup to my test kits. If the screen is growing a nice green, and corals are open I know all is well. I still have to test, especially alkalinity, but since starting the screen my nitrate and phosphate has tested 0. It has tested 0 for so long I stopped testing for it. I also have one of the fattest mandarins I've ever seen. To my knowledge there is no risk of the scrubber causing negative side effects, but I would do my own research.

Turbo Aquatics had a table at Fall Fest, he made a really nice looking unit that looked very easy to bring online. If you are considering macro-algae, you owe it to yourself to consider this as well. Just my opinion.

Just a thought,

 

You can build a scrubber for like $4 plus a pump. Mine is ugly as sin but it has my tank clean and nitrate/phosphate free.

 

Basically you are setting up a system in your sump that grows algae on a roughed up sheet of plastic. The theory is you are growing it so fast in the sump that it out competes anything in your display, all while eating up the nitrate/phosphate in your tank. I went from full on hair algae nightmare to bare rock in a few months, with nitrates around 15ish ppm to rock solid 0 constantly now. This website pretty much sums it up. My scrubber is 4 inches wide and 6 inches tall on a 55 gallon tank, and it works so well I disconnected my GFO and skimmer.





Link keeps on not working. http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?1291-Algae-Scrubber-Basics-The-Summary

 

I am also filter less except for the scrubber and loving it. It's been about 8 months since I've taken my skimmer offline. Definitely check the link above.

It is not an overnight cure. It took about a month to establish itself, but once established it does an incredible job.

 

If costs $15 to build your own assuming you have absolutely no materials laying around the house. You'll need either a circular or tablesaw to cut a slot as well. It is ridiculously easy, I spent more time at Menards checking out than I did building my first one.

 

Yeah most expensive parts are a pump to push the water and the Dremel I used to cut the slot. Mine uses 2 feet of PVC pipe (already had) 2 zip ties, a pvc cap, a pvc elbow, the pump, and the plastic lattice, and 2 lights.

 

I'm going to chim in.. I love my bio pellets i have a reef octupus reactor and has taken a while to dial in the correct flow but everything is zero. simple, easy no maintence no cleaning just add some pellets every so often.. JUST KEEP them tumbiling.

 

best way to make sure everything is safe is put it in my tank lol , sorry man hope it starts getting better

 

Just don't lose track of your bio pellets. I forgot to check mine, and they were all consumed and then my nitrates spiked and killed my corals.

 

yeap you need to keep an eye on them.. i just check them when every i add water

 

For lights I just use two "warm" colored light bulbs in clip on reflectors. One on each side of the scrubber pointed at it. PVC I want to say is either 1/2'' oer 3/4'', I don't recall. The link below is my thread on the algaescrubber.net forums, and it shows what mine looks like.


http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?1770-55g-scrubber

 

I used a 3'' rubber hose connected to the pump and shoved it into the open end of the scrubber. It loses some water back out the bottom, but it is an effective if inelegant solution.

 

I use 6 inch aluminum dome lights (cheap) with spiral Cfl bulbs, prob 3500k color temp. 3/4 inch PVC.

My first setup consisted of an 8 inch PVC riser with a slot cut, an elbow a barb fitting (1/2 to 3/4 to plug the maxijet into) and a cap for the other end of the riser. The screen can be found at either michaels or hobby lobby for about 50 cents. I just zip tied mine into place in the sump and clipped the lights to any available surface. It was ugly, but it worked. I have since redone it, but in principal it is the same. I have attached 2 pics, one of the old setup and one of the /Portals/0/activeforums_Attach/IMG_0105.JPG

 

/Portals/0/activeforums_Attach/IMG_0102.JPG

New

 

I would try to get some sort of splash guard, that Pic of my original is pretty scary.