Algae problems with raising Nitrates

[Michigan Reefer]

I haven't had a reading of nitrate in over 3 months using multiple salifert and API test kits. My Phosphate was hovering between 0.00- 0.03ppm using a hannah checker. My SPS corals were looking a little bland with not a ton of polyp extension or growth so after taking advice to raise my nitrates to a detectable level which I test every week, I started feeding heavier, less protein skimming and no water changes. I still have not seen a reading, but the last 2-3 weeks I've had a outbreak of green hair algae or turf algae in one of two of my tanks for in the system which already I find odd. The front 25 gallon lagoon as algae growing on most of the rocks, and the back tank 45 gallon breeder has no algae anywhere. Both have strong flow with vortechs and gyres, only difference is I have an lawnmower blenny in the back tank, which could be eating the algae when it comes. The back tank has stronger lighting with a T5 RadionXr30 hybrid, whereas the front 25 lagoon has a radionXR30G4 pro on it only.

How do I keep trying to raise nitrates to a detectable level, but stop the algae from growing in one of the tanks? I do see better poly extension and coloration with the heavier feeding, but I can't stand seeing the algae.

Thanks

 

[brandon429]

what I like to do is maintain the water params that corals like

and directly kill the algae. stop requiring it to be fixed solely via the water. take out the rocks, work on them in the air on the counter it wont hurt your corals. mist them with saltwater if concerned, mine do 30 mins in air not a problem hundreds of times, and my rocks too. no recycle.

kill the algae off the rock directly. there's 50 ways. 1 or 2 are the very best of the 50

set the rocks back corals unaffected, and algae zapped. proceed. you became the missing grazer that if you add into the system w just produce more waste internally.

if you have a sandbed that if disturbed would upwell tons of cloud into the tank, we need to fix / flush that waste out as well. algae in place allows for more algae independent of your water params; it catches detritus and stores it on site, for localized reduction by bacteria. and the plants feed all day long.

directly working rocks on the counter preserves the water your corals like.

having a sandbed that doesnt feed algae invasion doesnt harm the water params corals like. you can be algae free in tanks of that size, any time you want. its the 300 gallon systems that have the challenge.