How can I clear the green/brown stuff?!?!?

[BlueRay33]

I've had my 45g tank now for a little over 4 months. How can I get rid of the greenish/brownish stuff on the sand, shells, and rocks? It's really unsightly

I do a 5 gallon water change every other week using RO/DI from LFS and I mix with Reef Crystals. I have a 5 gallon sump/refugium with chaeto. I run my lights from 8 am to 6pm with a 4 hour night mode that runs till 10pm. Then sump light runs from 10 to 4 am.

My parameters are:

Temp: 78
PH: ranges from 7.7 to 8.22
Alkalinity: 9.8
Ca: 405
Magnesium: 1320
Nitrate: 8
Phosphate: .2

Thanks for the advice!

 

[KJ]

DIATOMS:

Diatoms are just a natural things that happens in a new aquarium and will normally will subside with in a few weeks to a couple months.


ID: This Algae normally forms on the sand, glass and rock work of a new tank. It has a variety of colors from a dark reddish color to tan, brown and green. On a lot of occasions there will be oxygen bubble's trapped in the algae from photosynthesis.

HOW TO CONTROL IT:
Medium to strong flow across the sand bed and rock, and watch the amounts of Silicate being added to the system ( top off water and water change purity is the main cause for silicate being introduced to the system )

NATURAL HERBIVORES:
Astrea snail, Turbo snail, Tangs, Trochus snail, Almost all blennies.