major algae problem...

[ahhdui]

Ok, I need help in finding a solution to this algae problem I have. The tank was blooming (ROSE, LPS, etc...) for about 1.5 years with a refugium and some spaghetti agae (no skimmer). My tank params are: pH=84, nitrite=0, ammonia=0, nitrate=0. Running 4 t5s on a 100g tank for about 9hrs a day during the last 12 months.

Then one day, I decide to try growing some grape caluerpa for my tangs. Keep that for about 2 months and it was growing great. During the 2 months, my glass thermometer broken and I lost many of the metal pellets in the sand bed. Anyway, my corals started to look weak after this 2 month. Xenias that were spreadking like wild fires were starting to die. My torch was getting stringy. My rose was looking smaller, etc...

This is the time my algae problem started. I immediately thought the problem was the calerpa so I riped them all out. Got rid of the xenias and the torch (starting to melt). Did 100 percent water change within a week and ran alot of carbon.

3 months have past and all my corals/livestocks are looking great and thriving. However, the alage problem is still everywhere. It's a thick brown/red coat on the live rocks and covers the whole sand bed. During the day, the algae bubbles up when the lights are on and goes away right before the light goes out. Then during the night, the algae re-appears everywhere again.

Any suggestions on getting rid of this stuff? I was thinking about buying the phosphate sponge media, etc...

--Tony