please please help !!!!!

[unclemuskie]

I have a 125 gallon,9 month old established tank.It has about 200 lbs of live rock.Some hard corals and alot of softies.Only 6 fish.It has a 25 gallon sump with an aerofoamer 600 skimmer.the return pump is a Gen-x pcx-40.2 closed loop mini jet power heads for circulation.Heres my dilemma,the tank used to be beautiful until a couple of months ago I noticed my live rock fading to a greyish white.Local fish store suggested low magnesium so I tested and was at a 1400 which was fine.Then I realized I had switched fromI/0 salt to oceanic.So I started testing and realized my alk had dropped to a 6.7.I then switched back to I/O and started dosing with ESV bionic and got all my levels back up .My levels are now as follows,alk=9.6 cal=480=ph=8.2=nitrates=.1 mag=1400 phosphates =0.I always use ro/di water.I now have an ugly covering of brown algae as well as bubble algae seemingly starting everywhere.I have started weekly water changes of 25 gals with I/O.no changes so far.Will regular water changes and good husbandry help or do I just give up? Any responses will help,please !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ps.my lighting is 2 pfo metal halice/power compact combo pendants.

[unclemuskie]

A couple of other tid-bits.I dose with ESV bionic daily for Alk and Cal.I use Marc Weiss reef dna twice a week for corraline growth.I use kent iodine once a week and feed my fish 1 time dialy with a pinch of flake and a little frozen.Can I be overfeeding??????

[Harpo]

You're on the right track for the algae. Continue good water changes and aggressive skimming. Keep monitoring your parameters and keep your alk up. The bubble algae is less dependant on excess nutrients. It might be a good idea to mechanically remove it before it gets out of hand.
Mark

[unclemuskie]

If I take my worst rocks out and "clean" them.Do I do it in a batch of new salt water or is ro/di just fine ??????????????????????

[kevensquint]

If you maintain, Ca, Alk,Mg,S.G,PH and temp in the proper range, even on the high side improvement will come...be patient. When things fall out of wack it can make a mess over night that takes weeks or months to reverse back to normal. Strict husbandry is the best prevention.

[Konadog]

Originally posted by unclemuskie
If I take my worst rocks out and "clean" them.Do I do it in a batch of new salt water or is ro/di just fine ??????????????????????

Don't do it with fresh water unless you want to possibly kill off all life in the rock, use a new batch of salt water to do your cleaning in. Better yet, do a water change, and use the old water to clean in.

[ricks]

Don't break the algae bubbles!!!!! This will release spores into your tank, and aid in there spread. I have found that using a 20 ml syrgine with boiling water, works the best. heat the water in mircowave, spray it on the algae bubbles. Being careful to not hit corals. I've been surprized at how closed you can get without damageing the corals. The bubbles will die in a few days, and it seems to kill the spores also. This also works on hair algae. Than get yourself some emerald crabs to mop up the rest. Also another more expense way. Would to get a fluidized reactor and rowaphos. I have found this with large water changes and rowphos. Algae is gone and never returns.. also you don't mention refuge on your system growing macroalgae helps with nutrient export. Remember that if you can test any phospate, it's to MUCH......

[Harpo]

In my experience scrubbing the rock is an exercise in frustration until nutrients are controlled. In addition it breaks up surface coraline and beneficial algae layer and leaves more areas for nuisance algae to grow.
Mark