GHA over takes refugium

[electrotech]

So my tank has been up and running for 8 months or so. I started out with Cheato and Grass Caulerpa in my 50 gallon refugium. I started to get some GHA in the refugium pretty quickly and now it seems as it's the dominant life in there. Its growing so fast I think it's starving the Cheato and Caulerpa out. I thinned out the GHA a little while ago and i guess some got loose and transferred into my display because now I see a few small patches growing in there.

I know I'm short on CUC as I'm planning on making a reeef cleaners order soon and I probbly over feed, I've gone down to 1 a day (or once every 2 days) feedings. I was going to order some more macro from reef cleaners but was wondering if I should just go dark on the fuge for a few weeks and let it all die off then start fresh?

 

[Crush Coral]

If u go dark in the fuge the HA in your tank will grow fast. Consider a algae turf scrubber to grow it where u can easily remove it from your system. At the least keep manually removing it from your sump AND your tank. Do not let it get a good foothold in your tank. U will b sorry if u do - the voice of experience.

 

[electrotech]

Ok, I ordered a few things off amazon. I'm going to try and DIY a waterfall algae scrubber over my refugium. I'm going to make it 18 inches long and 6 inches tall or is taller and narrower better? I have a open top 36 x 18 acrylic refugium but not a ton of space above it so I was trying for long and short. Ordered a Jebao DC3000 pump to run it and 2 x 36w Red/Blue LED grow bulbs and lamps. I may end up having to order 2 more bulbs and lamps for 4 x 36W total.

 

[phobos2deimos]

What are your nitrate and phosphate levels at?