Still new and need help

[Tshank]

Still new to the hobby, been going for about a year and a half. Started with a 30g and moved into an 80gal about a year ago now. Everything has been going decent until recently. I'm stating to get alge on my sand bed. I've been doing weekly water changes to help rid of the problem. Not working. I invested in a nitrate reactor that's been running for about 4 weeks now, not working. Im running a marine land canister filter, reef octopus skimmer, current marine led light bar. Any help or ideas would be very helpful.

Water parameters:
Salinity 1.024
PH - 8.0-8.2
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5-10
Ca - 360
Alk - 10-11
Phos - .25
Mg - 1125

I know my Ca and Mg are low, I've been doing 70ml of each for the last few days.

Any help is useful, went into this hobby with no experience or help, just learning as I go.

 

[oscarinw]

Your filter surface might be on the low side. I would probably suggest getting more rock for starters. Also a nutrient export method like a macro algae in a sump would help...

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I'd agree you need no less than double that rock you have. Very nice coralline algae on there. How do you keep it off of the glass? I'm letting it grow on my back glass but debating on keeping it on the sides or not.

Also a closeup picture of your algae would help. Can't tell if its GHA or Cyano from your picture.

 

[Happyschneider]

Your phosphate seems very high as well. You might want to look into an algae scrubber. They should make at least a dent into your phosphates and nitrates.

Your nitrates most likely come from the canister filter. What is in there? If the filtration medium does not offer any anaerobic nooks, the nitrate cannot be processed to nitrogen gas and will not be exported.

Agree with the comment regarding the corallien algae. Looks fancy.

 

[reefbroao]

MOAR ROCK. Try to vac more as well. Canister filters are really not meant for marine environments. Id swap that out ASAP

 

[Sapelo]

While an algae scrubber, no canister filter, or macro algae in the sump you do not have might be useful, you're dealing with a tank that isn't drilled and so you have limitations. This makes things different than a drilled tank but certainly not impossible. There are plenty of people who keep nice reef tanks without a sump.
Having said that, you probably already know that you have to be diligent about keeping the canister clean. Since you can't just look into the canister and see what's going on, the only way to make sure it's clean is to take is apart and clean it. I lived with one for over a year and cleaned it weekly.
Like you, I used a HOB skimmer which worked just fine. I did, ultimately have to run some GFO to keep phosphates down. I ended up using a BRS canister, simply placing the intake pump into the tank and running it that way. This was certainly not the most beautiful of applications but it worked.
I know some people also run their GFO in their canister without tumbling it. I have not tried this approach so I cannot speak to it but you could do a search for it.
I also have to agree that you probably needs lots more rock. The minimalist look is nice but when you need filtration (and without a sump you need all you can get) rock is your friend.
One last thought and that is to ask yourself if there is anything you have changed recently. Did you add more fish, change your feeding schedule, change lighting, anything like that?
Just throwing out some thoughts -- hope this helps! Good luck!