Need help with new addition and algae

[kenyacat1]

I have a 75 gallon tank with a 20 gallon sump. In the sump we have a large amount of cheato, skimmer and two bags of Chemi pure. In the main tank we have a brown brittle star that lives in the overflow and we never see, a cleaner shrimp, two false percula clowns, a huge sebea anemone, a small brain coral, two montipora corals, some polyps. My lights are around 375 watts T5 - I think. I can't seem to log into my old account where all this info is attached to my posts. I can't seem to get ahold of a mod either, so I reregistered.

Anyway, my latest test results are:
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 0
Calcium 340
Alk KH-54 Alk 1.94

I know we have unreadable nitrates because we have a huge amount of algae. We have a ton of halimeda, the fern type stuff that I keep trying to pick out and some other green things. Also we have the hair algae as well. This stuff is growing wild under the high lighting that I need for the anem and corals. The corals are not really growing, probably due to me not checking the calcium as I should.

We do a 10 gallon water change with RO water every two weeks. We use Reef crystal salt.

My snails are at a minimum at the moment. I only have 1 large snail and maybe 4 nasarious (sp). I do have a ton of really tiny snails that seem to be multiplying. I have trouble finding anything but margaretta snails around here and they just don't last long.

So, is it time to get a fish that eats algae? What kind of fish will be a good match? Any other suggestions that might help with the algae?

We do not have this stocked with a ton of live rock either. This is more of a minimalist tank. Sand is our base, as well.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[bertoni]

A fish might eat the hair algae. You might be able to get rid of it over time with some nutrient control. I might cut back on feeding, or consider adding a GFO reactor. Harvesting the hair algae would help remove nutrients, but I wouldn't spend more than a couple of minutes per week doing that.

[kenyacat1]

I only feed every other day. Mysis shrimp or formula 1. Once a week the nem gets some shrimp and corals and fish get brine shrimp.

Everything soaked and rinsed. Never any left over.

[drshdow]

My blue hippo tang is constantly eating hair algea, not really a good control method though

[RagTopMan]

You might want to replace some of your Halimeda with another type of macro algae. One that will assist in nutrient removal. Halmieda synthesizes calcium for growth just as coraline algae and of course your corals do. This could have something to do with your lower than optimal calcium level as you state you have a "ton of it".

Try switching most of it out for chaetomorpha or any non-calcarious algae.

[kenyacat1]

Already have a large amount of Chaetomorpha in the sump already. I never put the halimeda in, it just started growing. I left it grow and almost take over everything because I thought macro algae was a good thing to have. I will remove most of it and see if it helps the corals grow a little more.

Do I over feed do you think? Also the lights are not on more than the minimum. I think full power for about 6 hours. The nem has grown to a good 12" and is a nice light brown color so I just leave the lights where they are. Only seem a pale spot in him when I changed out the light bulbs last summer. I think we did one a weekend for 7 weeks. Actually took longer becauce we kept forgetting, but that was the plan.

Would investing in a better skimmer help? I think we just have a cheap SeaClone I think it is called.

We also have a phosban reactor running as well. It is about due for new phosban to be put in.

Any other suggestions on a control method?

Would a tang be a good fit for our tank?

[bertoni]

Even if there's no leftover food, most of what goes into the animals comes back out. :) How much food is being fed?

How much Chaetomorpha is being harvested out of the system, and how often? I doubt that the Halimeda is doing any harm as long as the alkalinity and calcium levels aren't suffering. :)

A better skimmer might be very useful, although I don't know much about current skimmer models. I'd also ramp up the PhosBan slowly.

[Percula9]

The alkalinity is way to low and your tank will crash.