First Algae Bloom - Question

Ok, every tank has their first "algae bloom" at some point, and mine has been in force for a couple of weeks. I just added a CUC to try to get some of it eaten, and some macro-algae in the sump but it is still there and boy is it ugly.





So, I don't have a video on mine, but I found a video that shows some similar stuff to what I am seeing and I just want to make sure that this is the "normal" stuff that will run its course.


Look at about 0:40 - 0:45 into the following video (again, NOT my tank) at the area under the cleaner shrimp. See the stuff waving in the water that is brown? That is what I am fighting.




Tank is a 120 gallon with 40 gallon breeder sump. I use only RO/DI water with 0 TDS, I have a Reef Octopus skimmer that is factory rated for 250 gallons (I know, real-world is less), about 150 pounds of live rock, 100 pounds of live sand. I originally set it up back in the very last couple of days of November, but just to get water flowing via powerheads over the sand and rocks. It wasn't actually set up with the sump plumbed, skimmer going, lights, etc until January.


Water tests come back good (I do NOT have a phosphate tester though). I have 3 corals (easy ones that I got for free) that are all doing great despite my plans for a FOWLR tank.





I know that I am overfeeding a little because my two clowns and one firefish are too slow to grab all of the food that I put in. I try to really be careful, but when I put in 3-4 pellets at a time, they seem to not see them, so for every 5 tiny pellets that get eaten, about 5-10 (max) don't. I have been using filter socks and lately have been cleaning and changing them every 1-2 days. I've also been doing weekly water changes of about 7.5%


So the questions are:


1) Is this the "normal" algae bloom for a tank that is 4 months old (total age, 2.5 months since all plumbed, etc)?


2) What should I do to get this nasty stuff to go away?





Thanks!

 

I saw a post on another thread yesterday that mentioned "reefkeeping myth number 15". Google it and the link will come up. Very informative, and will prepare you for what is next. Bottom line is time will clear it up and any chemicals you add are likely a waste, if not damaging.
I had similar growth to what you probably have in my tank on Tuesday of this week, today it is totally clear. It lasted 16 days.

 

That was a great read once I found it. The key differences are that I have had pods multiplying for a month, coraline algae is growing and spreading on rocks, some corals on the live rock (which came from an established tank) have popped up, feather dusters are spreading. All signs of post-algae bloom have already been happening.
The article sounds like I should be in a "death trap" state, but things are thriving. Maybe I just need to wait it out longer. I just fear that with a business this week that things could get worse, but maybe they will get better.....
- Nick

 

That was a good read. Here is the link for anyone else interested (scroll down a bit to find #15 but they are all interesting).

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/eb/