Algae and Corals receding

I generally try to research this stuff myself, but I'm having some real issues now and I could use some help. I've always been battling some nitrate and algae issues in my 28g nano, but now I have a more important issue. I have one colony of zoas near the top of my tank that has been closed up for a week and they're really receding now. I also have a candy cane that has really shrank in size during that same time period.


I took every test I have the kits for last night and here are my water parameters:


0 - Ammonia


0 - Nitrite


0 - Nitrate


8.2 - Ph


1.027 - Salinity


76° - Temp


0 - Phosphates


144 - Alkalinity


My nitrates have always been around 5 to 10ppm. I was using tap water 4 months ago and then switched to RO/DI water and it's been getting better. I started using Seachem DeNitrate in a little fishes reactor a few weeks ago and my nitrates have dropped to 0. To install that I had to take out the stock skimmer. Boo...


The algae I have isn't terrible, but I want to get a handle on it. I have some bright green slimy stuff on one side, dark purple-ish red slimy stuff in another area, and hairy stuff on a couple rocks. I've lower my temp. I have my 36w Par38 LED bulb on a timer from 7:45am to 6:30pm. I do weekly 5g water changes. I've also been using Algaefix for just over a month. I don't see any parasites or anything. I have an emerald crab, hermit crab, about 5 bumble bee snails, 4 or 5 Astea snails, and about 4 zerinth snails.


Any ideas? I could put skimmer back on and take off reactor. Stop using algaefix, since it's not working anyway. Go lights out for a while? Thanks guys. I finally thought I was doing good with 0 nitrates and then this happens. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/sad.gif

 

Thanks, I appreciate the info.

I had the sugar fine sand and then replaced with larger grain just after Christmas. Just a little bit at a time during water changes. During the water changes I really try to vacuum up the crud in the rock. I pull the hairy stuff that is on the rock, but haven't really scrubbed them down. I can try the peroxide method this weekend.

I'll try to swap things back around and put my big CPR skimmer on. Then I'll put the lights on a shorter cycle. Should I just feed once a day then? Or put in some food while lights are off. I forgot to say, my only livestock is a percula clown and lawnmower blenny. I think I'm doing pretty good not overfeeding them. I only put in a couple little pellets at a time so they eat them all most of the time.

Beyond the algae issues, I don't understand how it is affecting those corals. Could it be the algaefix? I've used purple up before too, but it's been about a month since I put that in.

 

I had heard that some people had put the DeNirate rock in with their rock bed. Any problems doing that? I figured if I'm going to pull the reactor off, maybe I could just put the rock in my tank towards the back. I know it's supposed to have low flow, but I figured it might be better than just tossing it.