I recently have a hair algae outbreak (brownish with a little green) and my coraline is losing to the phophates. This tells me I have a phosphate problem, even though for quite some time my api test kit has been telling me otherwise.
I recently changed things up. Had a refugium/sump along with a canister filter(phosphate and carbon media) and a uv sterilizer. I recently ousted the canister filter and have yet to add back in the uv sterilizer. Since getting rid of the canister filter/uv sterilizier I have had this breakout even after putting new media in the return of my refugium/sump.
My question is if I hook back up my uv sterilizer I am sure my algae problem will go away, but the problem is that I will unknowingly build on my phosphate problem until a similar situation happens again. What is the best solution?
I recently changed things up. Had a refugium/sump along with a canister filter(phosphate and carbon media) and a uv sterilizer. I recently ousted the canister filter and have yet to add back in the uv sterilizer. Since getting rid of the canister filter/uv sterilizier I have had this breakout even after putting new media in the return of my refugium/sump.
My question is if I hook back up my uv sterilizer I am sure my algae problem will go away, but the problem is that I will unknowingly build on my phosphate problem until a similar situation happens again. What is the best solution?