Macroalgae Tank

[genesisblue]

Hey all,

I'm trying to set up a macroalgae tank in order to provide fresh food to my tangs. I have a 20 gallon long with a power compact 80 watt total...it has a 12k daylight and a actinic. I also have one of those "daylight" desklamps over it. I have filled the bottom of the tank with that Florite freshwater gravel as well as some live sand from my main tank. I am currently growing chaetomorpha and the little grape bunch looking algae (i forget the name at the moment). I have a good protein skimmer on it, an air pump, and good current in the tank. However, my nitrates are at 0 dispite my mega feeding with generic fish food. My question(s) is/are: What else can i do to make the algae grow more? (I also have it on a 24 hour light regimen). I can grow coral and fish, but for the life of me, I can't grow macro algae. All my parameters are fine for a normal inhabited tank. Do I need to add some damsels to dirty the water up? Any advice will be greatly appreciated and showered with praise


Thanks!
Adam:unsure:

 

[derek_s]

Have you tried running the skimmer less? Or turning it off for a few days? It may be removing too much of the crap teh algae needs to get the growth you want. Just a thought.

 

[mojo]

Try taking it off the 24hr/day photoperiod to a 16hr or less per day. Plants don't do well with constant sunlight - this is why you don't see greenhouses lit all day and night long...