HOB Skimmer/Fuge

I have one of those HOB skimmer/fuge setups on the back of my tank because right now there is no room under the tank in the stand. It's about 8 gallons for my 55 gallon display tank.

I have a large bit of cheato in their (about 2 softball sizes), 2 mangroves, and a baseball size bit of gracilaria. It also contains about 3" of Mineral Mud. I've had this setup for about 2 months. The lighting is a 24" flourescent lamp about 10 hours a day.

I am battling nitrates in my tank. All other params are good, but the nitrates are at a staggering 75. In my fuge is a large buildup of red slime and when I remove the light and rearrange the gracilaria and chaeto I get a wicked awful smell that comes from the fuge. Is this normal? What corrections can I make? I think the fuge might be the cause of the high nitrates, but im not sure. Thanks

Could I possibly add more flow to the fuge? would that help? or is the water supposed to move slowly through the fuge?

 

I have to bump this. I cannot get this under control and need some ideas. I am about ready to remove the entire setup from my tank.

I run my lights over the fuge about 6 hours a day. But there is some spill over of my main tank lights into the fuge for the entire day.

 

I think the best flow rate for a fuge is slow. I also run my fuge lights either 24 hours a day or oppisite the tank lights.This helps maintain a steady PH. What the stock in the tank? How long has the tank been setup?

 

The sump has been set up for 2 months or your whole tank?

 

The HOB fuge has been set up for about two months, the tank is just shy of a year right now.

 

Since it's a HOB fuge/skimmer when I run the fuge lights I get spill over into my main tank. Thats why I run my fuge lights and main tank lights at the same time and turn everything off at night to make the tank totally dark for the night time critters.