Brown Algae Bloom

I have a red sea max. 34 gal with 2 clowns, 1 damsel, 1 dart fish, 1 6 line wrasses, 1 cleaner shrimp, anemone and some hermit crabs. My sand is no longer white it is covered in green/brown algae. I have had the tank for about a year and a half. It's been pretty bad for the past 3 months. I change 5 gallons of water about every 2 weeks, with water from the LFS, which is where my top offs also come from. I also have a canister filter running and I replace the filter every month and a half. Here are my water readings; ammonia-.25 phosphate- .50 nitrate- 10 nitrite- 0 ph-8.2. Water temp-80 degrees. What should I do to eliminate the underlying problem. Attached are a few pics I just took from my laptop.

Thanks!

 

I think you are overstocked. A year and a half out ammonia should be 0 always. Do yo have a canister filter or hang on the back? You shouldn't ever replace canister media other than filter pads, just rinse it in saltwater. The overstocking would cause the high ammonia and excess nitrates causing excess algae.

 

I have the XP3 Canister Filter. I only replace the chemical filters and rinse out the filter pads with tap water and try and ring it out as much as possible. I suppose that the high ammonia levels could be due to over feeding as well. I am feeding them 1 frozen block once a day. I also forgot to mention I have a Flame angel as well. So that makes a total of six fish, I really didn't think I was over stocked.

 

hello Somebody

everyones tank will vary to some degree but general guidance is 1 inch of fish, not including tail fin to every 4 gallons of water - so in your 34 , you would be on that stock limit with 8.5 inches of fish ( I have no idea how big each fish is, you have now but you would be able to asses based on guidance given )
as these fish grow, the problem can only get worse IME with a tank heavily stocked

also Phosphate at 0.5 - the actual level in your tank is higher, but the algae is using some of it so it does not show on test kit

if it where my tank I would probably consider trading back the Damsel and 1 other fish
and part exchanging them for some Phosban or Rhowphos or other GFO media to reduce the Phosphates and thus start to erradicate your algae issue

just my opinion

Steve