why yes i am a natural blue

That sounds far too complicated for me to mess with And a protein skimmer is a must for a reef tank. I would remove the undergravel filter myself as they can cause more harm than good as they trap a ton of detritus which will eventually foul your water. I'm not sure what you mean by a "cascade" filter though? Is it a hang on the back type of filter or something?

 

oh i should clarify- the diy setup is how the tank was when i got it-
and when i replaced the lights and the canopy- it was removed- but i am going to set it back up in the wake of all this-
i am just wondering if it's really necessary since all those chems are already in my cascade.

 

the cacade is a canister filter under the tank-
it's supposed to be good enough for like 100 gals.

 

sound like i have to remove it then-
it's funny how the more i modify the existing set up-
the more the set up need modification!!

 

Undergravel filters are kinda a thing of the past and don't do much good in a marine set up so ditch it if you can. A canister filter should be ok for now as long as you keep the filter media in it very clean. You might want to consider adding a sump/refugium type system if you plan on keeping a full blown reef in the future.

 

Wow. Ok, you are doing good, very dedicated. Now ditch the under gravel filter idea, get yourself a good skimmer, I love my aqua c remora, easy to use, no fiddling, plug it in, and done. Do you have powerheads in there for flow and circulation. Do your tests, keep a journal to notice changes. I had the same problem with nitrates but mine were at 60ppm. It's an exhausting hobby sometimes but can also be rewarding, fun, exciting... even relaxing. Enjoy the process, have fun, and ask any questions you have.