Does the ugly phase just resolve?

[buzzojones]

I've read it resolves as your tank micro biome sorts out. However how much active testing and adjusting nutrients as required is needed? Should I check phosphates daily and adjust? I have done that and added gfo but that seems to tank my phosphates pretty quickly. I have a Tomini tang, coral beauty, firefish, filefish, lawnmower blenny. Some softies and a couple LPS, fire shrimp, emerald crabs, tuxedo urchin and various hermit crabs and snails. All their health seems good and they are active and feed excitedly.

 

[buzzojones]

I also have a healthy copepod population as I see them during the day on the walls eating film algae

 

[BryanM]

This should help:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

 

[Uncle99]

Uglies for me seem to go away faster, the more the stability in my system.

 

[EricR]

My opinion is that normal ugly stuff like hair algae does get better with tank age.
You should still manually remove as much as you can and (probably) have a varied clean-up crew to help.
I don't (personally) feel like limiting nitrate/phosphate is very useful without starving corals.

I run mid/high levels of nitrate/phosphate in 5 year old tank and, honestly, haven't seen hair algae (other than on some plastic parts) in a couple/few years.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

As your tank matures and your parameters begin to stabilize, your algae issues will stabilize as well.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I believe it resolves itself if your doing the right things, like daily upkeep and weekly maintenance, keeping nutrients in check, keeping equipment clean, etc....