Struggling with stable parameters and algae

[Muraad]

About 4 months ago, my 24 gal tank finished cycling and I decided to wait a while until I started adding corals. I dealt with dyno and green hair algae in between and turning off the lights, manual removal and chemi-pure + CUC really helped.

2 weeks ago I decided to add a zoa to test since my parameters were stable and a few days later I started seeing brown on my rock. Now there's some brownage around the zoa rock and my phosphate keeps going to 0 ppm.

I noticed green algae on the sand bed and I know I need to redo what I did earlier aside from the chemipure.

Since my phosphate is at 0 ppm, is it being consumed by whatever is on the sand?

I cant seem to figure out how to stabilize phosphate without it all being consumed by something in my tank.

 

[Boxed Fish]

what sand Mix are you using and what water. tap or RO

 

[BryanM]

Rest of parameters, water change regimen.. Test kits?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

In addition to the above questions, right away I notice no powerhead and a nice dusty film on the water surface. I would suggest that more flow will help against algae in the long run, but will help get rid of the film on the surface. That film cuts the gas exchange (meaning less oxygen) and also cuts the light penetration, its important to get rid of that. Get a powerhead and position it close to the surface and aim it up to get that stuff into the water so your filtration can filter it out.

IMO turning off the lights has stalled the maturing process of your tank, whats growing in your tank now is natural micro algae's. Your tank looks like a one month old tank to me rather than a 4 month old tank,

 

[Muraad]

what sand Mix are you using and what water. tap or RO

I use RODI water at 0 TDS. I use aquaforest reef salt. Nitrate is at 6 ppm, phosphate at 0 despite dosing 0.03 ppm 24 hours ago. Here's a proper picture of my tank.

Rest of parameters, water change regimen.. Test kits?

I change water every week 90% of the time and every other week the rest when it gets busy. All test kits I use are HANNA. I do 25% water changes and I don't dose anything besides phosphate when it was at 0. Now I stopped since it's being consusmed.

In addition to the above questions, right away I notice no powerhead and a nice dusty film on the water surface. I would suggest that more flow will help against algae in the long run, but will help get rid of the film on the surface. That film cuts the gas exchange (meaning less oxygen) and also cuts the light penetration, its important to get rid of that. Get a powerhead and position it close to the surface and aim it up to get that stuff into the water so your filtration can filter it out.

IMO turning off the lights has stalled the maturing process of your tank, whats growing in your tank now is natural micro algae's. Your tank looks like a one month old tank to me rather than a 4 month old tank,

The film was because I had no flow on but when there's flow, it's more clear. Ill tey to clean most of it tho, not sure what it is?

I lowered the brightness recently because I thought maybe that's what causing all of this. Do I need to not touch the light?