ps, so far, and i hope I havnt been doing anything wrong, but my algae is not much of a problem, a weekly clean on the glass and I'm good. I use sailfert for calcium mag and alk. for nitrate nitrite and ammonia i use api. their ph test kit (api) always matches with my ph probe on my neptune aqua controller. Everytime i check my water pollution, i assume that when my api test kit shows 0 nitrates, that it means that it is within an acceptable range... I dont see how it could ever be actually 0, i am a noobie, but if the nitrogen cycle is taking place, there has to be a by product of it at times, even with a good protien skimmer, chemical media reactor, and plenty of benifical bactera (nitrifiying). I've got all of that plus a refuge with chato and mangroves and some other macro algaes. I still get algae on the glass, what else is it feeding from? my reactors have phos and slilicate absorbers as well as nitratie ammonia and nitrite, not to mention the natural absorbers in the fuge.... I hope I am correct in assuming that a 0 on the nitrate level is indicating that its within a safe range, mabe I should spend more on the pollutiant test kits.... anyone have any ideas on this?