My refugium is loaded with brown algae (diatoms) is it a problem?

[LD50]

If you are growing a lot of macros in your sump 24 hour lighting is best. This way you never have plants pulling o2 and pushing co2...which is what tampers with your pH...basically.

Another option is to do a less than 24hr period, and put a big air stone in your sump...this will gas out the co2 from macros which is what I have to do on my 75g reef.

I tried this, but I seem to get much better macro growth when I give the macros a brek mid day for 8 hrs. Tank lights are on from noon to midnight and the fuge lights are on from 10pm to 2pm. Timers are the best thing to happen in lighting technology imo.

Should I drop an astrea snail or two in my fuge. BTW, I have 2 Koralia 425's in my tank. I also added 5 astrea snails in my tank today. One tooke of and the other 4 are remaining still. My display tank is really clear and so far my numbers are good.

I would not put the snails in your sump, I only say this because when they eat the diatoms and poop...the poo will just release the nutrients back into the water. It would be better to scrape it all up and either siphon, filter or net out what you can so that you are actually removeing the nutrients.

 

[FLESHY]

Yea...either way works. I would still pump in o2 though if they are going to be in the dark those 8hrs. Especially if you are using RO h2o.