yeah not much can be said about canisters other then they feed algae as much as you feed yourself. Id recommend a HOB filter as well.
Rowaphos and phosban are two good products for quickly and effectively removing phosphate from the water. Although this alone is not going to be enough to get rid of the algae, the amount of manual removel and water changing will lower the nitrate. all in all with you doing these 3 things your algae should start to disappear shortly.
I like to feed small amounts of flake, and moslty frozen food. I sometimes will often us a home made mix which consist of spinach for greens, mixed with purchased sheets of frozen food (beefhart, mysis, brine and squid) all mixed and made into smaller sized cubes, which are portioned just enough for my stock and never leave much food left over. This prevents any of it being wasted, and also settling between rocks and releasing nitrates and phosphates into the water.
Skimmers are a great tool to remove protein in the water, which can consist of pretty much anything that can break down. As this is a bandaid for any nitrate phosphate issues, they will work a little, but eventually this issue will be back. Get one if you need, and follow these other parameters and you should start to see great health in any coral and fish/inverts, as well as a huge reduction in algae.
Another thing that can be said for the algae your having, is more current, Any powerheads or just the filter?? Adding a smaller sized power head will help keep junk, food and what not suppended longer, and your fish will eat it or it may get removed by filtering.
cleaning just the surface of your sand everytime you water change will help keep stuff from building up and looking unsightly. Good luck
