[seado]

I have a 120 gallon tank with 150# LR that has been curing for 1 week, a 3 - 3.5" SD sand bed (will add live sand and detrivore kits after curing is complete). Skimming round the clock, lights on 6 hours a day, 4 PH's going. Water parameters are 8.2 with Salifert test kit, 8.11 with Pinpoint, SG 1.025, ammonia <.5, nitrite .4, nitrate 10. I have been adding Bi-onic daily per the instructions. KH is 14, Alk is 5.08 and Ca is 400. Temp is 82.4 with lights, drops to 81 without. I also tested phosphates in the RO/DI make-up water at 0, but they were 1.0 in the tank. I make my water in a Rubbermaid trash can, the gray model as suggested in a post I read somewhere. The only thing I do is rinse out my skimmer cup in hot tap water, then dry thoroughly with a paper towel before replacing it in tank. Could that be the source of the PO4? How should I be cleaning out the cup? There is some bright green algae, hairy looking about 1/4" to 1/2" long on one rock only(unexpected), brown algae breaking out on many other rocks (which I knew to expect). Should I do anything about the low pH? What should I be shooting for with Alk and KH. I don't really understand those. Any opinions on anything else I need to be doing or checking on at this point, if anything? I know I'm a long way away, but want to be on top of things as I go along. Thanks in advance for the assistance.

[This message has been edited by seado (edited 05-06-2001).]

[seado]

Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!