Mobile Bay Reef Keepers

I bought a bulb from from Lowes and a hang on fixture, clips above the sump and I turn the light on in the evening when the DT tanks lights go out. I think it was a 100watt light, one of those curley lights, it said something like daylight light on the package. My LFS told me to get that one, he uses the same light over his tank of live rock, the tank had some of this grass loking stuff, and I took all he had which wasn't much but he is going to get me somemore. I bought a couple of filter socks and I am changing them out every day. I am hoping with the filter sock, lower food put in the tank and a new skimmer that I want to get this will help with the nitrates. I have been told (don't know if its true) that I can get by with nitrates around 10 to 15 if my phosphate number is in line. Got any suggestions on anything else I might try, phosphates or nitrates ???

Ok, that's actually the minimum bulb wattage-equivalent I recommend. They also make a 40w (150w equivalent) bulb that I recommend the most. Try that out when you change your lamps next. Do you have the spotlight with the built-in reflector or just a bare lamp? If the latter, get one of the fixtures that features a reflector (If I am right about the one you are using, it should also have one).

I have the spot light with the built in reflector and I will pick up the larger the next time I go to Lowes. Thanks for all your advice, I am going to take all of it.

No problem. One last thing I forgot to mention is to get the "soft white" lamps (2700K), which looks yellow-orange to the eye, but are best for growing algae.

Checked my Mag. this morning its at 1280, should I keep dosing or just try and maintain this level ? Didn't have time to check my Phosphate, will do that tonight, just to see if Phosban is working.

That amount is fine and is actually right at natural seawater. You can just maintain it now, unless you want it a bit higher. It is safe to do so and some like it a bit higher than NSW to give a slight buffer zone so that it doesn't get low too quickly. I tend to maintain mine right around where you have it, though.

I checked my Phosphates tonight, three days ago it was at 0.5, it is now at .25, my chart says they need to come down some more so I am going to leave the Pura Phoslock in and check it in two more days. The chart says .25 retards coral growth but at least its coming down.