newbie please advise
 

I cannot get rid of this algae. Every time I clean it out, it will stay clean for approx three to five days and starts to come back. I have taken a water sample to Big Als and they tell me it is clean.

I have a 75 gal tank with 30 gal sump
500 W corallife light
1100 gal pumps (three combined flow)
protein skimmer

500w coralife? That seems really strong for a FOWLR, and I don't see any corals in there at all...

how long has the tank been set up? what bio load do you have? etc.?

I do not see any cleaners, ie snails in the picture?? I had tones of green algae in the Reef Ready area of my tank. Two snails cleaned it right up.

Will

My intention is to add corals as my budget allows.

I think by bio load you mean fish? Two sand sifting starfish, 1 X Green Chromis, 3 X Yellowtail Blue Damsels and 6 X Mexican Turbo Snails (but 3 may have died recently).

What kind of snails?

Looks like diatoms or dinoflageletts ...aka green snot cut back on the lights 4-5 hrs/day lots of water changes and cut back on feeding it will be gone

HTH

Oh and welcome to the board :mrgreen:

Snails won't touch it

Thanks.
I will try this.

Had the same problem you doing water top offs/changes from the city water?
if you are you should put a bit of Prime in your tank