As the Hitchhiker's guide says "DONT PANIC" everything is alive so it cant be that bad. first phair alge just dosn't boom overnight. Was the tank in good condition when you got it? Some test kits are universal the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate should work in both fresh and saltwater. it sounds like your sponge could use a good freshwater cleaning. If i had to guess your ceramic media and dirty sponge is producing excess nitrates. It seems to me what could be causing your agle problem. if it is just give your media a rince but not a scrubbing. then be patient and watch how much you feed. a pic of the tank would help also. dont take my word as gold make sure you hear some others ideas here before you act. Most of all "DONT PANIC"
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My idea of an amusement park story is getting adventurers to go tour environmental disaster areas. After all, if the entire Great Barrier Reef gets killed, which seems like an extremely lively possibility, what are you going to do with all that rotting limestone?
~Bruce Sterling | 
