Tank wipeout? (hahahahahahahahaha, wipeout......song starts)

[cmdmd]

Hi guys,

My tank is a 28gal HQL.

The parameters:
Salinity - 1.025
pH - 8.4, there have been measured swings to 7.8
Nitrates 0-5, 10 when ready for water change
Nitrite - 0
NH3 - I have measured 0.25 at times, most of the time is 0
Alkalinity - 2.9 -3.6 (cannot pinpoint it with my kit, Red Sea)
PO4 - 0

I had some corals die/bleach and slough off. Then, I noticed an algae bloom, it was eventually diagnosed as a dinoflagellate bloom (snot-looking stuff)

I did a 3-day lights out. Now, another acro is dying and I see the dinos coming back along with some red slime.

Tank has been running for 2.5 months.

Right now, I will not put another coral in, I will just watch the rest finish dying off and will wait for a while (8-10 weeks) before buying any corals.

Fish:

Clown, 2 Chromis, dragonet, watchman goby
Coral banded shrimp
Tiger Pistol shrimp
Tidacna Maxima clam
Fan worm, 4 nassarius snails, 5 trochus, 4 blue legged hermits, 5 red hermits, 4 other snails that I cant remember the name

I have added Microbacter and Liquid Reef as indicated by the manufacturer.
I use PhosBan on a mesh bag for the PO4. I have not changed foods or added anything else
I have a 6-hour light cycle now. (Should I increase?)

I will open the floor to ideas and/or suggestions.

[mike_cmu04]

The acro is probably dying because of the short photoperiod and lights off period i would run the lights longer. What kind of lights do you have?

[cmdmd]

HQL. Should I make the period longer?