After a few months of certain downloaded light program from the manufacturer site, I believe I picked David Saxby's preset, and maybe overfeeding? from feeder, without caring much of what's going on, not even doing much observation, the tank is now flourished with green hair algae as shown in video below. I've also uploaded what I've seen in the microscope from some sample of the algae. I used some sites for identification (1, 2, 3).
I've also taken microscopic photos of Spirorbid worms. Below is a video from other youtubers:
I have not been checking back on this tank other than making sure the feeder is working and that I tried to do water changes usually 50% or less every month or so. A rather lazy approach. At this point, I think only 1 observable coral (duncans) left. The Duncans seems to do well. GSP seems to bloom for a while but now probably extinct, possibly caused by green hair algae, as shown in video above.
3 main fish left: 2 x Three Stripe Damselfish & Clarkii clown.
Splendid Dottyback is possibly still around. Seen from time to time.
Mandarin Dragonet Goby is likely hiding somewhere as well.
The yellow belly Hippo Tang jumped out some months ago and died. As did the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse even earlier. I will be building a cover for this tank.
The Chromis all died off, either jumped out or caused by bullies in the tank (those damsels). I really need to get rid of these stripe damselfish, and maybe the Clarkii as well until the tamer fish have been introduced first.
Current parameters prior to water change:
Temperature: (Ideal 73-84 F)
sticker: 72 F = 22 C
Salinity: (Ideal 34-36ppt / 1.023 to 1.028sg)
43 ppt / 1.0326 specific gravity (Converter)
Ammonia: (Ideal 0 ppm)
Not tested
Nitrite: (Ideal < 0.2 ppm)
Tetra Strip test: 0
Nitrate: (Ideal <5 ppm)
Tetra Strip test: < 10ish ppm
Alkalinity: (Ideal 8 - 12 dkH)
Hanna: 129 ppm = 7.224 dkH
pH: (Ideal 7.8 and 8.5)
Hanna: 8.4
Calcium: (Ideal between 380-450ppm)
Hanna: 531 ppm
Phosphate: (Ideal SPS 0.01-0.05ppm, stony corals <0.1ppm, generally <0.25ppm)
Hanna: 0.97 ppm
Coral Pro Salt Water change (50%) done right after measurement taken.
30 mins after water change:
Salinity: (Ideal 34-36ppt / 1.023 to 1.028sg)
35 ppt (Converter)
I have since consider adding more water flow in the tank. But the well loved Vortech M10, M40 are just too expensive ($300, $400). Some suggestions on FB: Octo Pulse 2 (1,600 GPH) appears to be a good rival to M40. Jebao brand just seems too bulky (I bought 2 x TW40, each the size of my fist, never really used in the tank, due to not just size but weight). It also looks like if I get any of these, I need to buy (or make myself) those 3D guards to prevent fish killing.
As far as water purity goes, I'm still not sold on RO/DI over my dehumidifier waste water. I just power prayed its water bucket to clean the interior, so that when I do a TDS test later, it will give an accurate result, which should be less than 21ppm if not 12ppm (I forget the test result I just did, it's either 12 or 21). Online forums suggest zero ppm with RO/DI or less than 1ppm is doable I suppose. We shall see.
A good read on Reefing 101: Apparently, Lee Chin Eng (Indonesian) is the founding father of reef aquarium.