[mike31154]

My tank is fairly low tech/maintenance as well, but I do find that sizable water changes on a 21 day cycle help keep things from getting too nasty with respect to algae. Also ensure my fish are fed daily with an auto feeder & when I'm home a mysis/brine shrimp treat in the evening. I have a spawning Maroon Clownfish pair & Mama needs nutrition to do her thing. Nori clip for Yellow Tang.

Have found just as yourself that a certain amount of algae is definitely beneficial to the pod population, which in turn benefits other critters that may populate your tank. I don't get bent out of shape at the sight of a few wads of green hair algae. Don't run a sump so I've learned to tolerate it in the display. I consider it a highly efficient method of reducing nutrients and its FREE. Periodically I get in there and manually pull some of the big wads. I do have a skimmer, old school wooden air diffuser driven. Seeing the goo that it pulls is sufficient to make me think it's probably a good thing to keep running.

Of course this methodology is not appropriate for an SPS dominant tank. I do have some monti caps that are growing gangbusters, but I'm sure more delicate species would not do that well in my system. That's fine, I glean all the enjoyment I can handle from my mixed reef. Fish are fat & well adjusted as far as I can tell. ULN is not for me. This hobby offers so much diversity & avenues to pursue, in the end, whatever keeps one interested & entertained is fine, provided the livestock doesn't suffer. Obviously you've been in it long enough to discover what works well for you.

EDIT: .... don't test much using kits either, can't recall last time I did, month ago? My test is daily DILR (Does It Look Right). Had the tank long enough now that I know something's up pretty quick without resorting to a test tube.