A couple of simple steps:
Chamber 1: Protein Skimmer from bio cube:
Oceanic BioCube Protein Skimmer
Bottom crate cut out for more flow.
Chamber 2:JBJ Nano light for a refugium:
JBJ Nano-Glo 4-LED Magnetic Refugium Light
All of the crates and slits taken out of chamber 2. Live rock rubble and clumps of cheato for your fuge. Chemipure
Boyd Chemi Pure Elitein there as well on top of the rock and next to the cheato. Two pieces of plastic laying across the top and filter floss on top so the flow of water hits that first before it goes into the fuge.
Chamber 3: A bag of purigen
Seachem Purigen, removed old sponge and kept the pump that was in there.
I've researched different things, and this combination has seemed to work great for me. I vacuum out chamber 1 and 3 about once a month, because you get build up of garbage and I rinse out the pump. I NEVER clean out the fuge, let it be and grow. I do an RO/DI water change, 30% once a week, and I always am refilling the tank with RO/DI water when the water level drops a little bit.
I keep the water level pretty much to the top of the tank in the back chambers, this helps create the proper fuge.
I have one koralia pump flowing to the middle of the tank and I am not constantly moving things around.
I replace the chemipure in chamber two every 6 months and the purigen every 2. (I NEVER BLEACH IT AND REUSE IT EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS YOU CAN) I would never take that risk.
I do not have any additives and I only have two fish, a firefish and clown. I have about 15 hermit crabs and 4 snails.
I think a couple of the key things are keeping the tank clean by using the fuge (NO ALGAE ANYMORE!), not moving things around too much and not having too many fish.
This really adds up to a lot of harmful nitrates and the tank goes to ****.
GOOD LUCK! Let me know if anyone does this and if it makes a difference.