I am still working on the co2 article,

I am in the process of getting together, a fire extinguisher c02 system,
Once I have had it running for a while, I will report back.

Now I ran Two 54w on my 4 ft tank, 7 hr photo period, Ei dosed ferts with phosphates :-0 , n Liquid carbon, on a moderately planted tank,
The growth was epic to say the least,
I ran the tank for 6 months before I took one of the bulbs out, and reduced everything to slow things down,
I was lucky no algea, not even hair which is usually due to high ammonia or poor flow, I run two filters and a power head for flow,

I know I keep saying this but it's about balance, I still have not got the balance right in my other tank yet, but I am getting there, I do have slow growing plants.
But the type of algea would good to know so we may be able to advise, but I would agree,
Cut the photo period, plants are v sensitive to large jumps up in the photo period, if you have too much light and not enough ferts, the plants cannot use the light as they don't have the fuel to grow,
Like wise more light the plants need more c02,
If the ferts or c02 are not there, in a powerful/high light set up then the plants won't grow, and the algea uses what is there,

That's keeping things really simple, like Violet says there are other things to consider, like do you have high phosphates, nitrates is the tank not as clean as you think leading to high ammonia...

Violet hit the nail on the head, it's about balance.

Remember the tanks we see in the mags and on planted sites,
Are usually well understocked, and well cleaned ie 50% water changes, which is a must when Ei dosing,

Cut back on the airstone, poss even turn it off if not adding C02 in any form, reduce lighting period n remove as much algea as you can, if it's on the edge of the leaf then remove the leaf,

See how it gows, you will not get amazing fast growth, but it may help..

Check out my profile pic

Oh and you are running around 2 watts per gal, on a lOng photoperiod so should consider c02, or reducing the photo period.
Ps what algea do you have ?

I have reduced the photoperiod down to 8 hours now with a 2 hour break halfway.
The algae I have is brown and is mottled on the leaves. I'm not sure what the name is.

like brown diatom algae, ???

or more like green spot algae ? or both ?

Quote:

When the plants requirements aren't met you can [if you choose to believe me ;) ] put money on that they are dying. Even if they don't look to be - an example would be a plant lacking in CO2 doesn't instantly go clear or have holes...they started super tiny. It's here that the ammonia is - and it's also a super tiny amount. Anecdotal evidence of this would be somebody you know that has "healthy" anubias and never fertilisersis etc but it has algae growing on the old leaves...it's just dying veeeerrrryyyy slooowwwlllyy.
But it has new growth? - Certain nutrients can be mobile within a plant, some not...but it will shift nutes from a dying leaf to a new one in the hope of surviving.

I do hear algae is a balance quite a bit, but it doesn't have to be - Stick a big fat weight on the ferts and CO2 side and make the light slightly or a lot lighter(er, less bright) and you have the balance tipped in your favour.

- Lack of flow (dead spots) = Lack of CO2/ferts
- Too much light = Lack of CO2
- Elevated silicates in tap water (brown diatom) = I've heard that too. I don't have an answer. Sorry.
- Elevated phosphate (green water) = No.
- Elevated nitrate (sometimes not enough nitrate e.g. BGA) = Never too high, always too low.
- Fluctuating co2 = er, CO2 - Plants try to adapt to conditions (like new swords melting as they change their 400ppm leaves to 30ppm submersed leaves....)
- Low co2 = With high light, lower the light beneath the available CO2 and it won't be a problem.

I have to say, it isn't black and white, especially when you start thinking about flow..but that comes down to not getting enough of the ferts or CO2 to the plant...

IMO.
Might be better to start a new thread to shout at me.
I'll save the "test kits are a waste of money" for another day.

Critch, I'd say it is brown diatom algae judging by pictures of it on a google search. I occasionly get a tiny bit of green spot on my glass but next to nothing.