So my tank has been running for about 3.5 months now. I have fluorite substrate and about 1.8 watts per gallon of T5HO lighting. I have been playing around with different dosing regiments of Seachem Flourish, Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium. However, I still can't get rid of this dark green algae that ends up growing all around the edges of plant leaves. I ended up getting rid of my really fine leaved plants (like cabomba) because they looked terrible.New leaves don't get this algae for at least a week or 2 then they start getting it. The plants are growing well....I'd just like to get rid of this algae. At first I thought it was a lack of nutrients so I upped my ferts to twice a week for the last while but I haven't seen much of a difference (if anything it might be a little worse). So now I'm thinking maybe I should stop fertilizing all together and see if that makes a difference. Any ideas? Suggestions? By the way I do weekly 20% water changes.
Thanks,
Jeff
I got the same problem in the early stage of my setup. It dissapeared after a while. My setup was a low tech version with DIY CO2 and 80W over 75gal. If I remember it correctly, I did reduced the frequency and amount of the fertilization and also the amount of water change. I hope it works for you :)
Black Algae grow, mostly because of too much fertilize in the water or you feeding your fishes too much. I did have the same problem as you before. the black algae all over my tank. but it disappeared after 2 wks. I reduce the amount feeding fishes, frequently change 1/3 water per 2 days. keep your CO2 on regularly as usual, and inject EXCEL organic carbon very important because black algae unable to survive in a certain high CO2 condition but it 's able to survive at low CO2. STOP inject plant fertilize. If you follow correctly, after a week the fertilize in the tank will going to reduce and get balance in your tank, then it's the time for the plant and algae to start struggle for the fertilize in the water in the last week. For sure, the plant usually win because it's bigger than the algae. Also, don't turn off your light because plant need lighting inorder to do reaction with CO2 or organic carbon. 8)