[Help with algae in planted tank.]

On 6/11/2021 at 10:02 PM, Koi said:

I also use a stingray 2 but on a 10 gallon so I don't think the light being too strong is necessarily the issue.

Looking from the pictures I'm seeing multiple things going on but at first glance, these are two things that stick out to me:

Is it just one root tab or did you put several? Are you using any other fertilizers as well?

The crypt is a slow grower so it still could be adapting to the changes from your light which might explain the algae. But the color of the algae is confusing me a little (it might just be the picture).

The condition of the valisneria is a little odd to me too... how long has that been in your tank?

Although I don't think the strength of the light is necessarily the issue, instead of  covering it with tape, you can just float your water 

 

I used several root tabs around the Val and crypts, spaced accordingly as per the directions. This was back in February and I haven’t added any since. I’ve also been adding one pump of Easy Green after water changes probably for a month now but the algae has been a problem since February. 
 

The Val looking bad and the condition of the algae is from me using Flourish Excel and an algae remover which I stopped using about two weeks ago. The algae has spread through the gravel to where the pebbles stick to each other in clumps. 

[Help with algae in planted tank.]

On 6/11/2021 at 7:26 PM, Patrick_G said:

It might be a little to bright. You can adjust the power level on that model right? Maybe turn it down to 50% and see what happens. 
Otocinclus catfish and Amano shrimp are a big help in my tanks. 

I don’t think this model has an adjuster on it. I did think about adding some patches of black electrical tape over some of the LEDs to decrease the brightness if that was the cause. 

[Help with algae in planted tank.]

On 6/11/2021 at 7:05 PM, tonyjuliano said:

Not algae, but diatoms.  How old is tank?

the Nerites will obliterate that.

It’s been up and running for a two years now but the light was added about 6 months ago. I had good plant growth with it at first but then came the algae

[Help with algae in planted tank.]

I’m wondering if the Finnex Stingray 2 is too powerful a light for my 29 gallon planted community tank and causing me to have bad algae problems.  The algae keeps heavily covering my plant leaves, to which I have to constantly rub off.  I currently have crypts, java fern, water sprite, anubias, and vallisneria in it.  As well as growing on the plant leaves, a lot of the algae is concentrated on the gravel around the vals and crypts where I have root tabs buried. I currently have 12 neons, 4 corys, 1 red eye tetra, and just added 6 nerite snails to help eat the algae. I keep the light on for 7 hours and water parameters are: temp-75, pH-7.6, ammonia-0, nitrite-0, and nitrates 30ppm. Any help with this would be much appreciated.