How do I solve my algae issue

[Lee Friedmann]

I am having problems with algae growth on my plants.

I converted the tank to a community fish tank with plants in January of this year.  

I am using the Fluval 3.0 lights at 30% output with blue at 5%. 30 min ramp up, 6 hours day light and 30 min ramp down.

Water parameters: GH- 7, KH- 3, PH-7.2, nitrate 0, nitrite 0, ammonia 0, temp 78-79.

I feed easy green, easy carbon and easy iron weekly and root tabs monthly. Even with feeding I have not register nitrates over 0.  I run a wet dry filter and think the system is very efficient causing the 0 nitrates.

The tank has 6 snails, 2 hill stream loaches, 6 Cory cats, 20 cardinal tetras, 20 rummy nose.  5 dwarf gourami just added yesterday.

Should I reduce the light percentage and duration?

What else can I do?

[Jungle Fan]

@Lee Friedmann I would cut out the blue altogether since algae seem to appreciate blue light most, and right now your total photoperiod amounts to only 7 hours when plants generally prefer anywhere from 8 to 12 hours depending on brightness,and fertilization. Depending on the size of your tank the way you dose may, or may not be enough, although I would assume you are following the instructions on the Easy Green bottle. From the pictures it seems your battle is primarily with brown algae which tends to occur a lot in new tanks right after cycling when the tank is still maturing.

I would increase my photoperiod to at least 8 hours, maybe up the intensity, gravel vac the substrate, do frequent larger water changes, and would try to remove as much of the brown algae manually as you can, maybe add a few otocinclus since you mentioned you already have snails. In my experience military helmet Nerites are the best snail grazers.

You might want to look at the light programming over all but I'm no guru on the Fluval 3.0, so I would defer to @Streetwisefor that, he's had some great content in regards to that recently. I'll post a link to his thread, and some links with info on brown algae here:

https://fishlab.com/brown-algae/

https://www.thesprucepets.com/brown-aquarium-algae-1378629

[Mmiller2001]

Bump light intensity up to 45%, watch for 2 weeks, then bump up again if no new algae occurs. Repeat or lower as needed. 8 hours works well. Also, increase fertilizer dosing. Get about 10 to 20ppm nitrates on your test kit. Diatoms are also caused by low light. I see what looks to be Staghorn too. How big is the tank and what's your turnover like?

No blues in your light setting. 

 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Mmiller2001