Algae Farming?

[creekbottom]

I've got my 20 gallon set up as a planted tank, although I still have room for more plants. I'm still deciding what to put in.

I am running 2 T5HO 18W bulbs about 11 hours. I'm thinking of bringing that down, they're on timers. All water parameters are good and the fish are happy. I'm using a marineland penguin 150 HOB, I took out the carbon and used the insert as a barrier between some filter floss and bio media.

I've been fertilizing with pps pro mainly because I don't want the massive water changes of EI. I'm also running DIY CO2, the drop checker indicates that things are good.

I had to leave for a few days, so no dosing happened and when I came back things looked alot more algafied!

Any tips? I'm hoping that with the return to a regular dosing (everyday) schedule the algae will begin to disappear.

I want to get this figured out because I've got a 10g shrimp tank that is looking awesome but could use some ferts too, minus the algae.

thanks.

[jvision]

Algae comes when there's an imbalance, so just remove a bunch, rebalance and maybe add some excel (I you don't have plants that will melt from it) and you'll be laughing.

[creekbottom]

I think I'm getting it under control... not completely sure yet. I noticed bright red filaments of algae in my tank tonight. Have I managed to discover a new algae or does it turn red when it's dying?

[jewels]

If its red , its dead.

Only in this cruel planted world could healthy algae appear so lush - and dead algae appear so unsightly.