Algae Cause?

[riseabovethesun]

I have an off and on thing with brush hair algae. I had the SAE who would help with that but he is gone and the Amano shrimp help a bit -- but definitely not enough.

My CO2 is on a pretty low bubble count, which I need to replace the cartridge, I think the past two days it's been a bubble an hour. Anyway.

Normally the CO2 is and I have one 10k 65watt bulb on from around 8am to 8pm (sometimes I forget and turn it off between 8-10pm, or sometimes I turn it off between 5-8pm), but usually it is 8pm. This routine has been like this for months. Also I keep the CO2 on all night but it's a low bubble count and I've tested the oxygen levels at night and they're fine, they have to be or I'd have lots of deaths..

I haven't changed the lighting situation or the CO2 and about a week or two ago I began getting some of that algae on the driftwood, then it started growing on the plants that reach the top of the tank (maybe too close to light?) but they've always been that tall...so I don't see how that would cause it. But I'm pretty worried that my plants are going to be covered in it soon if I don't figure it out.

Should I lessen the lighting and increase the CO2, or vice versa? Oh and I don't overfeed, so I know that isn't the issue. Should I find some type of fertilizer to help the situation?

I'm kind of at a loss. Also, I can't have excessive amounts of FE in the tank nor can I have the CO2 turned up THAT much because the shrimp are very sensitive to those. I think I got all my questions/info...

Thanks guys!

 

[prsturm]

I would say to keep the CO2 where it is and dial back the lighting to 10 hours a day or so. I have a timer, and my lights are only on for 9 and a half hours, with ambient light at the margins. The most expensive response is to tone down the lumens or watts per gallon and get a new light.

 

[riseabovethesun]

I guess also what is weird is it has been the same CO2, lights, plants, tank since February. Same routine, plants growing, blooming, and regrowing. BUT I did just realize I moved the tank to the living room where it can get a bit more light even though we never open the shades, could that be something? My tank use to be in the kitchen.

Also the temperature is always ~76-78

Any opinions on these suggestions:
20-60 lumens/L illumination (about 2-4W fluorescent light per gallon), 12h/day
10-15ppm CO2
3-5ppm NO3
0.1ppm Fe
6.5-7.0 pH

Those are from this article: http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertilizer/sears-conlin.html