Hmm, a little dilemma I can't seem to solve

[Balthamos]

I have a 24 G Aquapod and I'm using 2 compact daylight florescent bulbs, Amano Amazonia normal and powder type substrate and power sand. I also inject CO2 using a canister and regulator at 1 bubble per second. The tank chemistry is good--pH 7.0, temp 71 degrees, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates all zero, phosphates zero, etc. The plants are all growing well. My only problem is black algae. Most leaves are covered with it and it is growing also on the back panel of the tank. I honestly don't know what to do about it. Does anyone know why it would be growing all over my plants? What's out of balance in my system that I haven't considered? Should I infuse more CO2? Should I lessen the amount of light? Is the temperature too high (unfortunately with a closed system like the Aquapod there's not much I can do about water temperature--I don't even use the heater, though it's in the tank). There must be something out of balance for me to have such trouble with the algae.

Oh, my good news is that I'm moving up to Germantown in a few weeks and so I hope I can finally start attending some of the club meetings, at least from time to time. I've been too far up to this point to make any of them.

Mark

[SCMurphy]

No point in worrying about the algae if you are moving up here. You can give it a little more CO2 or take out one of the bulbs, but when you get up to the new digs you are going to have a different tap water chemistry to deal with. That alone could solve that problem while giving you a chance to experience other algal growths.

[JMLenke]

Isnt 0 phosphates one of the things thought to cause BBA?

[Jeff120]

I would say part of the problem is here

nitrates all zero, phosphates zero

Plants need those nutrients

And you CO2 is more then likely low as well