Enriching the water with CO2 is that plant growth and development is enhanced, but turning it down will not help with this issue. Algae is caused by excess nutrients that the plants aren't utilizing, once algae starts it depends on light for photosynthesis just like plants do.
My question is what amount of ferts are you dosing, it sounds like you're going with the EI dosing regime because of the dosing schedule you have... With a classic EI dosing regime it's based on a heavily planted tank, and it sounds like you have a lightly planted tank, am I right?
The Finnex Ray II DS is putting out a PAR of 73 at 18" which means if your substrate is 3" deep then you're getting the 73 PAR which is too much light for the little amount of plants that in your tank... I would do the following; Getting more plants to take up the extra nutrients in the tank and and use this calculator - http://rotalabutterfly.com/nutrient-calculator.php - to see how much of each fert your tank needs, I was in the same boat of dosing too much ferts to my tank until I found this calculator.
PAR data for the light...
When it comes to PAR anything between 40 - 80 is medium lighting and needs co2... Now my question now is what source are you using for co2? Like DIY, liquid supplement like excel, or co2 injection. So I would definitely add more plants, high light plants will grow under medium lighting as well meaning the Ray II DS will grow pretty much anything and everything.
I would get 2 True Siamese Algae Eaters for your tank or some Amano Shrimp, both are relentless when it comes to algae.
If you're using a co2 injection system it should come on 1 hr before the lighting turns on, and should shut off 1 hour before the lighting shuts off. This helps to saturate the tank with co2 and make it instantly available to the plants when the lights turn on, and then it supplies enough co2 for the plants to use up before the lighting shuts off. Plants use co2 during the day, but use oxygen at night; This is why most people have their co2 injection turn on 1 hour before the lighting, and shut off 1 hour before the lighting.
My question is what amount of ferts are you dosing, it sounds like you're going with the EI dosing regime because of the dosing schedule you have... With a classic EI dosing regime it's based on a heavily planted tank, and it sounds like you have a lightly planted tank, am I right?
The Finnex Ray II DS is putting out a PAR of 73 at 18" which means if your substrate is 3" deep then you're getting the 73 PAR which is too much light for the little amount of plants that in your tank... I would do the following; Getting more plants to take up the extra nutrients in the tank and and use this calculator - http://rotalabutterfly.com/nutrient-calculator.php - to see how much of each fert your tank needs, I was in the same boat of dosing too much ferts to my tank until I found this calculator.
PAR data for the light...
When it comes to PAR anything between 40 - 80 is medium lighting and needs co2... Now my question now is what source are you using for co2? Like DIY, liquid supplement like excel, or co2 injection. So I would definitely add more plants, high light plants will grow under medium lighting as well meaning the Ray II DS will grow pretty much anything and everything.
I would get 2 True Siamese Algae Eaters for your tank or some Amano Shrimp, both are relentless when it comes to algae.
If you're using a co2 injection system it should come on 1 hr before the lighting turns on, and should shut off 1 hour before the lighting shuts off. This helps to saturate the tank with co2 and make it instantly available to the plants when the lights turn on, and then it supplies enough co2 for the plants to use up before the lighting shuts off. Plants use co2 during the day, but use oxygen at night; This is why most people have their co2 injection turn on 1 hour before the lighting, and shut off 1 hour before the lighting.
