Growth problem in tank...

[Mudslinger14]

For the past few months I've been battling this dark brown fuzzy algae that grows on the gravel, the filter head, the walls and the driftwood of my 125g freshwater tank. The tank is lightly stocked and has an fx5 with both bio and mech filtration.
I tried to fix this problem once before by completely draining the tank, replacing half of the gravel and cleaning the filter out. It worked for a while but it just came straight back 'en masse'.
Is it just my biological filtration has run its course and needs to be replaced?
Or something else?
Any help would be appreciated, because I'm kind of stuck here.


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[FormulatedFire]

What are the water parameters of the tank? Also what type of lighting are you running and for how long per day?

 

[AirborneAquatic]

That algae you're talking about is almost like a powder. Am I correct? If it is it is caused by too low light. Formulatedfire is right on the money. If you post the water parameters we can also help narrow down the probable causes.

 

[Mudslinger14]

Nitrites are at 0 ppm,
Nitrates are at 5.0 ppm,
Ammonia is 0

I've been running the lights for less time since the outbreak. Maybe 7-8hrs a day?


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[Mudslinger14]

Sorry, this I a bad picture, but it's like a soft powdery type growth at some parts, but at others it's more like a mossy feel.

Lights are just standard strip lights. I was thinking of changing them over to LEDs.


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