Lighting/ Algae Question - Please Help!!

I would not worry about the brightness. It isn't too much at all. The length of time it is left on might be too much. Try reducing it to 10 hours. Sometimes alage can attack even the most established of tanks.

Of course light by itself doesn't make algae grow or is even the cause of it. Likely there is too much nutrients in the tank, either nitrates or something else like phosphates. Start reducing feeding and use a gravel vacuum when cleaning the tank. Also start doing bigger water changes - at leats 25%. Depending on the plants I would cut the affected leaves off, just before doing a water change.

And finally a bristlenose pleco would be the perfect size for your tank. Not a regular pleco, just a dwarf one.

I agree that it is not the type or brightness of the bulbs. I have much more lighting on a smaller tank, and see no algae.

A nutrient deficiency that tips the scales for the algaes is likely the cause. You may want to give DIY CO2 a shot and see--I know it made a big difference in my tanks when I first upgraded my lights.

I agree with OrionGirl. That isn't too much light per se, but is too much if you are not adding CO2. You need to tip the scales to plant growth over algae growth.

However, I disagree with TKOS. Under these circumstances, I'd be willing to bet that nitrate and phosphate are probably low. I had a massive algae outbreak in my 25 after upgrading 40W of NO to 55W PC. The nitrate was almost undetectable because the algae were sopping it up.

Although you don't have "too much light" you have too much light to be able to get away without supplementing.

To deal with the problem, you need:
1. Enough plants to outcompete the algae.
2. Enough CO2, NO3, PO4 and traces to feed the plants.
3. Shorter photoperiod. After a certain period, the light isn't helping the plants, only the algae. Try dropping to 10 hours.

DIY stands for "do it yourself." In this case, a mix of yeast, sugar, baking soda and water in a 2-liter pop bottle that feeds CO2 into the tank.

Going from 6700K to 5500K will make the tank a lot warmer looking.

The kelvin rating is actually right where the plants need it. Going with anything less will deprive the plants, even further encouraging the algaes.

DIY=Do It Yourself. Yeast CO2 is pretty easy to setup and run, and while it doesn't work as well as the injected CO2 (less reliable and consistant), you'll be able to see if it helps out.

You get more mileage per batch. As the yeast proliferate, the solution becomes more acidic and slows things down. The baking soda counteracts that.

After several months of DIY, I gave in and got a tank and a regulator. Made my life a whole lot easier. However, as OrionGirl says, the DIY system is simple and cheap, and the improved plant growth will sell you on CO2.