I am not sure what type of algae I have. From what I have read, it seems it may not be an algae at all, but rather a bacteria that is bright green color. It grows like mad in certain places in my tank. It will nearly smother some plants, others it won't touch. It loves wood and my white rocks as well as the glass. The worst thing is that my tank smells worse than a sewer. I can take 90% of the water out and within 2 days you put your hand in the tank and draw it out and washing it off is not good enough, you want a shower. By day 4, the odor will literally knock you down like some kind of a gas and the odor is so putrid it makes you want to gag. I have sucked stuff out, cut way back on feeding, changed water 3 times and the only way to prevent it from showing up is to leave the lights totally off. I think then, that makes for a bunch of dead algae which in turn increases the phosphate or ammonia levels and the whole cycle starts all over again. I am at a loss....any suggestions?