Is this possible?

[tony_3a]

Hey I was just curious if switching type of lighting can grow different types of algae in your tank?

Ill tell you why I ask this....

I recently switched from 2x175 mh and 2 actinic bulbs to my 6 bulb tek light, and now instead of the normal greenish algae that I can scrub off if i get to it quickly enough with the brush, I have this weird light brown algae growing on the glass that my magnet cleaner will not take off. Its even harder to get off than coralline algae?

Thanks for the input
Tony

[gobytron]

different spectrums will encourage different algae...
Though I switched from MH to the exact same t5 setup as you for a week and didn't see any change in my parameters...

Any chance of a pic of this algae....brown and harder to get off than coralline?

[DiverDude]

How old are the bulbs in your Tek light ?

If you don't know or they're 10+ months old, I'd start by changing them.

[tony_3a]

Yeah the algae is actually purpleish brown, and it looks more of a slime or like a coating and its not stringy at all, I will try to get a pic tomorrow, and the bulbs are only about 5 months old.