Mud?!

[Byron]

ye that is the stuff so i should keep my light on for 6 to 8 hours a day

Yes, you can start at 8 hours and if in say 2-3 weeks it hasn't improved, reduce by another hour. I had brush algae and got my light/nutrients balanced with 7 hours of light. Make sure it is on a timer. And the spectrum is important, you haven't mentioned what it is (the Kelvin).

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

ye that is the stuff so i should keep my light on for 6 to 8 hours a day

Go for 6...but keep the tank covered for the rest of the time. Ambient daylight will also feed the algae.
...And stop the plant food.

 

[Sgooosh]

also the plant may be melting because you buried the rhizome. that kills these java ferns