plants and sand

[Mizuro Ami]

the sand in my tank has been pretty clean for awhile now, but i just added another plant into the tank, and the sand has been getting a little brownish. and i can see green algae starting to grow on the tank walls and on a rock i have in there. i also read somewhere that live plants are usually the culprit for dirty sand. does anyone know why this is so? and how i could keep my sand clean

 

[freddyk]

I'm using sand in my planted tank with no problems, and I know I'm not the only one. The algae means there is imbalance of nutrients. Adding more plants will help use them up, especially if you choose a fast growing, greedy type. Also decrease the amount or cut out any fertilizers you may be using.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

And if it be natural, fishy fertilizer, feed less and don't overstock.

 

[Mizuro Ami]

oh, yeah it's probably because i leave the light on for the majority of the day and feed them a lot. ill try cutting back on the light/food and see what happens. thanks for the replies!