Substrate And Algae

[codheadjohn]

How much difference does a proper plant substrate make to plant growth? Some of my plants do fine, but my swords are failing miserably.

Also, how do you get algae off plant leaves? A few weeks away and the anubias are mostly algae on the leaves now. Any tips?

 

[FishNChimps]

My swords were lethargic at first but plant tabs and weekly dosing with plant food seemed to do the trick. Some thread algae started to appear on leaves but I bought a timer for the light so the plants get just eight hours of light a day (with a three-hour break in the early afternoon). Algae's almost gone.