Black algae? or maybe a deficiency

["Ashcraft, Bob" <BAshcraft at medrad_com>]

Hi All,

For the last couple months, I've been battling with what I originally
thought was some kind of black algae.  I've come to the conclusion that it
might be a deficiency rather than algae (although I've been wrong before).
Whatever it is, it only effects the Swords and Java Ferns.  The older leaves
turn black and then start to deteriorate. I don't think it's because of the
light because leaves that are shaded are still effected.  The plants are
growing very well.  The Swords have just bloomed (little white flowers).  I
normally have to trim every week and they bubble like crazy for the last 5-6
hours the lights are on.  Tank parameters are as follows:

72 gallon, been running for almost a year
3" Profile Aquatic Soil substrate with 1" of gravel on top
Inhabitants, 5 adult and 12 juvenile Angels
Pressurized CO2, 2 bubbles/sec.
2-175 watt MH pendants
lights on for 10 hours/day
10% water changes every 3 days
pH 6.6
kH 7
temperature 80f
gH 16
Nitrates 5-10
Phosphates not detectable with a Seachem test kit
1 ml Kent Freshwater Plant Supplement per day
1/8 tsp. Potassium Nitrate added as needed to maintain 5-10 ppm level,
usually every 7-10 days
1/8 tsp. Potassium Chloride every 7 days (recently switched from Potassium
Sulfate, but problem existed way before this)
Jobes Palm and fern sticks added around Swords about every 6 weeks

Not long after things started turning black, I also got some green/gray
furry algae, but it has only grown on a large piece of wood, and I kinda
like how it looks, so I leave it alone.

If a picture would help, I can try and get one out there somehow.

Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

Bob Ashcraft
Pittsburgh, PA

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