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Brush algae and staghorn



Ok, I've battled GW in the past and also fought fuzz algae and won. Now I
seem to have a problem with brush algae covering way too much of my aquarium
gravel, and also have staghorn? (long branching stringy stuff)

I can easily remove the long stringy stuff by twirling it around a rifle
cleaner brush. It seems to love growing on my riccia.

My tank is:
29-gallon
2watts/ gal
co2 has been over 30
ph 6.8
kh 7-8
Phosphate 1.5ppm and dropping
Nitrate 20ppm and dropping
Temp 72-76F
K+ no idea but dose using KH2SO4, KNO3, K2SO4 so I know I have some
Also dose micros and Fe together, 5ml from a mixture of 1tblsp in 250ml of
water. 2xweek

I bought a phosphate kit and found I was too high. Did a water change (40%)
and tested next day. Still too high on phosphate and Nitrate. Did another
water change. Tested next day, readings shown above. Will test again
tonight, but the level are now dropping to within desired range.

What are the conditions that encourage brush algae to grow over my aquarium
gravel? What is causing the staghorn? Will a black out help me eliminate
some of this? I know I need to get nutrients back on track and maintain it,
but is there some additional way to kick the algae back? I'm also having a
green spot algae problem. I think I wasn't dosing enough micros a couple
weeks back.

Any thought? Does black-out on the tank work on these algaes?

Travis
Where the temperature was a crisp -6 F this morning. Pigs seemed fine. Water
was frozen. Ran out of firewood two days ago. At least my three aquariums
have heaters!