LeviRH
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
If excess nutrients was the primary cause of algae than everyone dosing an EI fert schedule would have obscene amounts of algae. It's a balancing act between having enough ferts, proper light, and enough available carbon. If one is insufficient then that's when algae grows.
Not trying to argue, nor upset anyone. I generally like to avoid conflict, but everyone has an opinion, and that is acceptable.
The primary cause of algae is excessive nutrients. This is a worldwide phenomenon, in and outside of aquariums. Eutrophication. If your plants don't and cannot use it, the algae will.
Granted, with the proper level of CO2, lighting, and nutrients, this can be avoided to a certain extent. It's a balancing act for your plants, not the prevention of algae, as it is generally always there.
Algae generally will only become a problem IF there is too much light (something will use it, and algae is very good at this), IF there is an excess of nutrients in the water (something has to remove it, and algae is very good at this), and IF the CO2 levels are too high (something will to use it, and algae is very good at this)
If you want to avoid algae, run a UV sterilizer (careful, though because it can kill beneficial bacteria, also) here and there to neutralize it, and dose with Excel, as glutaraldehyde is a wonderful algicide.