I was trapped just like you in the matrix too....but the truth is that to much light and to little CO2 (current/flow) causes algae. Sure you will get faster growth with more light (if nutrients are present to support this), but also more algae growth and less easier to handle balance. Try sticking with low(er) light and CO2 (floaters help too) for now and slowly go from there.
Thanks for the reply Martin but please allow me to respectfully disagree with you. I have plenty of co2, circulation and nutrients...sometimes its the light...you have to accept that some people have lower light levels....I had the grobeam 600 at 100% and had no growth, now I have the grobeam 1500 tile at 65% and yet no growth...
Mr. Teapot has a very nice aquarium and this is a post from his journal: Anecdotally, I had nearly no growth when in dry-start, with a single 600. I think other people have had success though - I guess the difficult thing to get one's head around is that every tank is different and some things work in different set-ups. It's interesting with my first dry-start, as the only limiting factor was the light level. Therefor don't think it's too much of an assumption to conclude, if I had close to zero growth over three weeks with a 600, I didn't have enough light... With the caveat that I'm no expert in planted tanks!
He has the same tank size and setup as I have and his TMC 1500 tile is at the same height but at 100% intensity....
Take my word for it...CO, circulation and nutrients are more, much more than enough in my tank...in fact it is physically impossible to increase the CO2 or the circulation any more...
So, as I stated earlier, please lets NOT diverge from the question.
If I have none to very little growth, might my aquarium be more susceptible to algae as opposed to if a had better growth?