[Damon]

First off, that is a great book. Recommended reading for persons new to planted tanks, though some of her ideas may be considered radical. Too little algae is a good thing! Many planted tank owners don't use algae eaters in their tank. Most go with shrimp as they will eat algae and leftover food. A UV sterilizer will not promot algae, in fact but just the opposite. It will remove and trace elements in the tank so it will kill algae and hurt your plants. Increased lighting would be the way to go. Your loaches won't starve either. They will eat when they get hungry enough.