Algae

[ddm18]

Hi,

Whenever someone mentions algae here (particularly in reference to algae eaters) people always reply asking what kind of algae, which I guess is because all algae is not the same - makes sense. My problem is (and perhaps I'm just being incredibly stupid here) that I don't know what the differences are - any help would be good.

In my tank I've been getting quite a bit of algae lately, and am planning on swapping my common pl*c (who's now about 4 inches long, and needing more room) for something smaller - perhaps ottos, if they'll like my kind of algae. I don't really know how to describe it - it's kind of green coloured, and it's all over my bogwood, and grows on the glass, until I scrape it off. If it will help I'll get a photo (but am at work now, so can't!).

I've got 3 rock shrimp (I think) who at first almost completely cleared my tank of algae - litterally - I'd wake up in the morning and there would be a sparkling new surface that I hadn't seen for ages, but they seem to have stopped now, or else the algae is growing back quicker than they can eat it.

So... let the algae describing begin!

 

[The-Wolf]

Algae are photosynthetic organisms that occur in most habitats, ranging from marine and freshwater to desert sands and from hot boiling springs to snow and ice. They vary from small, single-celled forms to complex multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps of the eastern Pacific that grow to more than 60 meters in length and form dense marine forests. Algae are found in the fossil record dating back to approximately 3 billion years in the Precambrian. They exhibit a wide range of reproductive strategies, from simple, asexual cell division to complex forms of sexual reproduction.

Algae are important as primary producers of organic matter at the base of the food chain. They also provide oxygen for other aquatic life. Algae may contribute to mass mortality of other organisms, in cases of algal blooms, but they also contribute to economic well- being in the form of food, medicine and other products. In tropical regions, coralline algae can be as important as corals in the formation of reefs.

Seaweeds are larger algae that live in the marine (salt or brackish water) environment. Kelps are large brown seaweeds in the genera Pelagophycus, Laminaria, Macrocystis, etc. In the Pacific, individual kelp plants may reach 65 meters in length.


Taken from National Museum of Natural History

 

[tekknocolor]

The following are four main groups of phytoplankton (algae):
Brown Algae
a. AKA Gravel Algae or Silica Algae
b. Color: Brown
c. Often the first algae to appear in a newly set-up tank – where conditions have yet to stabilize
d. Appear 2-12 week period
i. May disappear once tank stabilizes
e. Limiting light will NOT eliminate this algae
i. Can grow at low lighting levels
f. How to prevent growth:
i. Avoid overfeeding
ii. Carry out proper water changes
iii. Gravel and filter cleaning
g. If this algae appears in an established tank:
i. Check Nitrate level
ii. Check Phosphate level
iii. Increase water changes
iv. Thorough substrate cleaning may be necessary
v. Using a phosphate-absorbing resin to remove silicates
1. Silicates (SI)
a. Important to growth of brown algae
b. Can build up through tap water that is high in silicic acid
h. Recommended fish:
i. Several otocinclus catfish
ii. Plecostomus
Beard Algae or Red Algae
a. AKA Bear Algae
b. Bright green to blue-green to blackish green
c. Member of red algae family
d. Grows on edges of plant leaves and edges of most any hard surface
e. Grows in thick patches
f. How to prevent growth:
i. Quarantine fish for 48 hrs
ii. Purchase plants and fish from reputable LFS
iii. Bleach new plant prophylactically
1. Soak newly purchased plants for 2-3 mins in a 10% bleach solution to kill any algae they may harbor
iv. Completely remove heavily affected leaves
v. Bleach rocks, gravel and other items that exhibit algae growth
g. Recommended fish:
i. Florida flag fish
ii. Siamese Algae Eater
Blue-Green Algae
a. AKA Slime or Smear Algae
b. Caused by Cyanobacteria
c. Rapid growth in blue-green sheets
d. Gives off swampy/fishy odor
e. Ability to smother plants and release toxins harmful to fish
f. Can fix Nitrogen and may be seen in tanks with extremely low nitrates
g. How to prevent growth:
i. Treat with erythromycin to eliminate bacteria causing slime
1. If using this treatment, monitor nitrite and ammonia levels
ii. Regular water changes
iii. Regular aquarium cleaning
iv. Avoid overfeeding fish
v. Anaerobic tank conditions
h. NO recommended fish
i. Algae eaters will NOT eat this algae
Green Water
a. AKA Algae Bloom
b. Green tinted water
c. Not toxic to fish
d. How to prevent growth:
i. Regular water changes
ii. Regular tank cleaning
iii. Use of UV filter
iv. Avoid direct sunlight
v. Avoid overfeeding fish
vi. Use of diatomic filter
vii. Do NOT overstock with fish
viii. Daphnia – will eat microscopic algae
ix. Blocking out all light for 3 days or more will effectively lead to the decline of this algae
e. Recommended fish:
i. Fish that eat Daphnia



References:
http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/algae.htm
http/freshaquarium.about.com/cs/maintena.../algaebrown.htm
http/freshaquarium.about.com/cs/maintena.../algaebeard.htm
http/www.aquaticscape.com/articles/algae.htm

(There's more, but I can't do them right now. Please feel free to add on. I can't get this to list out like it should. There are main categories(annotated by alphabet) and sub categories (annotated with lower case roman numerals))

 

[ddm18]

That's cool, thanks guys.

My only other question is about the colours. This will almost certainly sound stupid, but are the colours REALLY what you say? What I mean is, is brown algae (for example) actually brown, like chocolate, or wood, or something else brown? Or are they all actually green, and the differences in colour that you mention similar to the way in which a woman might describe her wedding dress... pearl, ivory, crystal... which are all, in fact, WHITE.

Hope that makes sense, and doesn't offend anyone who got married in a seashell dress.

EDIT: I don't mean a dress made of seashells... That would be silly. I mean the colour seashell, which, of course isn't a colour at all, the colour is WHITE. Sorry if that's confusing.

 

[sylvia]

ROFL... I think algae colors do deffer to some extent though I can't realy help much considering I don't get much algae (though I honestly wish I did!).

 

[ddm18]

The only algae that I've ever had (and I've always had it, from brand new to well-established tanks) is dark green - I guess you might call it bottle green, but I don't really know. I don't particularly like it, simply because it looks erm... untidy? However, it also looks kind of natural, and the fish don't seem to have any problem with it, so I don't really feel strongly either way. I think I'll get some ottos, because people on here seem to like them, and it's time to say goodbye to my pl*c.

Any thoughts? Probably not, I haven't really asked a question...