Help me grow algae

[colen]

The reason I would like to try and grow algae is because I recently setup a African cichlid tank, I am trying to make it very comfortable for the fish and give them exactly what they need. I am keeping a few yellow labs to start to see how I make out with them. These fish apparently like to graze on algae throughout the day. The problem is I have a pleco in the tank from my last setup, and he keeps the tank spotless, I have never seen algae grow in this tank, this pleco has been in the tank for about a year.

I realize the fish will not be getting much for nutrients out of the algae, and that they will be fine without it. So no need to point this out, it is just something I would like to try and do/experiment with.

The first thought that comes to mind is to move the tank into a spot where it would get a few hours of sunlight, this is not possible as I have this tank setup in the basement where there is not suitable spot for this to be accomplished.

The only other idea I could really come up with was to setup an old 10 or 20 gallon tank that I have and load it with rocks from my main tank and just leave a light running on it all the time, and swap them every now and then. This is what I plan on doing innless someone can give me a better idea.

My question is: In this algae growing tank, what do I need? I have heaters, filters, air pumps, light etc.

What is necessary and what isn’t? I assume the warmer the water is the faster algae will grow, is this correct? Is a heater even required? What else do I need running / to use in this tank to let algae grow?

Thanks for everyone’s input and ideas on this odd post.

 

[Sky042]

Leaving the lights on 12+ hours a day and having nitrates in the tank should net you more algae than you'll know what to do with.

 

[Fishy411]

ok. first you need to search. i have seen a lot of topics on this board about growing algae. secondly. a good idea was to put lava rock in a bucket near a window so algae would grow in teh cracks and then move it into your tank

 

[freddyk]

I wouldn't keep an mbuna tank without aglae growing on the rocks. You're right about nutrition, and it's an aspect of natural behavior that clean tanks are missing out on.

First thing, I'd get rid of the pleco and just grow the stuff in the main tank, but that's just me - an algae cultivation tank is fine too.

Then all you need is a good light. A lot of people are concerned about wattage, but in the end it's more important to have a good plant light - don't cheap out on it. This will make the biggest difference of all.

12 hours of light is a good idea.

You can add plant fertilizer to help things a long, but if you choose to do this be careful, things can get out of control quickly. I'd try a high quality plant light for 12 hours a day first and see how it goes, it's all I ever needed.

Temperature won't make a difference, algae will grow regardless. Light and nutrients makes algae grow, the more you have of both, the more algae you'll get.

 

[colen]

Fishy411 - I searched many times and was unable to find a directly related topic about what I needed to discuss. I did read the pinned topic on algae but that did not answer all of my questions I had.


freddyk, Thank you for the advice, it is greatly appreciated. I don't plan on getting rid of the pleco because he was a gift from my sister and everytime she is over she comments on how well he is doing, so not likely an option. I will looking into investing in a better light or bulb for my tank and see where that takes me. In the mean time I may try and run a small tank dedicated to growing algae that can hold enough rock that 1-2 peaces can be swapped into my main tank daily as I know at night the pleco will have it gone. Thanks for the idea of plant fertilizer, i'll have to remember that one.

Thanks for all the help,
Colen.

edit: so algae growth and the rate that it grows has nothing to do with the tempature of the water correct?

 

[freddyk]

edit: so algae growth and the rate that it grows has nothing to do with the tempature of the water correct?

You got it. Perhaps not nothing, but at most so little that it's not worth worrying about.

 

[Whisper Odinsky]

come over to my house. i'll give you all the algae you could dream of

i agree fully with freddyk -

Then all you need is a good light. A lot of people are concerned about wattage, but in the end it's more important to have a good plant light - don't cheap out on it. This will make the biggest difference of all.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

When I had hillstream loaches (and so no heater in the tank) I would put largeish river stone in a bowl of water on the window sill for a few days and when it had algae on, it's go in the tank.

 

[IMCL85]

Put ur tank right next to a window with nothing cover it I bet ur tank will be full with algae in a couple days if you want to even speed it up faster put in co2 and add liquid fertilizer . I said in about 2-3 days algae grow in hell.

 

[Opcn]

water plus light plus a bit of fish food every day= massive algea loads.

 

[Nospherith]

no need to buy a special plant bulb to grow algae. algae will grow regardless of what specific color temperature bulb it's under, and in my experience it favors >2.5wpg of higher K light, e.g. 10,000K, with no CO2 addition and very little plant biomass.

If you want to grow algae, then you might want to try doing the opposite of what it says in this TFF sticky A Guide to Algae - Prevention and Control in the planted tank forums.

You could also try going out to a local pond or stream and pick out some algae from there and throw it in the tank. I brought home a local wild aquatic plant and a while later I noticed this thread algae taking over my tank that was the exact same kind that I saw masses of in the stream I took it from. Now I cant seem to get rid of it.

 

[Dubby]

The easiest way to grow algae is to take an old jamjar, fill it with water, add some old leaves so they sink and keep the jar in a place where it will get plenty of sunlight. You should see algae grow in a couple of days. Now you can take this mixture and pour it into your tank!!

For successful algae growth there should be :
1. Lots of light
2. Very few plants to compete with the algae
3. Lots of nutrients ( read nitrates, phosphates, CO2)
4. Very little water movement

Depending on the level of each of these you should get different types of algae. Good luck

 

[rdd1952]

As the old saying goes: Be careful what you ask for because you night get it.

I would be extremely careful trying to grow algae or you will be totally overrun with it. I understand your wanting to get some on the drift wood and rocks but you will also have it on the tank walls, gravel plants, in general, everything in the tank. And what you will probably end up with first and foremost is the dreaded blue green algae which is almost impossible to get rid of or control and nothing will eat it, including the pleco. Once it starts, it grow so fast you can almost see it once the lights come on. I think you should be very content with an algae-free tank that we all would love to have.