Algae - What Is It?

[Bigman]

Hi guys and gals,
 
Bit of a scientific question this one.
 
Most of us newbies are suffering or have suffered from algae at one stage or another. So it has got me asking what is algae? Is it a plant or what? Where does it come from? 
 
To over simplify the question, I got a brand new tank for my birthday, I filled it with tap water, put a piece of rock in it and some sand substrate, a bit of light and after a few days, bang - algae - now where did that come from? Brown algae, green algae, my mind boggles.
 
What is the main cause of the growth of algae.... poor water quality, light?
 
Is there a fish friendly potion I could use to get rid of it?
 
Is it a case that every fishkeeper has algae in their aquariums but some (us newbies) have much more than others?
 
Rather interesting eh?
 
Regards
Tony

 

[SoCalFishGuy]

Hello Tony,
 
Algae is a catch all term that refers to single-celled organisms and some simple multicellular organisms that are photosynthetic. They are considered to be in the plant kingdom but are not true plants because they lack some of the more complex cell and organ types found in most plants. They can range in size between microscopic to meters long (Giant Kelp). Some reproduce asexually through cell division like bacteria while more complex forms actually use sexual reproduction. It is believe that the first land plants evolved from from freshwater algae.
 
Rest assured that algae growth does not mean you have poor water quality. If theres water algae will soon establish itself. Every fishkeeper will have algae in their tanks, its just the nature of it. There are ways though to keep algae at a managable level. First, you should ensure your tank is not in direct sunlight so away from windows where the sunlight directly shines through. Algae being photosynthetic need light to create energy for itself and to grow. Second, you will need to clean your tank when you do your routine water changes to rid yourself of unwanted algae. Third, you can always have some fish who eat algae (for example a plecostomus). They will help ensure your algae doesnt get too out of hand. Lastly, there are a variety of products at your local fish store that can help you manage your algae.

All in all, algae is not a bad thing but can be a problem if the growth gets out of hand.

Hope that helps,
Trevor 
 

 

[SoCalFishGuy]

Oh and a couple more things. Algae can get out of control if there are excess nutrients in the water. The most common way too get excess nutrients in your tank would be overfeeding your fish. You should only give your fish enough food for them to finish in a matter of minutes. If not, youre feeding them too much. As the uneaten food decays it releases nutrients that would fuel algae growth such as nitrogen and phosphate. Fish waste also creates the nutrients to fuel algae growth.
 
Another potential cause for algae blooms would be poor aeration. Aeration devices, such as air pumps, allow carbon dioxide to be released from the water while introducing fresh air and oxygen into the water. Algae needs carbon dioxide to thrive and therefore, less carbon dioxide, less algae growth.

 

[Bigman]

Hi SoCalFishGuy,
 
Thank you for the info, very interesting. Mine is a new tank set up just going into week 3 of 'fishless cycling', I have a new substrate (lots of nutrients), its a planted tank (and I'm using CO2 to help with the plants) and no aeration. So based on that and what you have said, absolutely perfect for algae!
 
So where did that single-celled organism or simple multicellular organism initially come from, my water? my substrate or is it an airbourne organism?
 
Regards and once again thank you.
Tony

 

[daizeUK]

Oh and a couple more things. Algae can get out of control if there are excess nutrients in the water. The most common way too get excess nutrients in your tank would be overfeeding your fish. You should only give your fish enough food for them to finish in a matter of minutes. If not, youre feeding them too much. As the uneaten food decays it releases nutrients that would fuel algae growth such as nitrogen and phosphate. Fish waste also creates the nutrients to fuel algae growth.
 
Another potential cause for algae blooms would be poor aeration. Aeration devices, such as air pumps, allow carbon dioxide to be released from the water while introducing fresh air and oxygen into the water. Algae needs carbon dioxide to thrive and therefore, less carbon dioxide, less algae growth.

 
I'm not an expert on this by any means but what I've learned recently would indicate that this isn't entirely correct.  The most common causes of algae in a planted tank (off the top of my head) are too much light, too little CO2 and presence of ammonia.
 
There is a fine balance that needs to be achieved which ensures the plants have sufficient nutrients and CO2 in order to become dominant.  If there are too few nutrients (and by nutrients I mean nitrates, phosphates, potassium and trace elements) or too little carbon (either CO2 gas or liquid in the form of glutaraldehyde) then the algae will become dominant. 
 
The growth of both algae and plants is accelerated by light so if you have algae then the more light the faster the algae takes over.
 
In a well maintained planted tank you want to be adding enough nutrients so that the plants are not lacking anything they need.  Ammonia should be zero (this is not true in a tank which is still cycling).  Ideally you want as much carbon as possible without causing damage to fauna.  Once all that is sorted then the last variable is light intensity which you should increase gradually until algae begins to take over, then reduce back to the previous level.
 
At least that's the theory, I think, I'm not convinced yet it's really that easy 

 

[SoCalFishGuy]

Hi SoCalFishGuy,
 
Thank you for the info, very interesting. Mine is a new tank set up just going into week 3 of 'fishless cycling', I have a new substrate (lots of nutrients), its a planted tank (and I'm using CO2 to help with the plants) and no aeration. So based on that and what you have said, absolutely perfect for algae!
 
So where did that single-celled organism or simple multicellular organism initially come from, my water? my substrate or is it an airbourne organism?
 
Regards and once again thank you.
Tony

From what I've researched, algae begins its life as spores. They can be either waterbourne or airbourne depending on the species. So it is possible that either your water or the plants were carrying some spores. It is also possible that spores were released into the air whenever you ran your tap somewhere else in the home and eventually made their way to your tank.
 
 

 

Oh and a couple more things. Algae can get out of control if there are excess nutrients in the water. The most common way too get excess nutrients in your tank would be overfeeding your fish. You should only give your fish enough food for them to finish in a matter of minutes. If not, youre feeding them too much. As the uneaten food decays it releases nutrients that would fuel algae growth such as nitrogen and phosphate. Fish waste also creates the nutrients to fuel algae growth.
 
Another potential cause for algae blooms would be poor aeration. Aeration devices, such as air pumps, allow carbon dioxide to be released from the water while introducing fresh air and oxygen into the water. Algae needs carbon dioxide to thrive and therefore, less carbon dioxide, less algae growth.

 
I'm not an expert on this by any means but what I've learned recently would indicate that this isn't entirely correct.  The most common causes of algae in a planted tank (off the top of my head) are too much light, too little CO2 and presence of ammonia.
 
There is a fine balance that needs to be achieved which ensures the plants have sufficient nutrients and CO2 in order to become dominant.  If there are too few nutrients (and by nutrients I mean nitrates, phosphates, potassium and trace elements) or too little carbon (either CO2 gas or liquid in the form of glutaraldehyde) then the algae will become dominant. 
 
The growth of both algae and plants is accelerated by light so if you have algae then the more light the faster the algae takes over.
 
In a well maintained planted tank you want to be adding enough nutrients so that the plants are not lacking anything they need.  Ammonia should be zero (this is not true in a tank which is still cycling).  Ideally you want as much carbon as possible without causing damage to fauna.  Once all that is sorted then the last variable is light intensity which you should increase gradually until algae begins to take over, then reduce back to the previous level.
 
At least that's the theory, I think, I'm not convinced yet it's really that easy 

 

Yes you are correct about balance. I'm not advocating ridding tanks of CO2 and nutrients but too much of a good thing can lead to problems. Its all about finding that sweet spot. I was just speaking of general causes for algae bloom.

I must admit I don't know much about maintaining a planted tank (I've always gone artificial) so you probably have better knowledge than I do on controlling algae under those parameters.

Cheers

,
Trevor 

 

 

[Bigman]

Hi DaizeUK and SoCalFishGuy.
 
Thanks for your help.  You learn something new every day with this hobby don't you....
 
In my particular case, (new fishless tank etc.) the most probable source of algae spores is from the live plants, which were bought from a couple of local aquaria suppliers. Assuming that is the case (and this is just me thinking out loud), would anything have be gained if I had initially put the new plants 'in soak' in a container of water treated with proprietary anti-algae chemicals, thereby 'killing off the spores before putting them into my tank proper?
 
But saying that, if I had elected to go with plastic plants etc. I'd still get algae wouldn't I? So that must mean that algae spores are everywhere, in the air we breath and the water we drink.....hmmm.
 
Sorry to ramble on a bit, but I find this very interesting..
 
Regards
Tony 
 
 
....

 

[DrRob]

Algae is indeed everywhere, it's probably coming in from your water supply mainly, but yes it's in the air.
 
Think of it like a very simple plant. It's not as good as complex plants at extracting nutrients from the water, but if the plants aren't happy then the algae is quicker to adapt.
 
Otherwise it's needs are essentially the same as plants, which is why high tech tanks exist on a fine knife edge between perfection and an algal mess. The presence of nutrients in a non-planted tank will drive algae growth, planted tanks have a whole list of issues around algae.