[MikeWinLDS]

I've got some spent tank water, a jar, and some rocks for the algae to cultivate on. What else do I need, other than sticking this combobulation outside where it will be in the sun for however many hours the sun is out, for several days?

 

[Corigan]

Someone else can chime in that has experience in the subject, but I think high phosphates/nutrient imbalances would help promote algae growth as well as the natural sunlight.

Matt

 

[Gomer]

what type of algae do you want? Tossin a little ammonia and phosphates if you want Green Water algae.

Flood with excess Fe for hair algae.

 

[Bert H]

Out of curiousity, why are you trying to grow algae?

 

[MikeWinLDS]

(I've got 5 Ottos and 2 Plecos) And no algae in my tank (they must've eaten it all), or if there is any, I can't see it, because it's microscopic. What kind of algae do you think would be best for these guys?

Would adding a cap of Fluorish help (there's lotsa trace nutrients in there that that plants feed on, but in this case, the jar has no plants, so it's all for the algae)? Algae is supposed to be in water at all times, regardless, right? This place (http://www.hydropool.com/cgi-bin/hydro/solutions/article-alg.htm) says algae needs CO2, sunlight, and water only, so I'm thinking Flourish Excel instead. Then this place (http://www.tropica.dk/article.asp?type=aquaristic&id=152) says it's all about the nitrogen and phosphorous, so I'm thinking Flourish Phosphorous instead; Nitrates should already be in the spent tank water. Too many.

 

[Sir_BlackhOle]

Leave it outside in the sun....you'll get some algae pretty soon.

 

[Gomer]

save yourself the hassle...get some algae waffers.

 

[MikeWinLDS]

I've got some Wardley Algae Wafers and Shrimp Pellets, but the only problem is that the other fish go after them as soon as they finish off the flake.

I also feed them lettuce and cucumbers, but I'm going to stop feeding lettuce (it gets too messy, because the other fish like to bite at it too) and just feed cucumbers from now on. I put in 2 4-inch halves of cucumber a couple days ago, and now it's completely gone, nothing left. The Plecos ate the thing to the bare bone, there's no bone, nothing left.

Anyway, how do they make those algae wafers? Are they like compressed algae or what? And if the other fish eat it all, will the bits and pieces they miss get stuck to the tank somewhere else for the algae-eating fish?

I don't see the Ottos eating much, but maybe they're eating the microscopic algae. I'd like to give them some real algae to eat; I'm sure the other fish won't go after the real algae.

 

[plantbrain]

Mircale Grow, Jobes plant sticks, toss some(a little amount, it will not take that much) into a container with water, add some suitable substrate like rocks etc to get furry, put outside, wait a week and you'll have all you need. Get some Daphnia and raise them also for the other fish to eat.
If you want Pithophora, a nice light green alga, add apower head for swift current over the rocks you want to have this alga grow.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[cS]

I've got some Wardley Algae Wafers and Shrimp Pellets, but the only problem is that the other fish go after them as soon as they finish off the flake.

Mike, you can feed your plecos with algae wafers AFTER light's out. :wink: