How to make algae...?

[MoxieGrrrl]

I think I had read here once that you can cultivate your own algae by putting some rocks in a container of water and leaving them alone for a while. I have a little bit of brown algae that is being cleaned up by my pleco, so I wanted to treat him (her?) to a fresh batch every now and then.

Is this method true? How long should I expect to wait? Should I put the water in the sun, or near my baseboard heaters? Should I cover it with a top or leave it open?

Thx!

 

[Billsgate]

Put a container that will allow light to enter near a 'sunny' (hard this time of year) window, and lay some rocks on the bottom. I would think that you need to throw some flakes in there once in a while to provide nutrients for the algae to grow, although I'm not too sure about that!

 

[verucaproduce]

You can cover the rocks in water you take from your tank (like when you do a water change). Just put it in a plastic container and leave in the sunlight.

 

[Drake]

Ultraviolet light is they key to growing algae.

 

[FancyGuppyGuy]

Well you ought to find this interesting

I feed my fry 100% powdered spirulina and during the time i was feeding them that bright green spirulina algae started forming around my tanks.

After I stopped when they got older the algae is still there but its not growing as much. the fish peck at it and eat it though.

I think I have spirulina growing in my tanks!!! maybe :?

 

[Menagerie]

If you want brown algae, light is not needed, since the "algae" does not have chloroplast. You are talking about diatoms, whcih can be grown on a rock in some water water with some nutrients added.

I feed my fry 100% powdered spirulina and during the time i was feeding them that bright green spirulina algae started forming around my tanks.

The algae in the powdered spirulina is dead and could not have founded the algae in your tank.

 

[FancyGuppyGuy]

The algae in the powdered spirulina is dead and could not have founded the algae in your tank.

Are you 100% sure about that ??

heres the deal any tank i have added even a small amount too a light green algae starts forming on the rocks etc.

The tank had no green algae before adding powdered spirulina then POOF! green algae starts appearing. sure seems pretty weird to me

 

[Menagerie]

Are you 100% sure about that ??

As a biologist, I will say with absolute certainty the algae you are seeing is not from the powder.

The tank had no green algae before adding powdered spirulina then POOF! green algae starts appearing. sure seems pretty weird to me

Nutrients are sitting at the bottom of the tank, algae will grow. It's not spirulina, because spirulina is a floating algae.

Here's a little Bio 101 for everyone

The modern tenets of the Cell Theory include:
1. all known living things are made up of cells.
2. the cell is structural & functional unit of all living things.
3. all cells come from pre-existing cells by division. (Spontaneous Generation does not occur).
4. cells contains hereditary information which is passed from cell to cell during cell division.
5. All cells are basically the same in chemical composition.
6. all energy flow (metabolism & biochemistry) of life occurs within cells

 

[FancyGuppyGuy]

So the green algae could use the powdered spirulina as a food source?? the perhaps adding it is causing the green algae to grow.

think about it 5 months no green algae add spirulina green algae forming within a week or so. Something from the spirulina is causing this to happen.

 

[lyquidphyre]

think about it 5 months no green algae add spirulina green algae forming within a week or so. Something from the spirulina is causing this to happen.

4 out of 5 people who die in a car wreck consume white bread 3 days prior. That doesn't mean that their consumption of white bread caused the car wreck =o)

You should never doubt a biologist when it comes to algae!! You wouldn't believe how much we have to learn about it almost every class =oP

 

[FancyGuppyGuy]

I doubt a biologist in this case as i have seen it with my own eyes in every tank i have added this 100% powdered spirulina the algae has formed.

I have two tanks I have not added this too and no bright green algae has formed.

Also when I stopped adding the spirulina the green algae did not flourish like when I was adding it on a regular basis.

So the conclusion is that some algae did form from adding this spirulina powder. What kind it was?? I have no idea exactly. If you would like though I will start adding it too my other tank just to see what happens. I will bet within 2 weeks I will have bright green algae growing in that tank too.

 

[verucaproduce]

I for one, wouldn't doubt the biologist. Maybe something else is at work that makes it appear that is happening. Maybe the spirulina is adding nutrients that are causing the algae to flourish?

 

[lyquidphyre]

I agree with verucaproduce

Something algae related might flourish more with the spirulina in the tank but I don't think it is the spirulina itself

 

[FancyGuppyGuy]

So the conclusion is that some algae did form from adding this spirulina powder. What kind it was?? I have no idea exactly. If you would like though I will start adding it too my other tank just to see what happens. I will bet within 2 weeks I will have bright green algae growing in that tank too.

anyhow I think I said that earlier.