Quick questions regarding algae

[FlakRiot]

I didn't know where it would be best to put this.

What is the best method to growing algea in a dense enough quantity to where I could use it to feed certain things in my tank?

What kind of algae would be best for the purpose of feeding?

What is the best method to then harvest the algae to put in the tank?

Is there anything else I should know? I'm trying to do low budget but if you think the best option is to buy spirulina powder then I will bite the bullet. Everywhere I look it's at least $30 for a small amount. Or maybe I'm just not looking in the right places, I don't know.

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[nirbhao]

I've been reading that growing your own algae is actually pretty easy.

I just started my attempt. I have a 1 gallon bowl with rocks in it that I put in the window. I seeded with some bits of algae sheet, Omega One green seaweed. My plan is to place and switch out rocks.

I'm curious about your endeavor.

the tiny computer is full of delicion!

 

[stevenht]

I've had unintentional success growing it with my light on for 10-12 hours a day. My loaches, sword tail, and pleco loved it but it made my tank look cloudy.

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[FlakRiot]

I have a 2.5 gallon with ferts and an always on led light. I'm trying to make food for baby ghost shrimp because the last batch starved because there wasn't enough plant matter in my 10 gallon nor do I want to turn my 10 gallon into a green lagoon. So I figured I would try and just have the momma drop her babies in the 2.5 then return her to the ten gallon. I did not seed it with anything...which may be why it's not growing. I will go pick up some seed material later tonight and see if that speeds up the process. I already have another female berried and need to have this ready for her. Luckily it takes a few weeks and the saddle just dropped two days ago.

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[FlakRiot]

Also I can't put this in the window because there is not enough ledge... What's sad is when I was using this as a quarantine tank it was growing algae just fine but now that I need it... nothing.

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[stevenht]

You could always buy some on ebay for a reasonable price. Like 10 bucks and free shipping. I heard to stay away from clado if you do go that route because you it's impossible to get rid of and rough on shrimp. Some of them you can plant a carpet and it grows insanely fast and looks amazing. Amano shrimp snack on it, ghost shrimp sort of do. I've had really good luck going the eBay or online website that sells it.

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[FlakRiot]

I have a marimo moss ball.. well it was a ball now it's a carpet/cave I was trying to clean it and it fell apart. But I am definitely going to look into the algae online thing I am looking at aquabid right now because that is where I go for ideas. I looked up clado, luckily if it does get in my tank somehow it's in the 2.5 and not the main tank. Only problem would be making sure there is no cross contamination. Thank you for the advice. Two more of my shrimp have developed saddles one of them is still in development process but it's getting there.

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[FlakRiot]

Finally got my algae!! Yay! Apparently all I needed to do was add some bladder snails and pond snails then it really started to take off

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[stevenht]

I think you can take those Moss balls out and roll them back together. I might be wrong but I thought I read that somewhere. They grow incredibly slow anyways. Something like 1 or 2 cm a year but can be around for a very long time