Is algae bad for an aquarium

[RogerMcAllen]

I am finally setting up my 20 long for my pleco over the winter. I am planning on putting some clumps of my anacharis in there. There will be no stoping the hair algae from my pond, and probably the regular stuff. My question is whether or not algae is actually bad, as I don't really care if it doesn't look nice. I would assume the pleco would take care of most of it, and I want to get some ghost shrimp which should get the hair.

 

[LondonGman]

Was curious myself so I searched Google for an answer. I saw commercial site that were very bias but this site seemed informative

http://www.aquariumpros.com/faqpro/algae_1.shtml#05200138

Personally I desire a bit of algae growth for the pleco that I have in the tank (to control the algae??) but also as decoration.

I have a 3-D black background and it needs algae to grow on it to give it a life like look instead of a plastic look. My mate has it in his tank and the entire rear of his tank is covered in algae and actually looks life-like and alive.

It certainly looks better than a faded picture print or painted background to the tank.

 

[LondonGman]

for your information, the name of the background I use is called the Juwel Structured Backgrounds it looks good with algae on it. My pleco does not really like eating the algae off the background for some reason so the pleco eats the algae of the other surfaces and fake plants instead and has not had any adverse effect.

 

[shawmutt]

Believe it or not, I'm trying to get algae on my rocks, and just starting to have success after 3 weeks of 14 hour a day lights. I think it's a good sign of the health of a tank...to little and the tank is too new, to much and the nitrates are too high or the light's on too much. IMO a tank doesn't look natural without at least some algae.

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

I tend to agree with shawmutt...that algae is a sign of a healthy tank. I am just now, after having my tank running for 3 months, getting a nice bit of green on my driftwood. Oddly enough...it only seems to grow on the driftwood, and on the spongebob figurine, and not on the silk plants, or the ceramic cave....in fact, it's why spongebob has remained a fixture in the tank, my pleco enjoys his company far too much for me to pull him out (he was a transfer from my old [spongebob themed] tank to aid in cycling).