# Making Algae grow?



## Saints1804 (Oct 27, 2005)

I just set up a tank im going to use for Tropheus cichlids. For those of you not familiar with Africans its a algae grazing cichlid. The tank is a 4 ft 90 gallon with pretty fine crushed coral for substrate. My rocks are large round river rocks that are very smooth. Im trying to get them all covered with nice thick green algae. Im going to put power compacts over this tank to promote algae growth. Should I use any ferts or anything to try to get the algae going. I know most people wanna get rid of it but in this case i'd like to get it growing all over the rocks so when I add the fish there is plenty for them to graze on when im not feeding them.


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## JenThePlantGeek (Mar 27, 2006)

I wanted to grow Cladaphora type algae as decoration on wood, so I bought a Cladaphora moss ball (sometimes called Marimo Balls) and put it in there, gave it a good squeeze and a shake, and ended up getting a cool dark green carpet effect algae on my driftwood (but not on the glass, gravel, or anything else). Give it a try. It is pretty slow though, it might take you up to 6 months to get that type growing really well.


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## dschmeh (Feb 5, 2006)

ammonia would cause a growth but may also cause greenwater. also algae will grow on everything not just the rocks (including glass and sub) also it may not be the type of algae you want. Maybe you can grow and cultivate it in a seperate tank and harvest it and add it to your display tank.


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## Saints1804 (Oct 27, 2005)

Its not a display tank. Its more of a breeding/just species tank. I dont mind algae on the glass I can scrape that off. My main concern is diet of the fish and their health. If it was in my living room i'd be more concerned but its in my back office. So as long as its an algae that they can eat I am happy with it wherever it grows. As far as green water is concerned I have Uv sterilizers to get rid of that if I need to. I am just trying to think of a good way to get it going. Its going to have direct sunlight on it half of the day as well from the windows.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Best thing you can do is to add high aeration from a powerhead or return outlet with a venturi etc blasting the aerated water across a shallow section with lots of flat rocks with the aerated water going past it.

You can do this in another tank, or in this tank.

I have a pic of a nice Tropheus tank where this was done on the rocks that were built up higher near the lights to maximize the algal growth under higher light.

Pithophora is a beauitful and very tasty alga for these fish and most algae eating species.

I used it in an algae scrubber also to feed some algae eating barbs I bred.
A spray bar blasting across and shallow container with the black substrate screen placed in there.

Take the rocks in/out and rotate them.

The species of algae that will do the best for them tend to need water current, adding miracle grow and some water flow/aeration with some rocks in there will provide an easy source.

Simply feeding them spinach and good prepared foods, peas etc is also simple and effective.


Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Saints1804 (Oct 27, 2005)

Thanks Tom, I do plan on feeding them the proper diet but it never hurts to have algae for these fish to graze on. I have seen them successfully bred in tanks with just a sponge filter, a heater and no substrate. I am trying to find a happy medium. Im going to look into the shallow water deal to get the algae growing. The tank is going to have lots of Aeration and Flow because I am also adding some Eretmodus species. They are a surf zone fish that really benefit from high oxygen levels. Hopefully with what you guys have told me and what I was already planning I can get some good algae growing. 

Recommend anything for fertilizer to kick start it?


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Excess fish food always does the trick

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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