Embracing algae

[MrsE88]

It all started about a year ago...
My mom gave me her water lilies planted in a plastic basket. I just dropped the basket in a tank to wait for spring. The tank is right up to a window that gets the morning sun till noon, so naturally algae grew between the basket and the glass. It became a thick tight mass. When I moved the basket months later I kinda liked the algae mass and decided to keep it.
I tossed it in my 10g with a small branch and let it do it’s thing. It doubled in size despite the tank being on the opposite side of the room away from the window(no light in tank either).
When moving my fish around I decided the mass looked a lot like moss so it could be cool to put in my 75g.
So now it’s been a few months and the mass is happily growing on the wood and just growing as a mass in a few places around the tank. I’ve become pretty fond of it for now. Only downside has been when loose fibers collect on my filter intakes.
My snails don’t eat it and it hasn’t grown on my other plants so far.


Anyone else have algae they like keeping around?

 

[fishhead0103666]

That actually looks beautiful in a way. I may just have to use that idea in one of my tanks. Do you know what type of algae it is by any chance?

 

[MrsE88]

Thanks
My best guess is filamentous algae maybe? It’s so short, so I don’t think it’s string algae. And it doesn’t cover objects like carpet algae either. I have the large section to the left tied to the wood with fishing line.

 

[fishhead0103666]

Do you think it would be possible to have it grow on walls? I'm imagining a shag carpet kind of look.

 

[Go_redfish]

Its beautiful. Several species of Algae are incredibly benificial. Keep it. Farm it. Sell it. Lol Gives the tank a more natural look

 

[fishhead0103666]

To be completly honest I've been thinking that after I have the majority of my current projects done (I have a lot of projects going on) I might try to buy a clump of that algae off her and cultivate it in a 10 gallon so it can grow without being bothered.

 

[Hendre]

Stanzzzz7

I just grow lots of green algae in my shrimp tank as food.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

I love algea, once astablished it helps feed on nitrate and supplies a great source of food to some fish and fry.
The only place I won't encourage algea is the front glass. It can be a balancing act in planted tanks but in hard scapes I love it.

 

[MrsE88]

Do you think it would be possible to have it grow on walls? I'm imagining a shag carpet kind of look.

I don’t think it will grow on walls, unless you attach it to something. Like some of that flat plastic in the craft isles. I can’t think of what it’s called. But you could use that and fishing line to hold it in place till it grows all over it on its own.

Go_redfish Thank you. I do like the more natural look it gives. And that it has been keeping my tank free from dreaded bba. I previously was having an issue with it.

Stanzzzz7 I love the look of your tanks and it’s definitely been the inspiration for why I kept the algae in the first place. I tried moss once, but it just fell apart and died. This algae has been a great substitute and carefree.

 

[markstrimaran]

Faux coral