how to make algae grow faster?

[Plec123]

in my 5gal hermit crab tank, ive recently introduced a piece of LR form my established tank at my moms house. the LR has some branching hair algae, cyano, and bubble algae. the hermit crabs eat algae, so i want it to grow in the tank. ive also got amphipods, copepods, and asterinas in the tank, if that matters.
how can i make algae grow faster? right now my sand is white, and the glass is very clean. i want the tank to establish itself, but i cant figure out how to introduce nutrients for the algae.
any ideas?
also ive got an incandescent buld... should be getting a daylight cfl really soon.

 

[TheCanuck]

light and phosphates.

 

[FLESHY]

light and phosphates.

+1...really anything "waste" or "bad" for aquariums will help with this. I would buy some nori from an asian food store...or the more expensive algae sheets for tangs and other herbivorous fish you can buy at pet stores and anchor some of that to the bottom for the time being until you get some nice algal growth established. The algae sheets will always be good in supplementation anyways.

 

[Tarheel]

Good advice above. A good light and leaving it on longer always helps along with phosphate plant fertilizer. The liquid fertilizer is frowned upon by many but I like to grow algae in one of my tanks and it helps but I also have it heavily planted.

 

[FishingOut]

Get a couple guppy or small tetras and feed them. Leave the lights oon more and algea will grow. If you can get direct sunlight or a mirror and reflect natural sunlight it will grow the quickest. Best way to get it cycled is to have fish in it.