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Related FAQs: Marine Macro-Algae,
Algae Can Be Your Friend
To Articles and FAQs on: Avoiding
Algae Problems in Marine Systems, Coralline Algae, Green Algae,
Caulerpas, Coralline Marine Algae,
Red Algae in General, Brown Algae, Blue-Green
"Algae"/(Cyanobacteria), Diatoms, Phytoplankton,
To Pest
Algae/Control , Algae Filters Articles, Marine Algae ID 1, Marine
Algae ID 2, Marine Algae Control FAQs II,
Marine Algaecide Use, Nutrient
Limitation, Marine Algae Eaters, Culturing
Macro-Algae; Controlling: BGA/Cyano,
Red/Encrusting Algae, Green
Algae, Brown/Diatom Algae,
/A Diversity of
Aquatic Life
Algae Can Be Your
Friend, Pt. 2
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By Bob Fenner |
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Back to Pt. 1
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Using up available solubilized nutrients by desirable cultured
algae species cuts way back on the growth of noisome forms. |
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| As
food itself… what could be better than having your own salad bar growing
right in your home? Many types of livestock forage for a good part of the
day; live, palatable algae species make up an appreciable part of their
diet. |
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| 1)
For esthetic reasons. Many algae are gorgeous, ornamental in their
own right; useful as growing décor, breaking up the physical/optical
environment for you and your livestock. |
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following factors are the most important in defining what it takes to grow
“good” algae types and population sizes and/or avoid too much of “bad”
ones and proportions. |
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| Many
aquarists have a too-haphazard approach to livestock selection, assortment
and placement. It pays to investigate the light/ing needs of your systems
occupants, be aware of what you’re “driving” with your lighting, and
your desires. Don’t over- or under-illuminate your system and its
specimens. Study about their requirements ahead of purchase. Use directed
light sources, timers, dimmers to achieve your goals. |
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| Through
water testing, careful preparation of make-up water, use of appropriate
foods in palatable formats, fed in such a way that all are consumed,
assiduous use/maintenance of skimmers goes a long way to preventing and
removing excess wastes/nutrients that drive algal proliferation. Periodic
use of carbon (monthly change outs) is recommended and the “trick” of
Kalkwasser dosing to precipitate phosphate is worthwhile at times. |
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| As
simple as good water movement and gas exchange is, this is often THE most
important aspect missing in algae-troubled systems. Arrange your
powerheads, internal and external pump discharges, intakes to prevent any
“dead” areas, directing circulation about and behind all live rock,
substrate surfaces. Practically
speaking a system cannot be over aerated/circulated. |
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| There
are members of almost all animal phyla that one can enlist to curtail
algal overgrowth by their predation; fishes, Seastars, Crabs, Sea Urchins
and more. Bear in mind that almost none are entirely herbivorous, and that
they need to be matched to the systems size, development, metabolic rate,
other livestock and conditions. |
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| The
worlds reefs are vivacious environments, with webs of ever changing,
inter-cooperative relations at play, organisms competing for space, light,
nutrients. Not well-known amongst home hobbyists is the arena of chemical
interactions amongst SeaLife, particularly the allelopathogenic effects of
some algae, other photosynthetic organisms have on each other. Favoring,
or allowing the favoring of groups or species in a system can have
profound effects on the growth, reproduction of other organisms. The use
of live sumps, often called refugiums is of keen usefulness here. |
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| Unfortunately
the “powers that be” have begun to make illegal the possession of the
very best species of algae to do all the positive jobs that algae
co-culture can do. The genus Caulerpa is supreme in accomplishing the
“light reaction” of photosynthesis 24/7. It’s very adaptability has
been its undoing in the eyes/hands of legislators who have banned it in
places, for fear of its being released to wild environments. Many other
ornamental and agricultural organisms are more destructive, but the point
is conceded that it is of utmost importance that no organism be released
into a novel environment where it might persist, displace native life,
perhaps introduce pathogens, other competitors… |
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| Approaches to growing/resting other algae species that can
be employed in Caulerpas place include utilizing two sumps (one lit while
the other is dark), a sub-divided sump (with a dark panel) to accomplish
the same result, or utilizing timers to alternate between the main/display
aquariums light/dark cycle with the sump/refugium with some overlap. |
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| As
with photosynthetic coral culture, live algae require suitable biomineral
content AND alkalinity. I would like to mention two points here: That
algae can/do modify their environment profoundly, poisoning other life
forms (and sometimes themselves) in ways that favor their presence.
Don’t let pest forms therefore become too dominant. One aspect of
marine/reef aquarium culture that needs reinforcement is the technique of
switching out, replenishing diversity, solubility of beneficial organisms,
minerals with switching out some of “older”
live rock with new after a system is a year and a half or so of age, and
every half year or so thereafter. |
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| Words of
wisdom from the Tao te Ching; of use here. What gets placed in what order
is important, particularly in a newly set-up system. Water, lighting with
live rock use, placement of other photosynthates, scavengers for algae,
appropriate feeding, regular testing and augmentation of needed
materials… all are important in determining what goes on in your
aquariums. |
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| Regular
maintenance is part of the aquarium experience. Develop and stick with a
routine of daily, weekly, monthly and other longer periodic activities to
keep your system stable, optimized. For instance, simple cleaning, renewal
of mechanical filter media goes a long way to exporting nutrients that can
fuel pest algae proliferation. |
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Back to Pt. 1
ALGAE can be your friend
3/14/08
Dear Bob Fenner,
<Charles>
Accept greetings from Cameroon. It's my pleasure to connect with you. I came
across your information on thallophyte a short while ago and the caption algae
can be your friend was attractive enough. That made me to have a look on the
information and it has been useful for my lectures on Thallophytes. I am a
senior lecturer in Phytopathology and Phyto-toxicology in the Department of
Pharmacy and Phytotherapeutics, University of Yaounde 1, Republic of Cameroon. I
just thought of connecting with you and appreciate the work you must be doing to
inform the academic or reader audiences about your work.
<Heeee! More like massaging folks into learning eh?>
We can always share and discuss ideas in the future. I would like to have more
information and some slides on the beautiful algae.
<For academia? Make it known what you're looking for and I'll send along
electronically>
Very best wishes from Charles Fokunang
PhD, CBiol, MIBiolSenior Lecturer Department of Pharmacy University of Yaounde
P.O. Box. 33032, YaoundeCentre Province Republic of Cameroon
<Cheers, Bob Fenner> | |
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