what makes one algae grow rather than others?

[treesprite]

What subtle details would allow one type of  algae to grow rather than others (I'm talking strictly about algae, not diatoms or cyanobacteria)?

[gmerek2]

Stuff my tangs and cleanup crew don't eat grows wildly

[Rburgee]

Bubble algae? GHA? Macro algae? Coralline?

[davelin315]

Everything out there has specific needs that suit it best in terms of water chemistry (mainly speaking of nutrients) and lighting conditions and spectrums. If you don't have the right fit, it may not grow. Some algae are more adaptive and less selective than others, more or less being opportunistic - nuisance algae are a great example - while others won't grow unless you have the right environment. This also goes to flow and temperature which influence growth.

 

Of course, if you don't have the algae to begin with, then it won't grow...

 

They really aren't that different from corals when you think about it, just a different kingdom (Protoctista if that's still the name of the kingdom...).

[sen5241b]

Of course, if you don't have the algae to begin with, then it won't grow...

 

 

Yes, some algae must come in on a rock for it to grow in your tank but some other algae spores float around in the air. Take a bucket of water and leave it sitting outside. It will turn green.

 

I once battled a red turf algae that only grew under low nutrient conditions and especially in high flow areas. Only emeralds and large turbos would eat it. Urchins would no touch it. Temperature, 'trates, flow, CUC all come into play.

[treesprite]

I just was thinking if I could get as much detail about each algae type as we seem to have on each coral type, it would be easier to identify specific parameter issues just from tank observations. 

 

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others in very high flow?

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others in very low flow?

 

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others in very high light?

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others in lower light areas?

 

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others when bulbs are old?

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others when lighting is more on the actinic side?

 

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others near the top of the tank?

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others near or on the bottom of the tank?

 

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others on smooth areas (like glass)?

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others on rough areas (like rock)?

 

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others if the problem is rising nitrate (vs phosphate or other)?

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others if the problem is rising phosphate (vs nitrate or other)?

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others when magnesium is too low?

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others when pH is on the low side?

 

And so on.....

Edited July 29, 2014 by treesprite

[sen5241b]

Which pest alga are most likely to grow sooner than others when 'trates are low?

[Orion]

Bubble algae seems to still easily grow in the most nutrient free tanks.

[treesprite]

There was BHA on the overflow wall in my DT (cleaned it all off), but no greens of any sort, while at the same time the shallow frag tank has several different types of algae even though it is on the same system. The only real difference is that the frag tank has way too much light and it's all daylight with no actinic (I put whatever light fixture on it that I had laying around that wouldn't fall in if accidentally bumped... need a different kind of light fixture is all, plus some snails).

 

The observations I have made from the brown hair algae growing on my overflow wall, are that: it prefers very high light and very high flow; will grow without high nitrate; most likely was spurred on by phosphate, an assumption I am making because it took me much longer to start getting phosphate under control than it did nitrate.