How To Grow Carpet Algae

[divemaster99]

I'm working on setting up my 20 tall creek tank and since I have Greenside darters (or any darters) I figured some greenery would help bring out their colors. I would've liked to do planted but for substrate I'm using coarse gravel from my local creek so that won't work out well with plants. My other option is green algae. But I'm not looking for average soft brown or even the green stuff that grows in spots and is impossible to get rid of. I'm looking to grow some green carpet or hair algae on the rocks so it looks more appealing than average algae and it gives my darters somewhere to hide in. I've never had either of these kinds of algae in any of my tanks so for those of you who have what's the key to growing it?

 

[ss720]

You could try buying several Moss balls, and cut them open and flattenend them out.
I did that in my nano tank a while back, but due to a bristlenose pleco, it was covered in poop all the time.
But goes well with shrimps.

 

[Redearsunfish]

Yea, those moss balls should work.

 

[mike_sema]

Java moss would work great for this, grows well under low light


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[divemaster99]

Moss balls huh, will they stick to surfaces or will they need withered with something after flattened?

IME, java moss likes to fall apart and I'm looking for stuff that will stay in one piece.

 

[ss720]

Best to tie down, but don't have to.


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[ss720]

Or just get many moss balls and jam them together, but a little expensive.


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[brich999]

Anubias and java fern would be easily added but if its just algae you are after good luck. Ive grown different algae in so many tanks and I swear its random what you get. All I know is high light and good flow unless you want cyanobacteria which imo looks nasty.

 

[brich999]

2 types growing in my tank now that no algae eaters can eat. Took a long time to cover the front rock (about a year) the one behind it has been there about 3 mo

 

[Gill Blue]

just point a fluo or led spot where you want the algae to grow. 5500k-ish would be best, if you get up around 7000k you could end up with purple algae.