How to Promote Algae Growth in an Aquarium

Certain types of algae are not only good for your aquarium, but they are beautiful as well. They can cover live rock and coral and produce several kinds of colors such as pink and purple. Algae can also provide food for certain types of fish in saltwater and freshwater aquariums. In order to promote algae growth in your aquarium, you will need to make sure certain conditions are stable within the environment so you can get the algae to grow.

Things You'll Need

  • Live rock with coralline algae
  • Water test strips
  • Pump heads
  • Ceramic bowl
  • Scalpel
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the live rock in an area that is directly in the path of your pump heads. The flowing water will help promote the movement of the nutrients in the water that will feed the algae.

    • 2

      Test the water conditions. The pH levels should remain between 8.1 and 8.3. Nitrates should remain below five parts per million (ppm), and phosphates should remain as close to zero as possible.

    • 3

      Use more blue light than white light since most algae grow in the deep with little white light. You should still have a small amount of white light shining, so do not eliminate all of it.

    • 4

      Place a piece of the live rock already covered in algae in a ceramic bowl covered in tank water. Use the scalpel to gently scrape off some of the algae. You should see the algae particles in the bottom of the bowl.

    • 5

      Put the live rock back in the tank where you picked it up so it can continue to grow algae for you. Pour the water with the algae pieces back into the tank so that it spreads over the live rock and sand in your tank. Turn off any ultraviolet (UV) sterilizing lights you may have as it will kill the algae particles in the water.