# If Algae is bad- why do plant retailers sell it?



## lailastar (Aug 28, 2006)

THis is a serious question. I was going to buy some for my pleco to eat right before I discovered this site and became a plant addict. Then I discovered the wages of wars being fought against algae...now I want to know has anyone bought any? Is it bad for the tank and if so why do they sell it?

Kami


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I have never seen fresh water algae being sold in a LFS. That doesn't mean it isn't sold somewhere, but I haven't seen it. Algae wafers are sold, but that isn't living algae. And, algae isn't bad unless you don't want it in your tank. And, I don't.


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## sarahbobarah (Sep 5, 2005)

Personally, I think some algaes are rather pretty. Problem is, they can't be "planted" in specific locations.


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## joephys (May 9, 2006)

I have never seen algea for sale, nor would I buy any. Its easy enough to grow yourself. Algae balls are sometimes available, but they do not take over your tank and attack your plants.


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## werner (Jul 6, 2006)

What about Marimo balls (_Cladophora aegagrophila_)? They're algae, and considered desireable by many.


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## lailastar (Aug 28, 2006)

Algae 1/4 pound

I am still thinking about cultivating some in a feed tank for pleco-- I am operating on the if hes well fed he won't attack the plants mode...


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

You can have all the algae you want out of my tanks - free. Just come and get it.


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## Burks (May 25, 2006)

werner said:


> What about Marimo balls (_Cladophora aegagrophila_)? They're algae, and considered desireable by many.


Never had any real luck growing those. Have two in my tank and they've been the same size for months. Also, algae eaters don't touch those.

I've never seen just plain algae sold in stores either. It's always in the form of wafers or "sheets".


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

At $8/lb for algae, I'm growing the wrong plants.


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## medachef (Sep 21, 2006)

Burks said:


> Never had any real luck growing those. Have two in my tank and they've been the same size for months. Also, algae eaters don't touch those.
> 
> I've never seen just plain algae sold in stores either. It's always in the form of wafers or "sheets".


yeah i heard they are really slow growers... i like the little green balls. I wonder if you could plant them on top of eachother in order to get a green snowman or topiary effect going on... i like the snowman thing myself:wave:


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

> What about Marimo balls (Cladophora aegagrophila)? They're algae, and considered desireable by many.


Cladophora aegagrophila is a unique freshwater algae that is self contained in a ball shape and is completely uninvasive



> Never had any real luck growing those. Have two in my tank and they've been the same size for months. Also, algae eaters don't touch those.


They are not supposed to grow during a few months. They take years to grow. It is estimated to take over 20 years for an "algae ball" to get the size of a soft ball. They grow as waves roll them back and forth on the lake bottom.


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## Shady Milkman (May 30, 2006)

I had an algae ball that was growing great. I split it in two and in a few months they were almost ready to be split themselves. Then I switched to higher lighting and they stoped growing. Soon after they were overcome by algae themselves and I had to throw them out. I thought it so strange that they stoped growing, especially since they were the only 'plant' that did better in low light than it did in high. I guess it was just hibernating.


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## lailastar (Aug 28, 2006)

The link I posted was not for Marimo Balls...He has those listed separately, so he is really selling yum delicious algae by the pound.


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## lailastar (Aug 28, 2006)

Moss Balls (Chladophora Aegagropila)


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