# Absolutely no algae!



## Glaucus (Oct 11, 2009)

Is it possible? There are many fine aquascapes with lush plants and little algae to be found on the web, in magazines, books, maybe even in your home. I like to scour those images for signs of algae and often find algae hidden in the splendor of the aquascape. Yes, even in some ADA aquascapes. It is clear that most planted tank enthusiasts are able to keep a great aquarium without noticeable algae while still harbouring some algae in their tanks. It raises the question though to what extent it is actually possible to have (a matured aquarium turn from minimal algae into) a tank with no algae at all -not meaning phytoplankton- and only by natural means?


----------



## JNB (Feb 27, 2011)

I had a mature tank I emptied and it is now in my closet. Zero algae.


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

now to a more Serious answer, 

i doubt its possible, algea is part of the aquarium, andi belive its would be un natural to not have it, after all, the aquarium is actually trying to capture nature in a glass tank. i have a bit of BBA ( actually more than a bit) and whatever ill do itll stay, and i did alot, but of course i didnt use any fert or pressure CO2. even with them, i think its not possible.


----------



## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Algae is ubiquitous and inescapable. It is always present, if only as dormant, microscopic spores. A planted tank with *NO* algae does not exist.

But if the question is, "Can you have a tank with no algae *problem*?", then the answer is yes.


----------



## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

Michael said:


> Algae is ubiquitous and inescapable. It is always present, if only as dormant, microscopic spores. A planted tank with *NO* algae does not exist.
> 
> But if the question is, "Can you have a tank with no algae *problem*?", then the answer is yes.


+1

i have a tank with no NASTY algeas lol, BBA is always present


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

I only get GDA on the glass and a bit of GSA on my Anubias. Sometimes when the plants have grown in heavily I will get GDA on the lower, hidden leaves like on L. Repens x arcuata.


----------



## Glaucus (Oct 11, 2009)

The term 'algae problem' is very subjective. Some folks are not bothered at all by whatever amount of algae while others are annoyed with the tiniest bits of algae showing up. It just depends on what goals you set for you personal tank. Well, i strive to have a minimum level of algae. Basically to the point where you don't see any of it, no matter how hard you look. Until now i have not yet met that goal and i see very few aquascapes that have. Hence the question in the first post, is that level of algae reduction feasible? 

Like Newt/ddavila06 wrote i too have a bit of GSA on anubias leaves and the occasional tuft of BBA. Its hardly a problem in the sense of that it deters plant growth or messes up the aquascape but i would like to have it disappear. So i am still looking to improve. Believe it or not that's part of the fun. Although GSA has become a bit annoying, 'a problem' if you like, for which i dont think there is a decent way to get rid of completely. But then again i would like to hear from others what they have achieved in reducing algae or what you think is possible at best.


----------



## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

You are asking this questions because it seems that there is no way around the algae. The only reason for that is our stubbornness to apply common sense. We have carried like this for many years.

You can have a tank with absolutely no algae. And even beyond that - this tank can be left unattended for months (evaporated 50%, overcrowded or with 0 fish, with overfeeding or no feeding at all, 15 hours of strong light or 23 hours of complete darkness). Also if you place plants covered with algae in it the algae falls apart (including BBA).

I've seen tanks like that. Note that I'm not talking about tanks that you constantly have do maintain. Such tanks are usually (but not always) older than a year and there is no water column fertilization. Maintenance is not forced - it's up to you, whenever you want to do it.

There are ways to setup such a tank intentionally. But for now in the US hobby we do not care much about them. We, as a whole, like to tinker with our tanks and wreak havoc in them consistently doing things that make little sense. Currently our best approach is to change lots of water and dump and maintain fertilizers in the water. The answer to all problems is more of the same - more water changes and more or less fertilizers in the water.

I have very high hopes that a recent development will change things radically. Stay put.

--Nikolay


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

niko said:


> You are asking this questions because it seems that there is no way around the algae...... ....... ...... I have very high hopes that a recent development will change things radically. Stay put.
> 
> --Nikolay


I'm all ears.
I can hardly wait.


----------



## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

So far, I have two tanks with no problem algae. They are both Walstad tanks, with low medium lighting and lots of flow from over-sized filters running 100% biofilter media. No fertilizer or CO2, but lots of fish that are fed generously.

These tanks only rarely need to have the glass cleaned. No algae visible on plants, wood, stone, or substrate. When I have put plants in these tanks that had algae on them, the algae went away on its own, with help from snails and algae eating fish.

This may not be the magic bullet for everyone, but it works for me!


----------



## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Carrot's been dangled, and I'm biting....
Looking forward to explanations!


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I have tanks with absolutely no filamentous algae. I give new plants the bleach treatment. Filamentous algae is *not* everywhere in spore form.


----------



## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

:tape2:


----------



## Virc003 (Aug 18, 2011)

Micheal, when you say "have the glass cleaned", are you talking about scraping off gsa?


----------



## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Virc003 said:


> Micheal, when you say "have the glass cleaned", are you talking about scraping off gsa?


Yes.


----------



## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

Really interested in this recent development....


----------



## OTPT (Sep 27, 2010)

Okay, okay. Me in the line, too. op2:

:fish2:


----------



## AQUANZ (Apr 30, 2011)

I too will be waiting for all to be revealed


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Niko, tell us!

All aquatic gardeners are jealous.

For weeks we have been on tip toes

to hear how to end our algae woes!


----------



## AQUANZ (Apr 30, 2011)

any updates Nikolay on this "recent development"? I CANT WAIT ANY LONGER lol:roll:


----------



## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Yes, I'd like to hear too!


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Niko, tell us!!

Aquatic plant growers are jealous.

We're desperate to know what you've got

That stops clado, black brush and green spot.


----------



## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

I was referring to Ukamikadzu's project to compile a substrate that has engineered properties. At least the things we know about - organics, CEC, Ca/Mg, and others. Talk to him if you want to try the substrate based on what we know so far.

Because there is no clear English source of how the ADA system runs my hope is that a "new" grassroots look at the way a planted tank is run will introduce more common sense in our hobby. You can be part of this project. What I find exciting about it is the insight that drives it. It is things we know already, but this time they are intentionally applied - the subtrate is engineered with actual properties in mind. Zero advertisiement claims. No generalized logic of the type "Make the plants grow good and all will fall into place.". Go ahead - give knowledge and common sense a try.

Other than that all I have to say is "*Rich active substrate + Clean water + Good filtration*". That's what ADA, ADG, Bubbles, and Oliver Knott do. Correct setup as close to basic Nature interactions as possible. 




http://aquariumdesigngroup.com
http://bubblesaquarium.com/Aquascape/Aquascape Front PageF1.htm
http://www.pbase.com/plantella

*Why do most of us stick to fertilizing the water? *

My goal with all these postst about the "one correct way" is only one - to make people think about what we do. There is a lot of common sense things we ignore. *We CAN have much less and yes - ZERO algae presence.* AND not have to work too much to keep it that way. That's all. Not oposing EI or anything else just because I think they make no sense.

Here, I just found a video that you can watch in High Definition. It's from ADA's gallery and taken in January 2011. Look at all these tanks. Not a single one of them is kept running by loading the water with fertilizers:





Indeed - why do we stubbornly ignore what we see?

--Nikolay


----------



## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

niko said:


> Here, I just found a video that you can watch in High Definition. It's from ADA's gallery and taken in January 2011. Look at all these tanks. Not a single one of them is kept running by loading the water with fertilizers:
> 
> Indeed - why do we stubbornly ignore what we see?
> 
> --Nikolay


You know I'm a fan of ADA, but you really can't use tanks in a gallery as an example IMO. It would be like going to an art gallery and comparing the dust on a frame compared to the dust on a picture hanging in someone's house.

ADA is a professional company that employees people to make sure everything is close to perfection as they should. In a typical aquarist's house the amount of attention a tank get's varies considerably and leads to problems. How many times have people used all ADA product and still come on here with algae issues. Amano has always stated to expect initial algae and other algae's as organics buildup. And recommends shrimp and/or carbon to prevent it. In fact I'm pretty sure ADA sells algae removal tools as well as solutions to remove certain algae. With that being said these algae's aren't game breakers but they do exist, especially away from the gallery.


----------



## soonerpuffer (Aug 4, 2004)

HeyPK said:


> I have tanks with absolutely no filamentous algae. I give new plants the bleach treatment. Filamentous algae is *not* everywhere in spore form.


+1 do that you will have no algae. I got a plant from a friend and skip this step. now my tank is infected again


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I remember someone, way back in the early '90s, on the Aquatic Plant Digest, freaked out by some really bad filamentous alga, coined the phrase, "floating in on hellish spores". You can feel his pain. But, no. It really isn't like that. Our bad kinds of filamentous algae all have zoospores that are not resistant to drying. They get in your tank in vegetative form by way of water from another tank or (most frequently) attached to newly introduced plants. If you can stop them from getting in those two ways, you can keep them out.


----------



## NatureAquariumGarden (Nov 19, 2011)

What I think, the reason why ADA Gallery tanks are algae free is that, they lowers pH lot below 6.0. Have seen picture from the gallery, there was a table with some parameters like NO2, NH4, NO3, KH and pH, on initial setup they keep pH = 5.4-5.6. It is well known that algae do not survive in acidic water. That's why, if You have pond with algae, the one natural method to get rid of that is to make water acidic as much as possible.


----------



## ProjectCode858 (Nov 29, 2011)

I agree with davila06, I don't think 100% algae free could ever exist. There will always be some small forms of algae growing somewhere. Its the same concept of bleach...could only kill 99.999999% of germs but never 100%.


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

But the bleach treatment does kill 100% of filamentous algae (not including cyanobacteria) if done properly.


----------

