algea ?

[Desertdrifter]

I have heard alot about claening sides of the tank.I have always thought green algea was a way to tell if youre tank was healthy to an extent.I dont add fish untill I see a little(green)algea growth.seams like it might feed on nitrites also. I like the lookes of green algea on backs and sides of tanks. I noticed carol had roots growing in her tank does that not accomplish the same thing.I could be smoking crak but it seams to make sence.any thuoghts?ps nitrites right? nitrates are second compound (I always get them mixed up)

[Ardan]

Hi,
Nitrates are the end compound. It goes ammonia to nitrite to nitrate.
The algae feed on nitrate, but is a sign that nitrates are plentiful in the tank and nitrates are not something the discus like. Algae can also be a sign of higher phosphates.
It can have to do with the amount of light that is available too.

Here is a great write up by Phil http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=7;action=display;threadid=4888

hth

[Carol_Roberts]

Mostly my tanks get brown diatoms on the glass walls. . . and bacteria films. I wipe down the walls and let the philodendron roots suck up any stray ammonia/nitrates

[ChloroPhil]

Algae are just natures way of trying to balance out a nutrient rich aquarium. In a bb tank I would say algae's a good thing. However, most people here do enough water changes to keep algae pretty much at bay. Aerial plants that like wet roots, like Carol's Philodendron are another effective, natural, purifier as are floating plants like Limnobium and Ceratopteris.