Nick Zarlinga
Aquarium Biologist
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
216-661-6500 ex 4485
"Fish worship... is it wrong??" (Ray Troll)
On Wednesday, May 29, 2002 4:57 PM, Pete Liptrot
[SMTP:coelacanth_at_btinternet.com] wrote:
> > In the public aquarium world, is algae normally controlled by regular
> physical scrubbings, > or is it kept from ever _starting_ by maintaining
> specific water conditions? ...or is there > some other magical trick?
>
> If there is a magical trick I'd be delighted to hear it.
> It's usually a combination of things I'd say. Physical cleaning does play
a
> very big part, whether by pole cleaning, heavy duty algae magnet, or
> actually getting in there. Cleaning of one sort or another is probably
the
> dominant feature of the working day for most aquarists in Public Aquaria.
> Water changes are also important to keep dissolved nutrients low, and
with
> freshwater these are easier and cheaper to do in volume than with marine
> water (unless you are situated actually on the coast.
> For large freshwater displays light intensity is often relatively quite
low
> which helps to limit algal growth.
> Anywhere with a decent number of smaller freshwater displays often
attracts
> at least one dedicated passionate aquarist with a particular interest in
> maintaining high quality displays of this type. This is very important.
In
> my view people will watch a well set up smaller freshwater display for at
> least as long as they will watch some plump old Sand Tiger circling ad
> infinitum (not knocking this species especially, you do need a 'pull' to
> actually get people through the doors in order to tell them more about
the
> wonderful world of fish).
> Biocontrols are always useful as well. It's amazing the amount of work a
> healthy young pair of Ancistrus can save you, and even Apple snails have
> their uses!
> Algae is rarely a problem in your average Malawian Mbuna display.
> There are always the variables though. Take three displays at work, all
> around the 1000 gall. mark. All with same water source and water change
> routine, pretty much the same filtration and lighting (6500K MH). The one
> that has the least problem with algae is by far the heaviest stocked one,
> with the messiest fish (mixed Amazonian community) that get more food in
one
> day than either of the other two get in a week.
> All have very low nitrate and phosphate because of the volume and
frequency
> of water changes, but the two lightly stocked aquaria each have varying
> degrees of growth of filamentous algae and cyanobacteria.
> With my own home display aquarium, a small South American display with
some
> rare and cute Dwarf Cichlids, I'm currently struggling with a hideous
> cyanobacteria outbreak, whereas my play tanks here in my mini-office in
full
> sun for half the day have nothing more than a light growth of filamentous
> algae. Same water, same foods, similar loading. The tank downstairs has a
> filter system I built myself, these up here all just have cheap
commercial
> sponge filters.
> Sometimes you just have to scratch your head.
> Pete.
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/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org