Can algae live on light alone?

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westwind77

Member
Transfered some coral that have algae on it and the rocks into a small 10g tank with an HOB filter (Emperor 280). Small amount of sand (1/8") on the bottom and a PC light fixture. My question, with no fish or fish food going into the water, can the algae survive on just the light from the PC's alone? Water in the tank was not taken form the main and is RO/DI.
Thanks!
 
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tizzo

Guest
Originally Posted by westwind77
http:///forum/post/3139594
Transfered some coral that have algae on it and the rocks into a small 10g tank with an HOB filter (Emperor 280). Small amount of sand (1/8") on the bottom and a PC light fixture. My question, with no fish or fish food going into the water, can the algae survive on just the light from the PC's alone? Water in the tank was not taken form the main and is RO/DI.
Thanks!

I'm gonna go with, yes it can live without food or fish. If you put a bucket of water on your back porch, eventually it will grow algae. Heck every fountain owner has to find a way to keep it out.
Course, that really depends on the spectrum of your bulbs too, as algae like the lower numbers, or the red/ orange/ yellow side of the spectrum.
 
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westwind77

Member
I figured as such, but a tree/plant need more than sun, they need nutruiets from the soil. If I starve the algae of its nutrients I figure it should slowly fade. I have a feeling this will be an interesting experiment!
 
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tizzo

Guest
well don't forget, your zooxanthellae on your corals is also an algae. So if you take "to" many steps to eliminate it then you may see effects on that too...
 
xcali1985

xcali1985

Active Member
If you eliminate phosphates and nitrates you should eliminate the algae. Zooanthellae, trees, etc. while they are all algaes they are different species. The algae that will grow in a bucket if left on the porch is different from the algae that grows in a saltwater tank. Even Zooanthellae cannot survive on light alone. They also use minerals within the water. For example if you don't have enough calcium your corals will die.
Nuisance algae is usually dependant on phosphates and nitrates just as much as light. reducing any of those should reduce or kill off the algae.
 
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tizzo

Guest
Originally Posted by Xcali1985
http:///forum/post/3139692
If you eliminate phosphates and nitrates you should eliminate the algae. Zooanthellae, trees, etc. while they are all algaes they are different species. The algae that will grow in a bucket if left on the porch is different from the algae that grows in a saltwater tank. Even Zooanthellae cannot survive on light alone. They also use minerals within the water. For example if you don't have enough calcium your corals will die.
Nuisance algae is usually dependant on phosphates and nitrates just as much as light. reducing any of those should reduce or kill off the algae.
But would that cause a vicious never ending cycle?? The algae consumes all the no4 and trates, thus dying off, but wouldn't the dying off just create more phosphates and trates? Round and round we go??
This is something I've wondered for a while and...since you brought it up...
 
reefkprz

reefkprz

Active Member
water changes tizzo...... by definition, manual nutrient export. the algae dies nitrate phos reintroduced then reduced by waterchanges.... before the algae has a chance to regrow....
and no algae cannot live on light alone. photosynthesis is the act of using sunlight to convert fuel to energy. be it clorophyl zooxxanthella, or what have you the fuel need to be there the sunlight is a tool.
 
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tizzo

Guest
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
http:///forum/post/3139832
water changes tizzo...... by definition, manual nutrient export. the algae dies nitrate phos reintroduced then reduced by waterchanges.... before the algae has a chance to regrow....
and no algae cannot live on light alone. photosynthesis is the act of using sunlight to convert fuel to energy. be it clorophyl zooxxanthella, or what have you the fuel need to be there the sunlight is a tool.
Water changes...
I used to be so good at those. I'm getting back on track now, I swear!
I am learning a lot in this thread!!
 
katsafados

katsafados

Active Member
Algae is photosynthetic. It can live on light alone, it also uses phosphates as nutrition. The actinic lights are the lights that make algae grow the most in our aquariums.
 
xcali1985

xcali1985

Active Member
Photosynthesis is the process of using light to process minerals to produce enegry.
pho·to·syn·the·sis (fō'tō-sĭn'thĭ-sĭs)
n. The process in green plants and certain other organisms by which carbohydrates are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source. Most forms of photosynthesis release oxygen as a byproduct.
Source: Dictionary.com
Light is the catalyst, but the other nutrients need to be present. Ill get more info if needed, however, from personal experience from environmental science I can assure you that other minerals need to be present for algae to grow.
To answer the question of the never ending cycle of die off creating the minerals to support more growth. Algae uses more nutrients to grow then is expelled during decomp.
Tap water contains nitrates and phosphates and a bunch of other crap we probably shouldnt be drinking. lol. i just happens to be a perfect blemd for algae.
We use RODI water to keep these out our tank, and anyone that has switched over will tell you that it helps eliminate and prevent algae growth.
 
reefkprz

reefkprz

Active Member
Originally Posted by Katsafados
http:///forum/post/3139968
Algae is photosynthetic. It can live on light alone, it also uses phosphates as nutrition. The actinic lights are the lights that make algae grow the most in our aquariums.
No it can't live on light alone. it uses the light to convert NITROGEN AND PHOPHATES (among other things)into energy. light is the tool, phophates the fuel. and most algae actually prefers the redder spectrum NOT blue you have your facts totaly backwards here.
 
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