Planned Algae growth?

[zelfin]

Just curious if there are any negative affects of allowing full algae growth in a tank?
I recently aquired a fish that eats algae. So my plan was to let algae grow in the sump and rotate the live rock with algae through my DT. This is of course in addition to normal feedings of frozen, sheet, pellet, etc.

 

[xeniaman]

depends on what kind of algae you are talking about, most will be just fine. Caularpa can go asexual and wipe out you're entire tank if the lighting isn't on 24-7. I rotate liverock from my sump every once in a while and the tangs love it. I just got an Emperor angel that is loving the algae and sponge growth. I also have a large amount of Halimeda algae growing in my display, I like it because the tank looks natural and the tangs keep it in check.

 

[ophiura]

In addition, just because a fish "eats algae" does not mean it eats nuissance algae (eg hair algae, bryopsis, etc). So it depends on that too.

 

[flower]

Not hair algae, I leave the back and sides untouched by my mag float...the fish feed off of the glass just like they graze on the rocks. It looks a little green between the coraline but not out of control growth like hair algae would do.

 

[zelfin]

Good info, Thanks for the replies. I will just make sure to keep some plant growth in there. received my shipment of various plants from SWF friday so i will hopefully get those growing and be able to rotate that into the tank to supplement dried.

 

[ophiura]

out of interest, what kind of fish is this?

 

[zelfin]

Before the flames start, understand i do have arrangements made for when it becomes too large for my tank.
It is a Bicolor Parrotfish that i bought from SWF. Beautiful fish. interesting personality and will be large enough when i complet my lagoon. Saw the lagoon here recently from a post. LOVED that idea.
Currently i am feeding it 2 times each day. Once with flakes/pellets and once later in the evening with frozen meats. It has been nipping the algae and plants also and is eating like a pig. I Already see multiple bite marks on the live rock.