Micro or Macro algae???

[TbyZ]

Is the emerald green hair algae, that typically grows on the screen of a downflow algae scrubber, micro (unicellular) or macro (multicellular) algae.

I seem to have misplaced my microscope & am hoping Randy Holmes-Farley will help me out here :D

 

[jason2459]

I've seen both.

 

[TbyZ]

I've seen both.

Care to elaborate? :confused:

 

[jason2459]

Care to elaborate? :confused:

Well, I have seen mostly unicellular micro algaes singularly, flagellated, and chains of them. I have also seen multi cellular macros as well like ulva and chaeto.

In this thread I have a few samples from my ATS presented
http://reef2reef.com/threads/our-tanks-biology-up-close.239838/

 

[TbyZ]

Well, I have seen mostly unicellular micro algaes singularly, flagellated, and chains of them. I have also seen multi cellular macros as well like ulva and chaeto.

In this thread I have a few samples from my ATS presented
http://reef2reef.com/threads/our-tanks-biology-up-close.239838/

I've run out of internet & gone back to dial up speed, so I can't look at that thread right now.

Are you saying that you have identified the typical algae scrubber green hair algae, as is in my picture in the OP, as micro?

 

[jason2459]

I can commit to what I've seen on my scrubber. ;)

If I were to guess what is on yours it would be Micro algae and I could be wrong.

Personally, any kind of growth like that is good growth regardless of what kind of algae it is.

 

[TbyZ]

I can commit to what I've seen on my scrubber. ;)

If I were to guess what is on yours it would be Micro algae and I could be wrong.

Personally, any kind of growth like that is good growth regardless of what kind of algae it is.

Thanks jason.
I need someone who has used their microscope on lots of other people's algae scrubber screens, to determin
1, if the green hair algae, that naturally evolves on a mature, properly tuned scrubber, is actually typical (or are there several kinds that look identical)
& 2, is it (or are they) micro or macro.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It is an interesting question, but is there any functional benefit to knowing the answer?

 

[TbyZ]

It is an interesting question, but is there any functional benefit to knowing the answer?

I guess the fact that nobody seems to be able to give a definitive answer is a good enough reason for me to ask the question, especially since I use algae scrubbers.

There could be differences between the two that could be important to consider when utilising algae as a filtering mechanism?
Not so much what they take out of the water, although how fast they do it is important, & speed of growth is a determining factor , but what they put, or potentially put into the water.

Example; I've read comments from people that suggest macro algae literally produce toxic substances & this is why algae scrubbers (& I take it refugiums also) should not be used in an aquaria. If true, what type of alge?

Another example; some people swear that a continuous photo-period, rather than a day night cycle, improved the growth on their screens. In a discussion with another hobbiest, I quoted your article 'Photosynthesis and the Reef Aquarium' Continuous Light vs. Light/Dark Cycles, &, Rost, Bjoern; Riebesell, Ulf; Sueltemeyer, Dieter. Besides pointing out that microalgaes were used in their anaylsis (this hobbiest believes that scrubber algae is macro & results could differ for this reason) , he also, quite rightly, suggested that growing algae in a test tube does not mimmic algae growing in agitated water (flashing) like in a scrubber. It was suggested that a day/night cycle is probably no more benificial in comparison to this flashing effect (rapid on/off cycle).
I don't know?

The only source of knowledge is experience. Albert Einstein

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

wrong thread