I've noticed that strong sunlight helps create green algae ( the tank has no goldfihs in it yet:P)how about hair algae? what helps to create hair algae??... i really want to grow it on the back of my tank cuz it just looks so nice and natural..

Thanks
Ramy

I'm guessing that the fastest way to get hair algae to grow in your tank is to get a sample from someone. I'm sure there's always a little floating in everyone's tanks, but to get it established, a larger portion would get you there quicker.

Tim

You *really, really, really* do not want hair algae. You want the green fuzzy algae. Thats the stuff that goldies and plecos think is candy, and looks nice on the back wall of the tank. Hair algae gets long thin strands that choke out your plants and form ugly clumps. And only a SAE's like to eat it (most of the time).

The only times I've had much hair algae is when my tanks were non-cycled or when the cycle crashed, and when the parameters were returned to a good level the hair algae went away. Normally I have a few strands hanging from the out-takes on my filters, and thats it, even though I have good lighting (for growing plants) and have plenty of green algae. I agree that you don't want to encourage hair algae, it's pretty nasty stuff.