I have my tank by the window because it looks awsome there...in the kitchen behind the sink...again looks fabulous there. N E hoo I have had algae growth but not boom. it is not in direct sunlight. But i have always wondered does GF benifit from algae. I would think so because its a plant but i dont want to assume. I also hear that plecos eat algae but i heard only certain types. How do I tell what kind of algae is growing on the side of my tank? and what are the benifits of this algae... as i would not want to remove it if its benificial for my little ones. thanks

what color is your algae? lush and green? icky and brown? black, red, blue? the latter can be bad. most commonly youll have green or brown. green and brown are actually quite beneficial to your fish. they are in fact living plants, and eat nitrates, and also can be a snack for your goldies. i would regularly see mine munching on the walls when i had thick algae growth. if you wanted a pleco, make sure you get a rubber nose, bristle nose, or bushy nose. they eat algae well, and do no harm to goldfish. common plecos, however will suck themselves to your fish and suck off their slime coat, if given the opportunity. algae is basically an asthetic thing, if you like it, leave it, if you dont, scrape it.

Smack covered most points very well and as said, the only detrimental type is the blue/green cynobacteria. It is a bacteria and not a true algae. It generally is like a slimy sheet that covers the floor of the tank, the plants and decorations and is easily removed, and smells quite strong.

Sounds like you have algae, which is a good thing

yeah I would really like to keep the algae on the sides of the tank when it gets to the front i ussually scrape it off with this awsome new squeegie i got at walmart. Im glad to hear that the algae helps with the nitrites. I think its green algae. I do catch my fish snacking on the sides of the tank once and a while. im glad they are happy!