Good or Bad Algae?

[Xubar]

I have this algae growing in my fuge that looks pretty gross. It's forming on the top of the surface, basically covering the entire top of my 60 gallon fuge.

System's been up and running now for 3 weeks with my fuge lights on from 10pm to 10am. A day after I fired up the tank, I put chaeto in the sump. It's growing great, but I wonder if the algae covering the top of the fuge is sucking up all the light and the chaeto would do even better with this scum manually skimmed off the top and thrown out.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b339/sakrogman/hosted%20pics/picture077.jpg

[D to the P]

I think its just a congregation of single celled algae, not really one specific organism. I would skim it out so the chaeto doesn't die, but I'm sure this algae is helping out too.

[Xubar]

The Chaeto ball has probably quadrupled over the past 3 weeks.

[D to the P]

haha, well then I would just get rid of it if it is not aesthetically pleasing to you. Otherwise, I wouldn't see a problem. Unless for some reason it starts making it's way into your DT.

[Xubar]

I was thinking about skimming it off with a net and just tossing it.

On the other hand, has anyone heard of drying this stuff out and feeding fish with it?

[D to the P]

I haven't heard of that. I wonder if it would work. You could even pour some vita chem on it before you dry it so it can soak that in. I'm just not sure if it would stick together. It would be interesting to see though.

[Aquarist007]

crank up the flow through the fuge and put a micron filter bag on the return line from the fuge to the sump--it will collect it all