Green Algae Definition & Green Algae Habitat: It is believed that they were one of the key adaptations for the transition to terrestrial life from the ancestral green algae, due to its capacity to absorb ultraviolet radiation, much more intense in the atmosphere than in water.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Environment list the following animal and plant species in the Marine Reserve, to which are added other usual from other sources: Algae: – Acetabularia acetabulum – Sea mushroom: Anadyomene stellata – Green Algae Anadyomene.
Green Algae Characteristics:
- The green algae Chara have internodal cells that are cenocitic.
- The green algae of the order Cladophorales are characterized by having multicellular petals of cenocitic cells.
Green Algae Classification:
- Aonori (several species of green algae Monostroma) (Japan) Arame (Eisenia bicyclis) Badderlocks, jap.
- The cells are usually naked, but in some cases, they are covered by a lorica. Chloroplasts are presumed to originate from secondary endosymbiosis from the ingestion of green algae.
- In the mucilage produced by the glands distributed by the plant have also been found bacteria, fungi (Fusarium, Penicillium, Alternaria), algae and microscopic animals, but only green algae have been found living intracellular in them.
Green Algae Health Benefits in Our Life:
Evidence has been found that supports this mechanism in the Hatena protista: as a predator, it swallows a green algae cell, which later behaves as an endosymbiotic organism, feeding the Hatena, which in turn loses its digestive system and behaves like an autotrophy.
Know How Green Algae Are Useful To Us:
The most accepted hypothesis until a few years ago was that pteridophytes are a monophyletic group derived from some predecessor of green algae.
- The chloroplasts of Chlorarachniophyta have chlorophylls a and b and are surrounded by four membranes, which is why they are considered to be the result of the secondary endosymbiosis of green algae.
- The rest of the photosynthetic eukaryotes (for example, brown algae or euglenas) in turn acquired this condition by the same system but adopting as endosymbiont red algae or unicellular green algae.
Definition of Filamentous Green Algae
Filamentous green algae are filamentous organisms with chlorophyll a and b along with other types of pigments that in no case become dominant. We mostly locate them in fresh water, although we can also find them in the marine or brackish environment.
They are characterized by having chains of cells with a filamentous aspect, in other cases by the grouping of compact hairs or bunches (eg alga beard). This genus is called Spyrogira. There is another genus that also occurs in freshwater, Ulothrix whose filaments do not branch and which form a more compact and pasty mass.
Within this category of filamentous algae, we have the Cladophora genus, so feared in our aquariums, that it is constituted by a set of mainly dark green filaments that can be fixed to the substrate or other plants, or forming a ball.
For their development and growth, they need nutrients and light, like the other plants of our aquariums. An excess of both or one of them would cause its appearance.
Filamentous have a preference for nitrate and phosphate, and the more we have an unbalanced form in the aquarium, the more likely it will be. They also arise when an aquarium is not fully cycled, with peaks of nitrites and ammonium.
It is considered algae are difficult to eradicate, but not impossible.
Green Algae Fertilizer:
It is green algae that compete for the nutrients that we bring to our plants. If we do not make a careful fertilization, if there is a deficiency in our installation (light and filtering, above all) or an envelope, they will take advantage of it and they will be seen.
An imbalance between nitrate and phosphate is a common cause, that is, the absence of nitrate and excess of phosphate. When we have more nitrates in the aquarium that the plants can consume, that is, a little-planted aquarium with a high nitrate level, it can also cause its appearance. It is important to point out that a correct subscriber must be according to the number and volume of plants that we have. And a continuous excess of phosphates can lead us to see the happy cladophora in the short term.
Little filtration and little biological load:
An inadequate filter to our installation, which does not move a minimum of 6 times an hour, the volume of water in our aquarium would be a small filter. The commercial houses when they indicate that the filter moves “X” liters/hour, they measure it without loading, empty the deposit. That is, when we fill the filter with its biological load, foam (sponges), place the hoses and place it, normally under the aquarium, it will lose about 30/40 percent of its power. Data to take into account when choosing a filter. The larger it is, and the greater the biological load it supports, the better.
Excess of direct light, sunlight, deficient aquarium lighting, excessive photoperiod, etc., is in general, incorrect lighting or incidence of light in the aquarium.
Lack of CO2/ Low CO2 Rate
The absence of plants; aquariums need few plants to compete against green algae and consume available nutrients. Excess of fish
It may also be the case that we introduce a plant that has already been infected.
How To Act:
- If the aquarium shows the presence of nitrites and/or ammonium/ammonia, the aquarium is not properly cycled, reduce these by means of resins, active carbon, water changes, and an introduction of consuming plants. Once controlled, rethink the aquarium and balance salts (NPK).
- Manually remove as many algae as possible. If it is necessary to remove the affected leaves or plants, it will prevent their further spread.
Siphon gravel by removing fallen debris and organic matter. - Regular and weekly water changes of 40/50%. With this, we eliminate excesses of phosphates and/or salts that are over in the aquarium.
Check the filtration, biological load, volume and movement of the filter. Avoid dead zones in the aquarium. If necessary, introduce a small pump or filter to generate movement.