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A while ago I posted that I was having algae issues in Frankie's tank, and the consensus that was reached was that it was probably due to excess leftover food in the tank. I cleaned the tank recently, and will try to keep on top of the food, to see if that helps.

Now, in Ralph's tank, I've never had a problem with algae. After several months, a wee bit grows in the corners in one side, but never more than that.
Well, 4 weeks ago I changed Ralph's basking area, and added an eggcrate underwater platform, which is under the basking area, just like Frankie's.
Today, I looked at the underwater platform and it's covered in the same brown algae as what was in Frankie's tank. Not only that, but the algae has spread to the suction cups, and even the glass around the suction cups!
This was a brand new piece of eggcrate, and not used in Frankie's tank or anything.

So my new theory on the algae is this: In an otherwise clean tank, algae doesn't do well because there aren't enough porous materials for the algae to start on. Perhaps the eggcrate is porous enough for the algae to "take root", and then gain strength and spread to the smooth surfaces like the glass.

Any thoughts on this?

I'm going to clean Ralph's tank soon, and hopefully nip the algae in the bud before it gets too bad. Ralph's tank has had eggcrate in his tank for years, but it was different, thicker stuff than I have now.
Meh, just thought I'd post the random thoughts that pass through my head

Are you sure the brown stuff is algae? In my girl's tank, she only gets a brown slime on the suction cups on ebo jager heater. Frankly, I think it has a weird coating.

For the boy, he has a cork bark platform and that develops a brownish layer (on the underside) which can come off if scrubbed really hard or if it is scrapped off (not really an option with bark). I suspect it's a layer of poop remains, not algae.

But I do know green algae will grown on any surface. It's harder to rid them from porous surfaces, so they usually return there first. Those are my random thoughts

Hmm, good point. I posted some pics of it in this thread in Frankie's tank. It seemed thicker than the regular brown slime that Ralph's had. I just assumed it was algae.

Marisa suggested it might be diatoms, but it grows on the side the lights are on.

I'd be tempted to think it's just some sort of coating on the eggcrate or suction cups, but it seems to have spread to the glass, which is weird.

I'm wondering if it could be caused by high nitrogen levels. I did a partial water change in Ralph's tank not to long ago, but I know it's due for a 100% change (It's on my "list of things to do").

It certainly doesn't do any harm, it just looks icky

The amount of light hitting the water has alot to do with algea growth. I bought a different light bulb for my goldfish tank and it must have been brighter, or a more full spectrum because RIGHT after I changed it I had a MASSIVE growth of algae. I had to cut down on the time that I left the light on in the tank and that helped alot. I also had algae growing in Sylars old tank under the UVB bulb and even in the tubing. His old tank was only a 20 long, and so when I put the two lamps next to each other (heat &UVB) the UVB was focused on the platform but also into the water. The places in the tank and the places where the filter tubing ran under the light grew algae very quickly. I think the Eggcrate probably seems to grow algae in the tank faster because since it has holes in it, more of the water is exposed to the lighting.

In my experience, algae growth varies a lot with the activity level of the animal(s) you have in the tank. This is from past experience as well as my current set-ups. I currently have 2 55g tanks. Toby's tank hardly has any algae while my frogs' tank gets a lot of algae. Toby moves around a lot, digs in the rocks, explores, etc... while my frogs mostly sit around all day. I think that Toby doesn't give the algae a chance to grow, which is just fine by me!