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Algae Scrubber filters



    I am thinking of trying an algae scrubber filter in my 30 gallon tank.
 The advertisement promises an end to algae, phosphates, silicates, and
nitrates.  The algae part particularly interests me.  They do have a certain
level of validity in their claim that in the wild, algae provides more of the
ammonium and nitrite removal than does bacteria.
    My question is this:  will this "miracle filter" compete with the plants
in my tank? Will it overpower the available supply of micronutrients?  I have
just started adding fertilizer, as a result of what I am reading on this
list, as my plants to date have just languished and passed on.  Maybe I
shgoule wait until I have success with the plants in my tank, and then try
the algae scrubber?
    On a tangent to Merrill-
When I lived in the BUffalo, NY area, my plants did okay, and my Water Sprite
grew like a weed, beatiful, lush growths that reached 10" high when planted
and covered the surface like duckweed when floating.  I did nothing to
achieve this, it just happened.  When I moved to Baltimore, my Water Sprite
died, and everything else took off and grew well.  Ditto on the effort.  When
I moved to Florida, all I could grow was matt algae.  Here in Boise, I have
the same problem as Florida.  Until I subscribed to this list, I had no idea
I could do anything about it.  I just figured it was something wierd in the
local water, hopefully not anything fatal, as I am drinking it.  Now I have
hope.  I am using Flourish, at the recommendation of one of the local
shopkeepers, and if that doesn't cut it I will experiment with lighting, CO2,
or something, until I reach the minimum level of <technology> necessary to
achieve success.

Bob Dixon
                                                                Boise, ID