kim gross wrote on 12/2/2005 3:41 AM:

The algea will remove ammonia, and phosphate and provide
an area for pods to grow without any preditors.

Actualy while algaes and plants will take up different
forms of nitrogen they have their preferences.
Aquatic plants prefer amonia over other forms of nitrogen,
and algae prefer nitrates over other forms of nitrogen.

So aquatic plants are good at taking up amonia, and algae
are good at taking up nitrates.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets