Sprung approaches the topic of algae from an academic and scientific perspective. Without any ceremony, he jumps right in to the physiology and ecology of marine algae. His language is academic to the core, his style is laced with dry professorial humor, and he assumes that his readers have at least a basic grounding in cell biology (advanced high school or introductory college level).
As others have noted, the subtitle "A Problem Solver's Guide" is a bit misleading. While Sprung does offer a significant number of concrete suggestions for managing algae in a marine aquarium, he devotes the bulk of the book to classification, physiology and ecology. Some readers will find this treatment refreshing because it provides a solid theoretical foundation for experimentation. Others will wish for more practical advice.
I experiment with low-tech freshwater aquariums and picked this book up hoping that it would help me to understand some of the algae patterns I had observed over the last couple of years. The book turned out to be too focused on marine ecosystems (high pH, high specific gravity, different trace element mix, different microfauna) to be of real value to me. It's now sitting on my book shelf next to Bob Fenner's -Conscientious Marine Aquarist- in preparation for starting a low-tech FOWLR tank some day. For now, my best resource remains Diana Walstad's -Ecology of the Planted Aquarium-.
Not as informative as hoped
Not as informative as hoped, talks alot about moleculer structures and such although very little preventive maintenance topics. Shop around!!
Algae: A Problem Solver Guide (Oceanographic Series) By Julian Sprung.
Algae: A Problem Solver Guide (Oceanographic Series) By Julian Sprung.
This work stuff after the aquarium, has given the issue further, without being away from the start, but considering the desires of the most advanced aquarium.
It is very good!
MBecker
Highly Detailed
I found this book to have more information on algae than anything else I've ever read. The only possible downside is that it is written like a scientific text book, with all the latin names and biological details. If you don't know anything about marine biology or biology in general, you may have a hard time understanding most of this book, but it will still tell you how to get rid of any kind of algae you may come across in your marine aquarium. I found the book to be very accurate, but Julian Sprung is a big name in Marine Biology, so I already expected that. Bottom line, if your having algae problems, get this book.
good basics
a good basic overview of the different types of algae and how to deal with them..It could have spent a little more time on differentiating between algae and cyanobacteria and specific invertebrates and vertebrates that will eat them..but all in all this is a good *little* book.
