Algae

Algae is a basic resource used primarily to produce oxygen and to feed certain critters. It is one of the earliest and most important early-game supplies because several core oxygen systems consume it directly, and some ranching setups can also turn it into useful byproducts.

Algae can be converted into Oxygen in two buildings. In an Oxygen Diffuser, 550 g/s Algae produces 500 g/s Oxygen. In an Algae Terrarium, 30 g/s Algae plus 300 g/s Water produces 40 g/s Oxygen and 290.33 g/s Polluted Water. The Algae Terrarium is less efficient in terms of oxygen output than the diffuser, but it also returns Polluted Water, which can be handled in other production chains.

Several critters eat Algae. Sage Hatches consume it and excrete Coal, making Algae a valid ranch input for coal production. Pacus and their variants also eat Algae and excrete Polluted Dirt. Because Pacus reproduce quickly, they can drain Algae stores very rapidly if they are not managed carefully. In practice, Algae is often a temporary food source for fish ranches rather than a long-term feedstock unless a steady supply is available.

Algae can also be produced from other materials. An Algae Distiller converts 600 g/s Slime into 200 g/s Algae and 400 g/s Polluted Water, providing a renewable-ish conversion route when Slime is available. It can additionally be obtained from space expeditions to Terrestrial Planet or Organic Mass, and harvested on rocket missions from renewable space points of interest. Reported yields include:

• Organic Mass Fields: 162 kg to 486 kg per cycle
• Sandy Ore Fields: 108 kg to 324 kg per cycle

Because Algae is used by oxygen production, ranching, and some space-gathering loops, it tends to be a strategic bottleneck resource. Early colonies often consume it quickly for breathable Oxygen, while later colonies may prefer to reserve it for specific ranching or emergency oxygen setups once more sustainable oxygen systems are online. If Pacu are present, their appetite can become a major sink for the colony’s supply, so stockpiles should be monitored closely.