Algae are extremely common in aquariums, and they cause problems if not removed on a regular basis. A little bit of algae isn’t so bad. It can give your aquarium a touch of realism.
However, if you don’t react in a timely manner, algae can easily grow out of control and wreak havoc in your fish tank. In this article you will learn how to protect your aquarium from algae overgrowth.
Make sure water circulation is good
Proper filtration is essential for the health and well-being of your fish and plants. It removes undesirable substances from the water and also maintains the biological balance in the aquarium.
The water flow through the filter should be sufficient to filter at least four times the capacity of your tank.
For example, 100 liters tank should have a filter with a flow of 300-600l/h. To put it simply: if the filter manufacturer declares a filtration flow of 600l/h, it means that the water from your aquarium (for an aquarium with a capacity of 100 liters) will be filtered six times within an hour.
Too much water flow can be problematic, especially if you keep fish that naturally prefer stagnant water. In such a situation, you can use a rain shower to maintain the appropriate water current or reduce the intensity of the water stream.
The water flow through the filter is important. However, equally important (if not more important) is the capacity and the type of filter media.
The nitrogen compounds are processed in the filter by the nitrifying bacteria. This is an important step because these are the compounds that algae feed on. Too much nitrogen in the water can cause algae growth.
A poorly working filter can cause algae growth, which can lead to poor water quality and fish health problems.
Another example of poor filtration is the failure to replace phosphate and nitrate absorbing media when we using them.
Any medium that buffers any compound has a limited absorption capacity. This is the case, for example, when we neglect the timely replacement of zeolite.
Don’t overfeed your fish
We know fish need food. The ingredients contained in the fish food are an ideal medium for the growth of algae. Food debris should not remain in the tank. More left over in fish tank leads to an increase in nitrite levels, which increases the growth of algae.
Fish should be fed in small portions. In the first step, we give a very small amount of food and see if the fish eat everything.
Food leftover should not stay on the bottom. The activity can be repeated if we see that the fish have eaten everything.
If your fish are not eating, it’s time to stop feeding them. We should also remember that most fish eat more than they need.
Bottom-dwelling fish, such as Corydoras, should be feed after turning off the light. The ideal food will be tablets that do not break down quickly and do not release unnecessary ingredients into the water column.
Don’t overstock a tank
Do not keep too many fish in the aquarium. Less fish in the aquarium means less feces.
If there are fewer fish in the tank, the water quality is better. Do not keep more fish than your aquarium allows (better less than more).
Some aquarists (Malawi breeders) often overstock the tank. In such a situation, we must have a very efficient filter (superfiltration in the tank). Even two filters are permissible.
It is also advisable in such cases to change the water more often.
Control the lights
Light plays an important role in the production of oxygen by plants, which is essential for the proper functioning of fish and other aquatic animals.
Only in the presence of light plants synthesize organic compounds from simple inorganic substances.
The lighting should be closely matched to the plants in the tank. Too much or too little lighting stresses the plants and also promotes algae growth.
For plants that are easy to grow, a light output range of 0.3-0.6 W / l will be sufficient. In the case of LED lighting, the range is measured by the light intensity.
In this case, the appropriate range will be 30-60 lumens. Remember that the parameters may depending on what plant species you have in the tank.
There are seven colors of the light spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. However, the important thing is the color temperature of our lighting.
Color temperature is a way to describe the light appearance and it’s measured in degrees of Kelvin (K).
The best color temperature is generally 6500K. It is the color temperature that best imitates daylight. Below 5500K the lamp light turns yellow or orange, and with a value above 6500K turns blue. The color temperature what we get is an individual matter.
One of the biggest problems is that we light the aquarium for too long. If you over-light your aquarium, you run the risk of developing an algae problem.
The amount of light in your aquarium should be adjusted to the fertilization and CO2 level.
The lack of CO2 in combination with too intense lighting is the perfect recipe for algae. In this situation, plants are unable to efficiently carry out the photosynthesis process and accumulate nutrients from the water.
All the surplus nutrients will be used by the algae. We can invest in a more powerful lamp if we do not have a CO2 system.
If we do not have plants in the aquarium, do not use strong lighting, because it will favor the growth of algae.
Change the water regularly
Algae most often reproduce by cell division or by the production of spores. For example, cyanobacteria reproduce by cell division, and green algae by producing spores.
After the cell wall ruptures, the spores circulate freely in the water. When the water conditions are favorable, they immediately colonize (for example, on plants or on the aquarium glass).
Periodic water changes will significantly reduce the possibility of algae development. Changing 25% of the water removes 25% of the spores from the tank. Chlorine will also destroy some of the spores in the aquarium.
Remove organic matter
Algae feed on nutrients from decaying plants and animals. As a result of decomposition, the organic matter releases excess nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, which are food for the algae.
Therefore, it is necessary to systematically remove all damage plant from the water and debris from the bottom of the tank.
Algae thrive best in water rich in organic matter. By limiting the excess of nutrients in the water, you take away the source of nutrients from the algae.
Take care of the plants
In the aquarium, algae and plants compete with each other for the same micro and macroelements as well as other nutrients.
The most important difference is that the algae act much faster and often win this competition.
If you take care of the health of your plants, the growth of algae will be blocked.
Choose the right light and support their growth in the right way. It is worth keeping the right amount of plants in the aquarium.
If you remove too many “plants” in the aquarium, the plants that are left cannot fully consume all of the nutrients in the water. This allows the algae to grow and take control of the tank.
Algae can appear when the substrate is frequently disturbed, especially when transplanting or uprooting plants.
If you want to remove a plant, don’t drag it. Cut the plant with scissors. The plant can grow back, but in this way we will not cause the phosphate cloud from the ground enter the water.
Other elements are also important in the care, such as: appropriate light, lighting time, CO2, fertilization or the substrate.
Check the hardness and pH of the water
Algae grow best in harder water with a higher pH. The more acidic and softer water is, the less likely algae are to grow and live in your aquarium.
When the water is more acidic (black water), the probability of algae appearance is several times lower. This is because algae prefer an alkaline environment. More algae can appear in Malawi tanks.
From time to time we should check the pH of the water and its hardness. Parameters should be selected depending on the nature of our fish tank.
However, it is always worth sticking to the lower acceptable limits. If you have fish in your aquarium that require a pH of 6.5 – 7.5, it is worth keeping the pH at 6.5.
In the case of a pH close to the natural one, we can use acidifying preparations such as: peat extracts, teas from oak leaves or alder cones.
They contain tannins which are not conducive to the growth of algae. We should also remember that some substrates used in aquariums may harden our water.
The fewer changes the better
The disturbed biological balance may favor the formation of algae. The less changes we make to the aquarium, the better. There are many activities that can cause imbalance in the aquarium. Some examples below:
- too much pruning of plants,
- overstocking
- changes to the arrangement – transplanting plants, rearranging decorations, and thus moving the substrate
- too thorough cleaning of the filter or simultaneous replacement of all filter inserts with new ones
There are probably even more examples. Remember that the less we do in the tank, the better. Let us limit ourselves only to the necessary steps.
Proportions of elements
This issue was left for a reason. This is the most difficult issue when it comes to fish keeping. It is not easy to control the correct amount of elements in the water.
While advanced aquarists do not have a problem with this, people starting their adventure may already have trouble.
The amount of macro and micro elements in the aquarium allows you to maintain an optimal environment for the development of fish and plants. Their inadequate proportions cause the formation of algae.
The ideal ratio of the elements N: P: K in aquarium water is 10: 1: 10. In addition, however, there are excesses and deficiencies of micronutrients, such as iron.
Algae have their own unique characteristics that determine the environment in which they will develop best.
For each species of algae there is an ideal ratio of micro and macro elements required for their best growth. The number of species of algae appearing in the aquarium is about 100.
However, it should be noted that the described species are much more. The scale of this topic is huge, but still neglected. It is difficult to control the amount of elements at the right level.
This issue is usually dealt with by aquarists who professionally cultivate underwater plants, e.g. running Dutch or Low Tech plant aquariums.
They test the water with drop tests and then adjust the values of the micro and macro elements.
In conclusion
Algae, which can sometimes be unsightly, consumes excess nutrients and provides oxygen. There is no perfect recipe to prevent algae growth.
All the above rules, if carefully followed, will certainly minimize the risk of algae.
Remember that there’s no one who wins this battle against algae. Instead, success is found by identifying a healthy balance in your closed ecosystem.
