How to Decrease Aquarium Algae Naturally
Test your water., Turn down the lights., Reduce waste., Increase water changes.This goes under Reducing Waste., Take care of the filtration.When owning aquatic animals of the high-waste producing variety (goldfish, cichlids, etc), Filtration is...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Test your water.
Checking the parameters of your tap water is always a must any time you are having some sort of biological issue with your aquarium.
Look for high Nitrates, Nitrites and Ammonia.
These will usually be indicators of the cause of your brown algae bloom.
Chemicals in the tap water itself, such as Phosphates, can also increase algae. -
Step 2: Turn down the lights.
Green algae typically occurs when there is too much light source in an aquarium.
Keeping the aquarium away from an unshaded window, and only turning the aquarium lights on when viewing can decrease the green algae tremendously.
Keep lights on 10-14 hours per day for planted aquariums, 6-10 for ornamental setups.
Also, change bulbs at least once a year. , Brown algae typically occurs when tanks are being
1.
Overfed, or if there is an
2.
Overstocking problem in your tank, with
3.
Not enough filtration.
Brown algae feeds on nitrates, so watch for aquatic animals with high biological load such as Goldfish, Cichlids, Mollies, Crayfish, and Turtles. , A healthy routine of water changing reduces the amount of waste in an aquarium.
Changing 20% of the water each day
- a few days can reduce algae if it is a massive bloom.
Do NOT change more than this, it can upset the natural balance of your aquarium. , Spring for a filter that is meant for 20–40 gallons (75.7–151.4 L) more than the size you actually have (40 Gallon tank, 60-80 gallon filter).
The more filtration, the more clean your water will be.
You can additionally add bubbler systems to pump more oxygen into the aquarium. , Brown algae feeds on an over-abundance of nutrients in the water, which include the bacteria called "Nitrates" that is the end result of your animals' ammonia production.
Green algae also feeds on this, but not to such extent as brown algae.
Adding live plants will reduce algae since the "nutrients" will be going to the plants instead of the algae, basically starving it out. , Unfortunately, we have to use sponges and scrubs to clean the algae off glass and acrylic sometimes! Cleaning your aquarium is inevitable.
It includes maintaining your filter material, siphoning hidden waste from your gravel floor and of course, scrubbing algae off things! Take all the aquarium ornaments out and place them in a bucket.
You can fill it up with some of your tap water and gentle scrub the algae away.
Some people will use a very small bit of bleach mixed with the water and let the ornaments sit.
As long as you wash all of it off before you replace them, it is safe. , If your aquarium and parameters allows for it (space, water quality, etc) adding some algae hungry critters, or those which can help eat the extra food on the ground, can help reduce the problem, too. -
Step 3: Reduce waste.
-
Step 4: Increase water changes.This goes under Reducing Waste.
-
Step 5: Take care of the filtration.When owning aquatic animals of the high-waste producing variety (goldfish
-
Step 6: cichlids
-
Step 7: Filtration is key.
-
Step 8: Add live plants.
-
Step 9: Keep it clean.
-
Step 10: Add algae hungry critters.
Detailed Guide
Checking the parameters of your tap water is always a must any time you are having some sort of biological issue with your aquarium.
Look for high Nitrates, Nitrites and Ammonia.
These will usually be indicators of the cause of your brown algae bloom.
Chemicals in the tap water itself, such as Phosphates, can also increase algae.
Green algae typically occurs when there is too much light source in an aquarium.
Keeping the aquarium away from an unshaded window, and only turning the aquarium lights on when viewing can decrease the green algae tremendously.
Keep lights on 10-14 hours per day for planted aquariums, 6-10 for ornamental setups.
Also, change bulbs at least once a year. , Brown algae typically occurs when tanks are being
1.
Overfed, or if there is an
2.
Overstocking problem in your tank, with
3.
Not enough filtration.
Brown algae feeds on nitrates, so watch for aquatic animals with high biological load such as Goldfish, Cichlids, Mollies, Crayfish, and Turtles. , A healthy routine of water changing reduces the amount of waste in an aquarium.
Changing 20% of the water each day
- a few days can reduce algae if it is a massive bloom.
Do NOT change more than this, it can upset the natural balance of your aquarium. , Spring for a filter that is meant for 20–40 gallons (75.7–151.4 L) more than the size you actually have (40 Gallon tank, 60-80 gallon filter).
The more filtration, the more clean your water will be.
You can additionally add bubbler systems to pump more oxygen into the aquarium. , Brown algae feeds on an over-abundance of nutrients in the water, which include the bacteria called "Nitrates" that is the end result of your animals' ammonia production.
Green algae also feeds on this, but not to such extent as brown algae.
Adding live plants will reduce algae since the "nutrients" will be going to the plants instead of the algae, basically starving it out. , Unfortunately, we have to use sponges and scrubs to clean the algae off glass and acrylic sometimes! Cleaning your aquarium is inevitable.
It includes maintaining your filter material, siphoning hidden waste from your gravel floor and of course, scrubbing algae off things! Take all the aquarium ornaments out and place them in a bucket.
You can fill it up with some of your tap water and gentle scrub the algae away.
Some people will use a very small bit of bleach mixed with the water and let the ornaments sit.
As long as you wash all of it off before you replace them, it is safe. , If your aquarium and parameters allows for it (space, water quality, etc) adding some algae hungry critters, or those which can help eat the extra food on the ground, can help reduce the problem, too.
About the Author
Laura Ford
Experienced content creator specializing in crafts guides and tutorials.
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