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Control Algae Before It Controls Your Aquarium
Algae formation is a fact of life. It cannot be eliminated, no matter how many cleanings and water changes you do. It can and must be controlled, however. Algae thrive on extra nutrients in your tank and tag on to new ornaments, fish, and plants. They are also supplemental nutrition for many species and thus have a place in your aquatic habitat. How do you control algae? By making the environment less hospitable to their development. Light and nutrients must be adjusted constantly as conditions change.
Fluorescent light bulbs need to be replaced every nine to twelve months. As the bulb ages, the light fades and causes a change in light spectrum that is more easily absorbed, allowing algae to produce more energy through photosynthesis. If you wait until the end of the bulb's expiration and the tank adjusts to lower intensity light, and then you suddenly replace the bulb, bright light creates high energy for plants and algae to overproduce oxygen, which is also unhealthy for your aquarium. A dramatic increase of oxygen level reduces carbon dioxide in the aquarium, which leads to higher pH. At high pH levels, ammonium stored in plants will convert to ammonia and cause the plants to die. Unlike plants, algae thrive on low carbon dioxide and high pH and dying plants eliminate competition with algae for nutrients.
Next to lighting, excess nutrients cause algae outbreaks. Overfeeding or overstocking fish will cause more waste production than the aquarium can handle. Excess waste settles in the substrate and also in the filter. Therefore, it is important to change the filter media regularly.
Here's what to look for when algae growth is discovered. Hair algae are light green and have a string like appearance, attaching to any surface. They grow rapidly, so paradoxically, plant-eating fish can consume them as a good source of nutrients, but if left to overgrow, they turn around and destroy the fish and plants by consuming all of their oxygen. They grow on nitrates greater than 10 ppm. Blue-green algae, as well as pinkish-red, or red-slime algae, form a carpet on your tank that is removed by vacuuming. They are single-celled algae that can double in volume every 30 minutes. They are caused by nitrates, high organic content, and bad lighting. Brown algae are single-celled and can form a mat that covers your tank in a few days, feeding off excess nutrients and silicates in tap water. Brown slime algae are good nutrition for reef tanks. If controlled, this type of algae provides important benefits; uncontrolled, it covers the surface of the tank with a film, thriving on extraneous nutrients. All of these problems can be controlled by limiting the factors that cause their growth.
A good rule of thumb for feeding fish the correct amount of nutrients is to provide only what they can eat in one to two minutes, no more than three times a day. Change 10-20% of the water, vacuum the gravel, and rinse the filters every other week. Replace the lighting as specified. All of these precautions should control algae blooms. Do not use algaecides instead of good nutrient and lighting control, because they are just temporary solutions, and the problem will come back. Remember, there are no quick fixes!
Fluorescent light bulbs need to be replaced every nine to twelve months. As the bulb ages, the light fades and causes a change in light spectrum that is more easily absorbed, allowing algae to produce more energy through photosynthesis. If you wait until the end of the bulb's expiration and the tank adjusts to lower intensity light, and then you suddenly replace the bulb, bright light creates high energy for plants and algae to overproduce oxygen, which is also unhealthy for your aquarium. A dramatic increase of oxygen level reduces carbon dioxide in the aquarium, which leads to higher pH. At high pH levels, ammonium stored in plants will convert to ammonia and cause the plants to die. Unlike plants, algae thrive on low carbon dioxide and high pH and dying plants eliminate competition with algae for nutrients.
Next to lighting, excess nutrients cause algae outbreaks. Overfeeding or overstocking fish will cause more waste production than the aquarium can handle. Excess waste settles in the substrate and also in the filter. Therefore, it is important to change the filter media regularly.
Here's what to look for when algae growth is discovered. Hair algae are light green and have a string like appearance, attaching to any surface. They grow rapidly, so paradoxically, plant-eating fish can consume them as a good source of nutrients, but if left to overgrow, they turn around and destroy the fish and plants by consuming all of their oxygen. They grow on nitrates greater than 10 ppm. Blue-green algae, as well as pinkish-red, or red-slime algae, form a carpet on your tank that is removed by vacuuming. They are single-celled algae that can double in volume every 30 minutes. They are caused by nitrates, high organic content, and bad lighting. Brown algae are single-celled and can form a mat that covers your tank in a few days, feeding off excess nutrients and silicates in tap water. Brown slime algae are good nutrition for reef tanks. If controlled, this type of algae provides important benefits; uncontrolled, it covers the surface of the tank with a film, thriving on extraneous nutrients. All of these problems can be controlled by limiting the factors that cause their growth.
A good rule of thumb for feeding fish the correct amount of nutrients is to provide only what they can eat in one to two minutes, no more than three times a day. Change 10-20% of the water, vacuum the gravel, and rinse the filters every other week. Replace the lighting as specified. All of these precautions should control algae blooms. Do not use algaecides instead of good nutrient and lighting control, because they are just temporary solutions, and the problem will come back. Remember, there are no quick fixes!
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