Eric Dockett (author) from USA on May 27, 2017: @Carla: Could it be bubbles at the water surface? Mark crow's planted aquarium on the top is an example of a heavily planted tank. For most aquariums, the little otocinclus is a good choice. Planted aquariums still need maintenance, but when done right they can be perfect little ecosystems that meet the needs of fish and plants alike. When it comes to fighting algae, everyone always assumes you must decrease lighting and/or nutrients, but sometimes the better course of action is to increase one or both of them. Sometimes it's called gravel or silica algae. More detailed steps on how to maintain aquasoil substrates here. Good luck! Then, get back to your usual algae maintenance routine. Get weekly aquarium blog articles right in your inbox. Watch the following video for the technique: More detailed steps on how to maintain aquasoil substrates long termhere. However, this gives little allowance for shading issues in crowded tanks. freshwater Servicing clogged filters. Of course, fish need a day/night cycle to be healthy, just like people do. Glad to be helpful. Planted aquariums with 30% and less of surface substrate planted are very vulnerable to algae; cleanliness becomes paramount to avoid algae triggers. While you shouldnt change the tank water all at once, changing 10%-15% of the water each week ensures that nutrient levels are balanced. However, often the plant may choose instead to channel energy into producing new leaves, sacrificing the oldest leaves. Some common reasons for algae overgrowth are: Knowing what causes algae overgrowth is the first half of the battle. Plants with more stringent growth requirements are also more vulnerable to algae by definition as many folks may not be able to satisfy their needs adequately (which leads them to grow in a stressed state). Eric Dockett (author) from USA on October 17, 2015: Thanks for the kind feedback, everyone! Try adding live plants. Old leaves do not heal, and need to be trimmed away to make space for new growth. It grows rapidly and is difficult to control once it begins. Algae are plants and thrive in environments rich in water, light, and nutrients. 30ml algae Maximum algae control. Answer: Algae-eating fish will only eat what they can, and what they want. Just be aware that, while this species does not reproduce in freshwater aquariums, they will lay white eggs (similar to little sesame seeds) all over the aquarium, and some people dont like the look. Please review the issues I mentioned in this article and consider which may apply to your situation. Recommended plantmass as percentage of tank space. Imagine you have a neighbor with a well-groomed lawn of grass. Thanks this. Following the steps above and not providing the necessary food helps reduce the chances of this, but why help the algae at all? Some people turn to chemical treatments, such as using liquid carbon to directly spray on the BBA for tough cases or to dose the entire aquariums water column for mild cases. algae cyanobacteria freshwater control For example, if you suddenly allow CO2 levels to dip, plants will need to reprogram their internal structures to make do with the less available CO2 - devoting more proteins and energy to CO2 capture than say light capturing functions. Consider a rubber-nose pleco instead, as they only grow to a few inches. Dont leave lights on in the room for more than 8-10 hours per day. Both are a result of normal processes in your tank, and no cause for alarm. More you say? This also means avoiding spikes of toxic elements (heavy metal content in water for example). 2005 - 2022 WebMD LLC. Tsunamicarlos [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Do you love your hobby as I do then do the right things at the right time. Thank you so much for all this information! Question: The algae eater just eats at the surface and on the glass tank. Instead, we recommend manually removing as much of the BGA as possible, doing a water change while vacuuming the substrate, and then treating the tank with antibiotics. The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Having efficient bio-filtration and a matured tank environment leads to quicker break-down of organic waste and ammonia, minimizing trigger time for algae. Here are some of the things you can do to reduce and manage algae in your freshwater aquarium. Maintaining stable water parameters long term. Test your water. The algae seems to be coming back worse and worse every time and i'm worried about the quality of life of my fish that are currently living in it. The Chinese Algae Eater is another fish you may consider, but they can become aggressive as they get older. Some algae are harmless, while other algae are dangerous and difficult to remove. As per its name, it grows in very thick, bushy clumps that are usually black or grey in color (but sometimes reddish or brownish). Remember, if algae persist through regular water changes, you have to do more to combat the problem. Changing the number of hours as well as intensity, by using dimmers or hanging kits, can change outcomes considerably. Yes. Make sure they are thoroughly rinsed because bleach can kill your fish. You can vacuum around them, but do your best not to disturb them while cleaning. Also, growing shade plants (Bucephalandra) beside plants that prefer high lighting (Red Eriocaulon, Rotala florida, Trithuria lanterna) makes the Bucephalandra more vulnerable to algae. Using a solution of 5-10% bleach, dip the plants for a few minutes as needed to destroy the algae. As long as you take care of your tank, it will not overgrow. Green water can come from too much lighting (especially if the tank gets direct sunlight sometime during the day), an excess of nutrients (such as accidentally double-dosing fertilizers), or an ammonia spike (such as from a new tank that has not been cycled yet or overfeeding by a pet sitter). Additionally, uneaten food and other waste can get trapped in decorations where scavenger fish cant reach it. Having a larger percentage of robust plants mixed with a couple of difficult species make it easier to maintain the tank overall. Shirlie Sharpe is an aquatic expert and writer with over three decades of experience keeping and raising ornamental fish. Pollyanna Jones from United Kingdom on October 16, 2015: Thanks for this useful article! All if those fish require a much, much larger tank. There is no substitute for this work, and it is vital for making sure you have a clean, healthy tank, that is as algae-free as possible. Pre-cycling the tank using starter bacteria cultures/products. Planting larger, more robust plants in those areas can solve persistent algae issues. Put your tank somewhere in your home with less direct light. Dont resort to chemicals to deal with algae in your tank. Stay in touch with Aquarium Co-Op, see latest updates, and much, much more. The plant selection is also one that is most vulnerable to algae issues. algae 150l vial Reviews of Ferts, Test Kits, Livestock Care, Reviews of Substrates, Algae Control, Plants. Siamese algae eaters, amano shrimp, molly fish, and Florida flagfish are good candidates to use as clean-up crew. If your aquarium water looks like pea soup, you probably have green water, which is caused by a proliferation of free-floating, single-celled phytoplankton. algae Nitrate Limitation: how does it make red plants redder? I'm cleaning my Betta fish weekly. I got a purple uv tube bulb above my tank aswell as normal white tube light 120 litre jewel with 2 plecs 11 zebra obliquidens (victoriana cichlids) no plants just sand and rocks and I've never had a problem with algae but you can also get a uv sterliser which is like a filter but as water passes thru it. For algae, I just do what I've done since I had tanks as a child - when changing the water I take ornaments out and scrub them with a brush in a bucket of tank water. The cleanest tanks are where algae does not spawn in the first place. But if you have a tank you can move, or if you havent set it up yet, consider placing it somewhere that the sun wont be hitting it during part of the day. Leo-nie-weh-oh / Public domain / via Wikimedia Commons. 10 min read. By clicking Subscribe, I agree to the WebMD, Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Sitting May Raise Risk of Heart Failure Nearly 50%, Broccoli Reigns Supreme as Americas Favorite Veggie, Vaccinations for Youngest Kids Gets Final CDC Approval, Dr. Whyte's Book: Take Control of Your Diabetes Risk, The Future of Food: What You Need to Know, Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox, Protect Your Cat From These Household Hazards, The tank receiving too much direct sunlight, Allowing too many nutrients to build up in the water. Growing natural plants in your tank can go a long way when it comes to limiting algae growth. Answer: Yes, you can and should remove decorations from your tank periodically to clean them of algae and other gunk. As algae do not have the larger starch storing structures of more advanced plants, they die off quickly without light. Instead, we deal with the weeds by pulling them out (e.g., manually removing the algae or getting a snail to eat them) and/or feeding the lawn more so that its healthier and the weeds wont come back as readily. You may need to remove algae yourself. (For more detailed troubleshooting steps, see our plant nutrient deficiency article to learn which specific nutrients your plants might be missing.).