How To Get Rid Of Algae In Your Aquarium

Just about anyone that has owned an aquarium knows that algae is unavoidable and it's just a thing which owners of fish, both salt and freshwater, have to take care of. There are 4 major types of algae – green, brown, red-brush, and blue green.

Green algae is the type that many people are familiar with and lives within any aquarium that gets an abundance of light. The two more frequently seen green algae within fish tanks are the hair algae and hard "green dot algae". Hair algae are long thin strings of algae which are simply cleaned from the tank, and the green-dot algae looks like green dots of algae attached to the side of the aquarium and it is very hard plus time consuming to get rid of.

It is common for brown algae to show up in a fish tank which has just been started and it typically shows up in the initial two weeks. If it shows up in established tanks it means that the owner of the aquarium has to check the nitrate as well as phosphate degrees in the tank. Brown algae is abnormal because it lives in aquariums which don't get a lot of light, therefore the aquarium owner needs to clean the entire tank and increase the lighting. It's not uncommon for brown algae to vanish when the conditions of the tank stabilize.

Red-brush algae is a form of algae that loves aquariums that have a high PH, however it's incredibly difficult to manually remove red-brush algae from aquariums.

Blue-green algae is misleading because it's not exactly algae, it's really a cynobacteria. When it appears within an aquarium it looks like a slime that is commandeering your tank and can not only be detrimental to plants in the aquarium, but may endanger the health of your fish.

The easiest way to lower the amount of algae in your tank is to reduce the lighting level. If you keep the aquarium lights on for less than nine hours per day, you will shorten the time that algae has for photosynthesis.

Use distilled water whenever you clean your saltwater aquarium or change the water frequently, as doing it at two or three week intervals would lower the amount of time algae may grow within your tank. When you change the water make sure you vacuum your rocks and keep the use of additives to a minimum, changing your pre-filter pad weekly. Stock your tank with algae eating fish. In saltwater tanks this will be – Hard Star Fish, Yellow Tang Fish, Turbo Snails, Angel Fish, Blennies, and small Hermit Crabs.

Using an algae magnet when cleaning your tank can also prove to be very helpful. If you make use of it during each cleaning, your aquarium has a high chance of remaining algae free. For the extra stubborn spots you will probably have to resort to using a razor blade. Fortunately, if you do manage to apply all of the above tips, chances are you will not have to worry about algae ever again.