Get Rid of Algae in a Tropical Fish Tank
January 2nd 2009 11:28
In order to get rid of the algae in your aquarium, you first need to figure out what is causing the algae, as there are a number of reasons that can cause algae to grow in your fist tank. You need to remember that algae will grow abundantly in warm and sunny areas, so if your tank is near a window, you may consider wrapping the tank with a reflective background or just moving the tank altogether to a different location. Overfeeding your fish can cause algae, as well, which means that you should do a few partial water changes to remove any uneaten food floating around the tank and feed your fish only as recommended by the pet store or breeder, which is typically just going to be once or twice a week, and no more.
You will also want to determine what type of algae you have, as brown and green algae are typically slightly different, but for the most part, you can follow the following steps for removing algae in your fresh water tank.
You want to get rid of any algae that's on the glass and decor in the tank. Regular water changes just isn't going to eliminate the algae stuck on the glass, filter, heater, ships, plants, etc.
A good algae scrubber or sponge, and use good old fashioned elbow grease to scrub away the scum. You will want to watch out as to what type of aquarium your have- glass and acrylic tanks need different brushes in order to properly clean and in order to not scratch or harm the material.
You will want to remove any decor in the tank, and run hot water over the decor.
Once, you've removed all the visible algae, go ahead and do a partial water change so that you can get any algae floating around in the water and any algae in the gravel.
You don't really want to use chemicals unless you just can't get rid of the algae for good. The chemicals can mess with the ecosystem in your tank, so you want to make the chemical option the last possible option that you have left.
Once you have gotten all of the algae, or at least most of it, out of the tank, you want to prevent it from happening again. You can add natural elements and fish to the tank in order to remove left over algae and to prevent new algae growth. In many cases, live plants are a great option because they will compete with the algae for oxygen and other resources, and the plants will typically win. You can plant a few live plants in the tank to keep new algae growth down as much as possible. Another option is to add a few snails that will help keep the algae growth down. Plecostomus, or algae eaters, can be another great option. You will find that there is the typical hard skinned Plecostomus, or the Chinese algae eaters, which look more like regular fish. If you have a smaller tank, you may want to consider a Otocinclus, which is another algae eater that will get along great with smaller fish roommates.
You will also want to determine what type of algae you have, as brown and green algae are typically slightly different, but for the most part, you can follow the following steps for removing algae in your fresh water tank.
You want to get rid of any algae that's on the glass and decor in the tank. Regular water changes just isn't going to eliminate the algae stuck on the glass, filter, heater, ships, plants, etc.
A good algae scrubber or sponge, and use good old fashioned elbow grease to scrub away the scum. You will want to watch out as to what type of aquarium your have- glass and acrylic tanks need different brushes in order to properly clean and in order to not scratch or harm the material.
You will want to remove any decor in the tank, and run hot water over the decor.
Once, you've removed all the visible algae, go ahead and do a partial water change so that you can get any algae floating around in the water and any algae in the gravel.
You don't really want to use chemicals unless you just can't get rid of the algae for good. The chemicals can mess with the ecosystem in your tank, so you want to make the chemical option the last possible option that you have left.
Once you have gotten all of the algae, or at least most of it, out of the tank, you want to prevent it from happening again. You can add natural elements and fish to the tank in order to remove left over algae and to prevent new algae growth. In many cases, live plants are a great option because they will compete with the algae for oxygen and other resources, and the plants will typically win. You can plant a few live plants in the tank to keep new algae growth down as much as possible. Another option is to add a few snails that will help keep the algae growth down. Plecostomus, or algae eaters, can be another great option. You will find that there is the typical hard skinned Plecostomus, or the Chinese algae eaters, which look more like regular fish. If you have a smaller tank, you may want to consider a Otocinclus, which is another algae eater that will get along great with smaller fish roommates.
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