Algae Bloom:
The most common problem in aquariums is undoubtedly algae-bloom. Many people quit the hobby because they could not overcome this problem. Most algae problems have the same cause: excess ammonia and nitrite. If the water change is not done for a long time, the phosphorus in the water increases. Inedible food also causes an increase in algae. In most cases, algae appear green, blue, brown, or even black. The darker the color is an indication that the tank is dirtier.
Algae bloom indicates some kind of "biological system failure". It shows us that we are doing wrong somewhere in the planning phase. Or it indicates that there is no proper setup with the equipment or a problem with environmental factors. The point is, we shouldn't fight algae! We have to find the cause of the algae bloom and eliminate it.
Light and ammonia cause the algae-bloom. Over-lighting the aquarium (modern, new aquariums have too much light) can trigger algae-bloom even with too little ammonia. This explains why new aquarists encounter more algae in their newly built tanks than hobbyists with low-support tanks.
You cannot solve the ammonia problem by just removing it, you can get it away by doing daily and extensive water changes. But this will eventually be symptom treatment. Our goal is to find out what makes ammonia peaks in our water. This is where things start to get complicated. It is the result of the decomposition of organic elements in your ammonia water. This can be from multiple sources; such as dirty or inefficient filter, dead fish or part of it, decaying plant leaves, etc.
The rest of our article contains information about algae species and how to get rid of algae.
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Most Common Aquarium Algae Types
What is Hair Algae and How to Control?
What is Beard Algae and How to Control?
There are black, gray, green and different colors. They mostly grow on stones, roots, and aged leaf tips. Their images in the tank are bad. The main reasons are phosphorus excess, irregular water change, excessive lighting, high temperature, and low CO2. Since plants have a short time to digest nutrients, they leave them in the water. As time passes, this becomes a bigger problem if no water change is done! The best way to get rid of these algae is to do it manually. You can clean a leaf with algae on your hand. It would also be good to change half of the water and clean the filter. This process will help remove spores from the filter. Photosynthetic bacteria should also be added to the water added during the water change. Lighting time should be reduced and 1/3 of the water should be changed every day. Finally, if algae-eating shrimps and fish are added they will finish off any remaining algae.
What is Blue-Green Algae and How to Control?
What is Green Spot Algae and How to Control?
How Can I Prevent Algae Bloom in Aquarium?
- Set up a filtration system that you regularly maintain. Change %30 of the water once a week.
- Add a UV filter and adjust the lighting time so the plants can thrive heavily.
- Be careful not to add too much fish because of the unsettled filtration during the first two or three weeks.
- Do not put too many fish in the aquarium.
- Do not overfeed. The uneaten food contains nitrite and phosphorus, two of the algae's favorite nutrients.
- Prune old leaves close to the ground to prevent algae from growing on them. Siamese Algae-Eater, snails, and algae-eating shrimp can be added to control algae in the tank.