![]() Green tank water is also an indication of the presence of algae. ![]() There are tons of types of algae, but the most common types seen in freshwater tanks are brown or green diatom algae, hair algae, and green spot algae. It is less complex than many plants, so it can survive in less favorable environments as well. Algae photosynthesizes light for energy, so it thrives in high-light environments like well-lit aquariums. It does not grow stems or roots and most varieties lack noticeable leaves as well. Credit: Lovbush, Shutterstock What is algae?Īlgae is a type of plant that is almost always aquatic. There are some varieties of algae, like black beard algae, that most fish, including goldfish, will not eat, making them harder to control. 5.Yes! Goldfish will eat many types of algae that grow in freshwater tanks and ponds. You can encourage algae growth by having too much or too little CO2 levels. It’s very important that the amount of this gas available to the plants stays stable and consistent at a safe level. Just pumping CO2 into the tank is not really enough, however. Providing increased CO2 levels is very important for maximizing plant growth and health. The more light you have, the faster algae will grow, especially if you don’t have healthy aquatic plants to compete with them.Īquariums without live plants should not have strong lighting, and your fish tank should never be exposed to direct sunlight. LightingĪlgae are photosynthetic organisms, which means they need light in order to grow, just like plants. For tank tanks or for setups like African cichlid tanks that prefer more flow, an aquarium wave maker could make more sense. You can install a small powerhead, or even an airstone to create a gentle water flow throughout your aquarium. Fish waste and other organic waste tend to accumulate in these areas, creating perfect conditions for algae to grow. ‘Dead spots’ can develop if your filter is not producing enough water flow to keep all of the water in your aquarium moving. A small internal power filter is perfectly adequate for small low-tech, fish-only aquariums, but for heavily planted tanks, a good quality canister filter is going to be a better bet. ![]() You should always buy the best quality filter that you can afford. The more media you have, and the finer its texture at a microscopic level, the more beneficial bacteria you can maintain. This process is known as biological filtration and it involves some very helpful types of bacteria that form colonies in the media of aquarium filters. The role of your aquarium filter is not to physically get rid of algae, but rather to keep the nitrogen cycle running. Let’s take a closer look: Poor Filtration Aquarium hardware can get expensive, but you definitely get what you pay for, so always invest in the best that you can afford. While some advanced aquarists are able to maintain beautiful planted tanks with limited equipment, this usually ends in failure for most of us. We don’t fully understand all the causes of algae growth, but we do know enough to manage algae quite effectively.Īlgae is present in pretty much every aquarium, but what makes it grow out of control in some tanks? Let’s take a look at some of the most important causes: 1. There are incredibly complex processes at work in our tanks involving chemical, and biological processes. This is a question that has caused much debate in the aquarium hobby.Īquariums are like tiny ecosystems. What Causes Algae Overgrowth? (11 Reasons Why) Keeping a hood over your tank, quarantining your livestock, and buying tissue culture plants are good strategies for minimizing the amount of algae that comes into your aquarium. ![]() As you can tell, keeping algae out of an aquarium is not easy! Another common way for algae to enter aquariums is in the water that live fish are transported in, or on live plants. Many types of algae are microscopic single-celled life forms, so they can easily find their way into aquariums from the air. Algae is interesting, and sometimes even beautiful, but it is usually unwelcome in our fish tanks!Ĭontinue reading to learn more about this common aquarium villain. Some of the algae that grow in aquariums are not actually true algae, but rather photosynthetic bacteria. They do not have leaves, but they also photosynthesize just like more advanced plants do. Chloroquine Phosphate Aquarium Dosing CalculatorĪlgae are simple plants that do not have stems, roots, or flowers.
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