Algae and water just go together and if you love fish aquariums, you’re going to have to deal with algae. Small amounts of algae are actually healthy for the tank environment. But, in large amounts it will make your tank look like stagnant water and can kill your fish and plants.

Algae grows and survives on the same things that the plant life in your aquarium need to live, water, sunlight and nutrients. There are different types of algae such as, hair algae, slime algae and diatomic algae. No matter how diligent your are in the maintenance of your tank, you can’t totally prevent algae.

Just like it’s name, hair algae resembles fine hairs. It can grow anywhere inside your tank. Slime algae generally grows on the substrate and rocks in the tank. It can be either black, red or green in color. The last type of algae, diatomic algae appears as a brown film covering the glass of your tank and spreads very fast.

One of the worst outbreaks of algae to deal with is called algae bloom. It occurs when microscopic algae are in the water and not on aquarium objects. The algae is literally suspended in the water and you can’t clean or wipe it away. The best solution is to “blackout” your tank by covering it with some type of material that will prevent any light from entering the tank for a few days.  

Phosphates and nitrates are excellent sources of food for algae. Algae spores can even enter the aquarium through the air, or with new fish as they’re added to the community. And, bright light, whether artificial or natural, creates the perfect breeding ground for algae growth.

Although you’re not going to be able to get rid of algae as quickly as it filled your tank, you can take steps to control it. When you first see a problem beginning, think about what you’re adding to our tank. If you can find the cause of your algae problem, you’ll already be a step ahead in solving it.

It might be as simple as moving the tank and placing it in a location that gets less light. Try feeding your fish less, most people use too much food and the waste becomes algae food! Test the water that you’re using for your aquarium, if it’s high in phosphates or nitrates, consider using removers or another water source.

One of the main ways to prevent the growth and spread of algae is to do water changes on a regular basis. At least 10% to 15% of your aquarium water should be changed on a weekly basis. And, if you see algae on anything in the tank, clean it! Remove the rocks or decorations and scrub them, clean or scrape the algae off of the tank walls and vacuum the aquariums gravel each time you do a water change.

Live plants are really great to keep algae levels down. Plants will use up most of the nutrients that the algae needs to survive. Another all natural way to combat algae is with live fish and marine life. There are several types of algae eaters that will keep your aquarium clean.

One of the most common is the Plecostomus, but others include the Siamese Flying Fox and Octocinclus. Some people will add snails to their tanks to keep it clean. However, snails can become a problem just as quickly as algae can.

If you have tried everything else and not seen the results you’d hoped for, you can resort to chemical treatments to rid the tank of algae. There’s numerous brands available and you just follow the directions on the label.

Written by Connie Corder for TheHomeAquarium.com, Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved

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