Having aquarium algae is, unfortunately, just a fact of life. Aquariums do need some algae, but too much and it can be a potential hazard to fish and other plant life. As with many areas of life, finding the balance that works for your particular aquarium is the key to success.
What is Algae?
In general algae can be referred to as plant-like organisms that are usually photosynthetic and aquatic, but do not have true roots, stems, leaves, vascular tissue and have simple reproductive structures.
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How and Why Does Aquarium Algae Grow?
Algae are plant-like organisms and just like any other plant, it requires three things to survive: water, sunlight and nutrients. Algae can be referred to as the ‘weed’ of the aquarium, but is a weed just a plant in the wrong place?
One of the first signs that your aquarium is developing an algae problem is the presence of particles that are greenish or yellow-brown in color.
Aquarium algae can also take the form of white or gray filamentous masses that are composed of bacteria and fungi. Your aquarium may be visited by more than one type of algae at a time, don’t be surprised to see a mix.
Green carpet aquarium algae.
Is Aquarium Algae Always Bad?
No, not at all. A modest presence of algae can be considered a sign of equilibrium in your planted tank. When algae start to take over your aquarium it is because of an imbalance.
It could be said that algae performs quite a service for you. It gives an early biological warning that something needs to be done in your aquarium to sustain plant and fish life.
The presence of algae may also have some quite considerable advantages. The algae’s photosynthesis involves the consumption of nitrogenous substances, particularly nitrates, and sometimes ammonia.
While this all sounds great, the downside of their efficiency, and why they can so easily take over an aquarium is that the removal of these elements from your aquarium is also the normal role of plants in freshwater setups.
The presence of algae can complement the plants’ role, or take the elements away from the plants; killing or greatly harming the aquarium plants in the process.
In freshwater planted tanks, some fish even eat algae. Fish such as the Poeciliids and the species known as “suckers” or “washers” (Gyrinocheilus, Ancistrus, Hypostomus, Otocinclus, Epalzeorhynchus) are particularly keen on aquarium algae as a food.
The other great thing about algae when it comes to introducing livestock to your aquarium is that it can help fish to acclimatize themselves to the newly-created environment of your planted tank.
Otocinclus vittatus – A great algae eater.
The Most Common Algae Types
Brown Aquarium Algae
Also goes by the names gravel or silica algae. It is widespread in new aquarium setups and coats the tank in layers. Wiping easily cleans off these layers.
Brown aquarium algae are generally considered to be mostly harmless. As the aquarium matures, the brown algae will usually disappear.
Brown Aquarium Algae.
Blue-Green Aquarium Algae
Is often referred to as slime or smear algae, but is not actually an algae at all; it is a cyanobacteria. It spreads extremely quickly and can cause damage beyond repair.
Excesses of nitrates and phosphates in the aquarium cause it, and you will probably need to use special water treatments to remove the nutrients, which in turn, will remove this algae.
Blue-Green Aquarium Algae.
Red or Black-Beard Aquarium Algae (BBA)
Generally requiring a weak bleach solution (!) to kill it, this is one of the more difficult algae to remove. It is usually first noticed on plants but it can extend on hardscape materials like aquascaping rocks and aquarium driftwood.
Black-Beard Aquarium Algae (BBA).
Green Aquarium Algae
As far as algae go, this one is a perfectly normal and healthy aquarium algae that will be beneficial for your planted tank as long as it is not allowed to overgrow. It is also known as hair, thread or spot algae.
Green thread aquarium algae.
Green-Water Aquarium Algae
This is commonly referred to as algae bloom as that is exactly what it looks like. This aggravating algae is a microscopic one that is suspended in your tank’s water.
It cannot be wiped or scraped off and water changes are generally not effective either. To overcome green-water aquarium algae, you will need to use a diatomic filter or completely block all light from your tank for several days. If you take the light block route, please consider the fish and other plant life in your aquarium.
Green water aquarium algae.
6 Tips for Avoiding Aquarium Algae Overgrowth
1. Reduce Light Intensity and Duration
Placing your planted tank in a position where it will be in direct sunlight, even for a small part of the day, will promote algae growth.
Artificial light needs to be monitored to ensure that it is only as strong as is necessary and not on for any longer than eight hours a day. Consider using a timer on the plug socket to make sure you are keeping lighting levels perfect.
2. Reduce Feed Amount
It is very easy to overfeed your fish and this increases water phosphate levels. Ensure you are removing any uneaten food from the aquarium after five minutes. If you are removing food after every feed, you are overfeeding.
3. Increase Water Changes
If there is one thing that is important to do properly, it is regular water changes. The recommended amount to change is 25% to 50% of the aquarium water weekly. This will make sure that nutrient levels in the water are kept to an optimum level.
4. Increase Water Testing
It is really important that you understand the water that you are putting into your planted tank. Test the water at the source for phosphates and nitrates, and then respond accordingly.
5. Increase Overall Aquarium Cleaning
The minute you see algae (or even a potential algae site!) get cleaning started. Any movable items within the aquarium, remove them and scrub them hard. Glass can be scraped and gravel can be vacuumed.
6. Increase Numbers of Algae Eating Fish
The fun way to keep your algae under control! There are several types of tropical fish that will help you by eating and grinding some of the algae in the tank. Plecostomus, Otocinclus and the Siamese Flying Fox are great examples.
Siamese algae eater (SAE) – Crossocheilus siamensis.
How to Make Sure Your New Aquascape Aquarium Stays Algae-free
In a planted tank, it is not solely the health of the fish that you will need to plan for. Aquatic plants require just as much, if not more, attention to keep them looking at their best; making your aquascape shine in all of its glory.
While plants do process phosphates, nitrates, and ammonia as well as keeping the aquarium water quality up, algae eruptions are still possible. It is well worth remembering that algae are a plant. When you make changes to, or set up your tank for plants, you are providing just what algae need to prosper too.
Balance in your planted tank will encourage your desired plants to flourish; they are much more effective at taking in the nutrients in the water than algae is. Algae are well-known nutrient scavengers.
They are simpler life forms than plants and are quite capable of taking advantage of unbalanced ecosystems. Your problems with algae will arise when light, CO2, and nutrients are not balanced correctly for your planted tank.
If you prefer to look to plants rather fish for keeping your algae issues at bay, then choose fast growing stem plants. These types of plants are well known for their ability to take in the excess nutrients in the water at a higher speed. So, in this way, you don’t need to reduce the nutrients dosing in order to get rid of the excess aquarium algae.
Stem plants can help in getting rid of aquarium algae.
Aquarium plants are also very well adapted to show that they are not in ideal conditions. Yellow leaves and pinholes in their leaves are their warning signs that their living conditions are not quite right.
You really must react when you see even the first signs of the plants struggling to survive and photosynthesize. Test the aquarium water and add nutrients, where indicated, immediately. A balanced aquarium ecosystem is the result of strong-growing and contented plants.
In conclusion
As with many things in life, if it were simple then everyone would be doing it! Aquascaping takes research, time, and effort to produce amazing aquascapes. When issues such as algae arise, concentrate on working out exactly what the problem is and then work to fix it. Unfortunately, not all problems can be fixed; this is what keeps us on our toes!
An algae-free aquascape in the ADA Nature Aquarium gallery.
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