Continue reading to learn how to prevent algae from taking over your aquarium. Brown algae caused by inadequate light forms huge brown layers in your aquarium.

Most Common Algae Types Causes How To Remove From Aquarium

It is usually harmless and will eventually go away as the tank matures.

What causes algae in fish tanks. And the levels of nutrients dissolved in the water. Algae thrive on nutrient sources. Because algae is constantly eating away these nutrients as a food source and fuel for growth getting an accurate reading can be hard.

There are chemicals available for killing algae but I strongly recommend avoiding those. Micro-algae spores also known as phytoplankton are always present in an aquarium but sometimes they bloom and the result is a cloudy green tint to the water. As mentioned above light can be one of the reasons that hair algae appear.

Buy some fish or other aquarium inhabitants that can be fed by algae hair and they will do the job for you. Factor Causes of Algae Growth Like plants all species of algae need light water and nutrients to grow. Fish waste dead plant leaves uneaten fish food and other miscellaneous organic waste in your tank can produce phosphates that encourage Brush algae to proliferate and spread.

A disturbance or imbalance in a young ecological system is the most common cause of Fuzz Algae growth in a tank. However too much algae can cause problems and doesnt look to great either. In most cases this is actually not algae at all but cyanobacteria.

This situation is mainly caused by small free-floating algae that add a green stain to the tank water. Honestly its like entering into a lions cage wearing meat pants like Lady Gaga at MTV awards. Red algae can act as a food supplement to a number of herbivorous fish.

But a low reading of phosphate or nitrate in an algae infested aquarium can be misleading. The bloom is usually caused by an overabundance of organic nutrients in the water column. This sounds a lot worse than it is and generally the solution is simple.

Why Red Algae Appears An uncontrolled growth of red algae can pollute the aquarium and look terrible. An abundance of silicates in your fish that is one of the major causes of brown algae blooms in your fish tank. Just like plants algae thrives on nutrients and light.

In order to prevent that you need to lower the brightness of the light in your fish tank. Also known as slime or smear algae it can be caused by an excess of nitrate and phosphate in the water. Also known as gravel or silica algae this algae is common in new tanks and will coat the tank in sheets which are easily wiped off.

If your aquarium is getting more light than necessary that will also add fuel to the fire. If your tank water is cloudy and green all of a sudden you are in the midst of an algae bloom. The amount of light the aquarium receives.

This type of algae will grow as a result of the common causes. Silica can build up in the aquarium from tap water that is high in silicic acid. Its one of the simplest algae to get rid of because if you just give it some time the plants will naturally consume the excess phosphates and silicates and clean-up crews love to feed on it.

The level of silicates in your fish tanks experiences a spike whenever you add new gravel or substrate to your aquarium. Lower light will not cause green hair algae to spread in your tank. It can also leach from some types of substrates that you may be using such as silica sand.

Use a powerful filter andor powerheads to increase circulation all around the tank lifting dirt and keeping it in suspension for the filter to remove. This can come in as some small filaments floating in the water as water born spores or perhaps in the digestive tract of fishes. With sunlight or the tank light shining in the water algae is sure to grow.

In marine aquariums Red Algae can create pleasant looking red reefs while also preventing nitrates and phosphates from developing in the water. Too much organic waste in your tank either from overfeeding or lack of proper cleaning creates the perfect environment for Blue-Green Algae to thrive. Slime algae like Cyanobacteria start in the least disturbed area of the tank where dirt collects and flow is low to non-existent.

A problem with any freshwater aquarium is algae growth. Reducing the available nutrients in the water can suppress the bloom and clear it up. Algae live in the water not just on surfaces so a sudden change in any of the parameters that allow them to thrive can cause a sudden burst of algae growth.

Causes for Red Algae in the Aquarium The most likely reason for red algae is introduction of contaminated plants or a bag of fish from a store tank with red algae. You can help prevent phosphate levels from increasing and starving the algae of nutrients by managing your tank correctly. Diatom algae is most commonly seen in newly planted tanks and is often caused by high levels of phosphates and silicates.

Since an aquarium provides the water were left with two factors that you can control to prevent the rapid accumulation of algae. Low CO2 can be another cause for this alga preventing plants from competing for resources with algae. If either or both are at high levels in the fish tank then this is certainly a cause for algae problems.

Its not unheard of for Fuzz Algae to suddenly appear in a mature tank as well. Another efficient way that will help to get rid of algae hair is by the help of algae eaters. These algae belong to the genus Chlorella.

Red algae which is caused by a lack of carbon dioxide in the water is really nasty and hangs in threads all over your aquarium. If the problem is due to high silica in the water and Brown Algae seems to persist get a special silicate-absorbing resin for the tanks filter. Extra oxygen can be added to battle the red algae but often a tank must be cleaned and restarted if it gets out of control.

Instead here are seven natural ways you can get rid of algae in your fish tank. It is basically a situation when the water in your aquarium turns completely green.