Algae In Your Acquarium - 4 Tips To Eliminate It Completely

One of the biggest downfalls when it comes to owning a fish tank is the algae buildup. Unfortunately, for fish owners, fresh and saltwater alike, this is a just a natural reaction in the tank and it needs to be cleaned. There are four different types of algae you could find yourself wrestling with: green, brown, red-brush and blue green.

Green algae are the normal type that most people have to deal with. It usually grows in bright aquariums. For anyone who has ever had to clean green algae knows this isn't a fun experience when you are trying to scrape the sides of the tank. Hair algae are usually floating around in the tank and can easily be cleaned with a fish net. The hard green dot algae take a lot of scrubbing time.

Brown algae normally appear when an aquarium has just started. This means that phosphate and nitrate levels are out of whack. These need to be tested and adjusted. The owner might consider adding more light as brown algae thrive in dim lighting. Expect the brown algae to go away once the water conditions are controlled.

Red-brush is difficult to deal with, but not very common. They only thrive in high pH levels. And, blue-green algae, well, it's not actually algae. It's a form of bacteria and resembles a slimy film that covers everything. This needs to be removed and cleaned immediately because it will harm anything in the tank from the plants to the fish.

There are different ways to prevent algae or at least limit the amount of algae that grows in the tank. It can't be all neutralized, but at least make the clean up process go a little easier.

1. Use less lighting. This might seem counterproductive because brown algae thrive in low lighting, but they also need specific water conditions to grow. Use dim lighting or turn the lights off after a certain interval, between seven and eight hours. This will prevent the algae from getting enough to light to photosynthesize.

2. Change the water every couple of weeks. This will inhibit algae growth. Also, vacuum the rocks and clean the gravel. You can also use distilled water when changing the water as a way to maintain algae growth. However, if you use distilled water, you have to do it every time the water is changed because you could harm the fish if you use different water every time.

3. Get algae eating fish. There are some fish that just love algae and will suck it right off the sides of tank like certain catfish. If you fill your tank with these fish, your algae cleaning days will come to a minimum.

4. Purchase a reliable algae glass cleaning magnet. This will make the process easier when have to clean and help reduce the algae produced between cleanings.

Algae are the least fun part of owning fish. However, it needs to be cleaned for the fish to thrive. Even if you do own algae eating fish, this shouldn't be an excuse not to clean the tank. Check the sides of the tank and any tubes or pipes that lead into the tank for algae. It can grow in the strangest places.

Abhishek is an avid Fish Lover and he has got some great Aquarium Care Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 105 Pages Ebook, "Aquarium Care Made Easy!" from his website http://www.Wonder-Homes.com/636/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.