Saltwater Aquarium Algae Control - Is Your Filtration Effective Enough?

Aquarium algae control is an important task in the maintenance of any aquarium, freshwater or saltwater. Algae can grow and invade an aquarium for many reasons. Usually poor water quality or poor maintenance practices are to blame for algae growth that is out of control.

Any aquarium owner knows that algae growing in their aquarium is a natural thing. It is hard to have an aquarium that is completely free of algae, but it's not hard to keep algae growth to a minimum.

So, how can you control the algae growth in your saltwater aquarium? First things first. Make sure your main aquarium filtration system is powerful enough to effectively filter the water in your aquarium.

If your aquarium filtration is not powerful enough to efficiently clean the water in your aquarium on a continual basis, you might need to enhance the power of your filtration system. Check the specifications on the filtration system that you are using to make sure that it is rated to filter the amount of water that is in your aquarium.

If you have a high fish load in your aquarium you will need to possibly use more powerful water filtration than normal. Indications of too many fish in your aquarium are nitrate and ammonia levels that are tough to control.

In addition to the power of the filtration system, how you maintain your filtration system will also have an effect on algae growth. Don't let your filtration system just sit for weeks without checking it and cleaning it.

A canister filter can easily become a nitrate factory if left unchecked. Regularly clean the inside of the canister or sump and replace any media as needed. Remove any physical waste from the filter pads, that junk will help feed algae if left untouched. Your filter removes junk from the aquarium water, but you in turn must remove that junk from the filter on a regular basis.

Using a protein skimmer in combination with your canister or sump filter is also a must. A protein skimmer will physically remove impurities and wastes from the water, preventing your biological filtration to have to overwork to break down huge amounts of wastes in the water.

All aquarists battle algae, it's a part of owning an aquarium. Using many different techniques to try to control algae will help you determine the best way to control algae in your aquarium.

Visit http://aquarist-refuge.com/2008/10/26/aquarium-algae-control-how-to-prevent-algae-growth/ to learn more techniques and tips to aid in aquarium algae control.