5 reasons why algae can easily grow inside an aquarium, and what you can do about it!

5 reasons why algae can easily grow inside an aquarium!

Algae growth is pretty common for aquascape lovers. Normal and healthy algae growth may make the tank look more vibrant and beautiful. But what if they grow too thick? Dense algae are not only harmful to fish and plants, but they are also unsightly. This is one of the simplest but crucial problems for aquarium owners which can test their patience and diligence in cleaning their aquarium.

WHAT IS ALGAE?

The term "algae" is actually a broad term to describe a large number of different organisms. "Algae" themselves are microscopic single-celled plants and are shaped like threads/mucus, or macroscopic which are shaped like seaweed. Algae that are often found in aquariums are microalgae, plants with simple reproductive structures are generally greenish (hair algae), turquoise (slime algae), brown (silica algae), reddish (staghorn/beard algae), or black-haired (Black). Beard Algae / Audouinella sp., Rhodochorton sp) which crawls on the glass, substrate, accessories, plants, etc.

Several causes of algae to grow rapidly:

1. Aquarium Lighting that's been on for too long
2. Aquarium position that is directly exposed to sunlight
3. Feeding too much fish, and not cleaning the fish foods excess.
4. Not doing water changing regularly
5. Water nutrient content is too high

THEN HOW DO I PREVENT THE GROWTH OF ALGES?

1. Reducing the Lighting in the Aquarium

Sunlight can help the process of growing algae quickly. Therefore, placing the aquarium in a place that is not exposed to direct sunlight is the right action. Use a lamp with the appropriate power for the aquarium for lighting with a maximum limit of 8-10 hours a day. You can also use a lamp that contains a timer to make it easier for you to set a sufficient and optimal lighting level.

We at Bali Reef Aquarium recommend using special LED lights for aquariums such as (Chichiros) where the spectrum is evenly distributed, and not shifting when the lights start to age.

2. Reducing the amount of fish feeding

Giving too much fish feed is not good for the water balance in the aquarium. The amount of decomposition of uneaten fish feed will increase the level of phosphate in the water. So give enough food. Make sure you throw away any uneaten fish feed after five minutes. If you always put food away after feeding, you are 'overfeeding' the fish.

3. Routine Water Change

This is an effective way to maintain the nutritional balance of the water in the aquarium. Perform water changes once a week. You do this by draining 15% of the water each time, then replacing it with new water. Especially for hobbyists who live in Bali, groundwater often contains very high lime and phosphate content which is caused by the structure of the coral soil. We at Bali Reef Aquarium strongly recommend hobbyists to use drinking water or refill water. Or pair the Reverse Osmosis tool.

4. Carry out a thorough cleaning of the aquarium
If your rocks and accessories have the potential for algae growth, immediately remove them from the tank and clean them thoroughly with a brush. Meanwhile, if it is in the glass, you can scrape it and on the gravel you can scrub it and then vacuum it. The following aquarium cleaning tools we can recommend:

To kill the remaining Algae on the aquarium ornament, it can be sterilized using (Aquariset Algae killer):

5. Adding Algae Eating Fish to the Aquarium

There are fish that eat algae too! By adding some algae-eating fish such as SAE fish (Siamese Alga Eater), Sunodown Fish (Plecostomus), Horn conch and Amano Shrimp also helps in reducing the amount of algae in the aquarium. The fish is in our shop, so you can contact our whatsapp number to ask for details ~

6. Add Water Plants

Aquatic plants will help you reduce the amount excess nutrients that the algae absorb. Choose fast-growing water stem plants. Stem plants will absorb more nutrients in the water, making it difficult for algae to grow and develop, but make sure the aquarium has adequate lights and substrate.
With this, you don't have to bother reducing the nutrient levels in the water. For available stem plans, please contact our whatsapp number.

7. Water Quality Test

By checking the water content, it will be easier for you to find out what causes the fast growth of algae and find out about how to treat it. High levels of nitrates and phosphates in water are a trigger for the rapid growth of algae.

Here are the ultimate numbers for good water quality:
0 mg / l for Ammonia (NH3)
0 mg / l for Nitrite (NO2)
10 to 25 mg / l for nitrate (NO3)
0.1 to 1 mg / l for phosphate (PO4)

You can find the water tests in the link below:

Alternatively, you can remove algae by adding:
Additive Bacteria
Which is used every 2 weeks.

Just like life, of course, there are twists and turns of problems, so does maintaining an aquarium! Problems in the aquatic world such as algae growth are neither easy nor very difficult to solve. It takes patience, grit, and repeated trials to get the desired results in the aquarium ecosystem. So don't give up quickly!

We will continue to update this article, following input from the community and available items. So please if you have any feedback, let us know! who knows it can help beginner hobbyists who are starting to learn. You can DM via Instagram or Facebook or drop us a message at Info@balireefaquarium.com

Thank you!