Having a fish as a pet is perfect when you’re looking for a companion that’s always waiting patiently for you after school. Even though they don’t need much maintenance, you’ll want to keep an eye out for algae. Too much can be dangerous to your aquatic friends. Look below to find the best ways to control algae growth in your fish tank.
Why You Need To Watch Out for Algae
A small amount of algae growing in your aquarium is normal and harmless. However, an algae infestation in an aquarium is frequently a symptom of an imbalance or excessive pollution levels in the water. All that unseemly growth can harm fish by increasing the pH level, depriving the tank of oxygen at night, clogging filters, and making it impossible for your fish to move around.
Cut Down on the Light
Algae thrive on energy from the sun, so you’ll need to place your tank away from windows and other sources of direct sunlight. When you have live plants inside the tank, cut down the amount of light they receive to a couple of hours a day. You can treat extreme algae outbreaks by covering the tank with sheets and turning off the lights for a few days.
Regularly Test Your Water
You should test your aquarium water regularly, along with your tap water, before replacing the water in the tank. If your test results reveal considerable amounts of phosphate, nitrate, or iron, you’ll need to figure out how to lower them. Otherwise, getting rid of the algae will be virtually impossible.
Manage Phosphate Levels
Phosphate levels that are too high can cause algae to bloom out of control. Make sure you clean out any uneaten food because it could cause phosphate to leak out if left inside the tank. A reverse osmosis system or a tap water filter is the most reliable way to decrease or eliminate phosphate already in the tank.
Add Plants To Battle Algae
Adding extra plants to your aquarium will make it look attractive and aid in the fight against algae. That’s because plants compete directly with algae for light and nutrients. More often than not, plants come out ahead.
When you know the best ways to control algae growth in your fish tank, you can make sure your pets have a happy and healthy home to swim in. When you move on to college, you might even be able to bring your fish with you.