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Algae growth - how to reduce it

© Winston Vaughan Schoenfeld

Before I begin to write about the topic of this article, I would like to say a few things. First, for those of you who have been keeping up with this topic, and the articles that I write each month (it used to be weekly), I would really appreciate some feedback to let me know if the articles I am writing have been useful and interesting. Perhaps one of the hardest things to do as an editor is to come up with new article topics. This is because I try to come up with articles that the majority of aquarists can learn from, rather than just writing about any random topic. If there are topics which you are interested in, or previous articles that you would like additional information about, please email me Winston Schoenfeld .

I get about one question a week, asking about how to get rid of algae problems. Aquariums look beautiful when first cleaned or set up, but sooner or later, the infamous bloom of algae will come around. The first thing to realize about algae is that even the fish store that you may shop at locally has algae growth. What you don't see as a customer is the numerous hours of cleaning that the store must do in between open hours. They also spend many hours removing sick fish, etc..., but that is another article. Perhaps the best way to start figuring out how to prevent algae blooms is to understand what promotes algae growth. Algae growth can be enhanced by poor pH and water quality, too high a density of fish (which is basically the same as poor water quality), extended lighting hours, or improper lighting spectrum.

Poor water quality, and bad pH, is often caused by lack of water changes, or too many fish per unit volume of aquarium. Water changes should be done regularly every week to four weeks (this ranges largely due to aquarium setup). In addition to water changes, periodic scrubbing of the aquarium walls is necessary. No mattter how clean you are, you will always need an occasional wall cleaning. The bottom line here is that you should try to follow suggested water changes. This will reduce the growth rate of algae, and reduce the chances of a possible algae bloom in your aquarium. Lighting is also a major cause of algae bloom. Lights should be left on for only 8 to 9 hours a day, tops. This will supply the necessary amount of lighting to the aquarium, without giving excess lighting hours that will cause increased algae growth. Another major cause of algae growth is the use of incorrect lighting. Do not try and cut corners when purchasing aquarium bulbs. Those that are sold for general use in homes cause enhanced algae growth. You must purchase bulbs specifically made for aquariums. This is because full spectrum bulbs for aquariums actually are not "full spectrum." The do not include red, which has been shown to cause increased algae growth. Thus if you do not buy a bulb made for aquariums, you are headed straight for frustration, and a lot of scrubbing.

The copyright of the article Algae growth - how to reduce it in Aquariums is owned by Winston Vaughan Schoenfeld. Permission to republish Algae growth - how to reduce it in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.