What is the best way to keep algae out of a fish tank?

Answer 1

Have you had your nitrates tested lately? If not, take a sample to your local pet store that sells fish and get it tested. Anything less than 40ppm is safe, but you want it less than 20ppm to inhibit algae growth. If it's more than 20ppm, you need to do a water change. You should be doing about 20% a week. If your nitrates are too high within a week's period, chances are, your tank is overstocked.

If your tank is in direct sunlight, consider moving the tank or closing the curtains/shade. Also, leave your aquarium light off for a couple of days. Algae needs light to grow. You take away the light, you can't grow any algae.

Consider planting some live plants like java fern. They will help convert the nitrates into food for themselves.

Lower your temperature to mid-70s. Be careful not to lower anymore than 4 degrees a day, or else you run the risk of messing with your fishies' immune systems. And we don't want any sick fishies.

Ghost shrimp are known to eat algae, and they add practically nothing to your bioload. And they're cheap.

Do not get any algae eating fish, like a pleco. Depending on your tank size (if it's anything less than a 55-gallon), they will quickly outgrow your tank.

And if all else fails, and you have to add chemicals, make sure you get an algicide that does not contain copper, as some fish are very sensitive to it, and it's quite difficult to remove. I recommend Algae Magic by Weiss, as it's organic and safe for all fish, plants, and invertebrates.

To clean the current algae, do not use a used kitchen sponge. Go to your petstore and get one of them nifty magnetized scrubbers. I just picked one up last week to clean my tank, and it's a miracle worker.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Apart from getting either a hulking 2 foot pleco, or a 1 foot chinese algae eater that sucks the slime coat off of fish, there are many ways. while a tank will never really be free of algae,there are ways of minimizing it. In a non planted tank, leave lights on for no more than 8 hours, also use regular flourescent, with low intensites, just enough to see the fish. The strip light that normally comes with the tank is fine. Also, minimize feedings. 1 or 2 SMALL meals a day may already be too much. A fish can go weeks without food, though not reccommended. Foods are loaded with the phosphates and nitrates algae needs to thrive.

Also, do water changes, every water changes eleminates built up neutrients, a good 25-50 % change weekly is good, though more frequently is better.
Use an algae scraper, they do help. If you really want an algae eating fish, otos, or otocinclus, are ok growing up to 1.5 inches, though are very delicate and commonly die on even experienced fish keepers. Also, they are best kept in schools of 6+. Small plecos work too. These include clown, rubbernose, and bristlenose or bushnose plecos. There are more, however research them carefully as some like the sailfin grow huge. The siamese algae eater is good if you know what you are doing. This fish grows to 6" and is fairly peaceful. They are either kept individually, or in large schools to control aggression. Needless to say, a school needs a large tank. Though these fish are great, they are easily confused.Try doing a search on it, i am not great at identifiying fish. There is a flying fox, which does ok at eating algae, but is delicate , and very aggresive.

Answer 3

Green algae is usually caused by too much light, so the simple way would be to have less light on the tank.

Answer 4

Buy an algae eating fish.

Answer 5

ensure tank gets no direct sunlight, do not keep tank light on all the time, its best to turn it off at night for t least 8 hours. Do not over feed and if you think about adding snails, beware they can overtake your pond and you will eventually have to replace everything excert the fish, or use chemicals to destroy them. the water must also have a good flow .

Answer 6

A good way to control algea without adding expensive chemicals is to add Carbon Dioxide. I do it myself with a 1 gallon plastic bottle, sugar, and yeast, and a tube connecting the jug to the tank. I don't need the expensive CO2 injection systems. It also helps my plants in the tank grow faster.

Answer 7

get a plecotomas!! they are the "algae eating fish" that people talk about. they come in many different sizes and colors. they arent that expensive to buy either! they mainly do their work at night

Answer 8

go to petsmart and go to the fish ask an one of the workers to show you a catfish they eat the alge

Answer 9

add in shrimp or place your tank away from sunlight. Lastly add in a good fultration system.

Answer 10

get an alage fish