other than chemicals, how do i remove green algae from my aquarium?

Answer 1

You can put algae eaters in the tank, but I take and turn the light off in my tank for about a week, only turning it on to feed my fish (but it won't hurt them). The lack of light kills the algae, no chemicals involved.

Answer 2

Chemicals should always be a LAST resort to water quality problems. Remember that everything you put into your tank is something every fish has to process through it's gills and live in. Stressed fish are sick/dead fish. Be careful what you put into your tank.

The most common cure for most problems with fish tanks are more frequent water changes. Scrape the walls of the tank before you change the water. You should double up on your water changes to remove any excess waste which is feeding the algae. I suggest 1/2 tank every week. Always siphon the water from the bottom.

Since excess light also promotes algae growth, keep the lights on as little as possible (maybe a few hours only and during feeding). You may wish to use a timer. Also, make sure that your tank is not getting any light from the windows in your room. If this is happening, move the tank or screen the light from hitting your tank.

Adding algae eaters isn't always a good idea since many of them grow to enormous sizes and become aggressive as they mature.

Make sure your tank isn't overstocked either. There should be one fish for every gallon of water to be safe.

And don't overfeed. This is a common problem which leads to either dead fish or raging algae problems. If you experiment, you should only feed what the fish can eat in 2 - 3 minutes with a minimum of food hitting the gravel.

Answer 3

It depends on what kind of algae it is.Smudge algae is easiest to clean off, you can use your finger to rub it off or get a fish to eat it. Spot algae has to be scratched off and hair algae can be eaten by fish.
Algae eating fish:
siamese flying fox/siamese algae eater
plecos
Ancistrus bristlenose
twig catfish/whiptails
chinese/indian algae eater
otocinclus affinis
kissing gouramis
There are probably more. Corys also eat algae but they do not help very much.The rough side of a sponge also works, and so do lego pieces and rulers. Some stores also sell magnetic cleaners. One magnet is stuck in the inside of the aquarium and the other outside, next to it.You move the one one the outside to where the algae is and the one inside will clean it off. Also, you can switch the aquarium lights off for a day or 2.

Answer 4

Depends on what kind of algae you have. Algae sucking fish will eat soft algae but not hair algae (otocinclus will stay small but they like to be in groups of no less then 3 and tend to be a little fragile--if it lives past a few weeks, it'll be good for the long haul but they don't always adjust well and often die for no apparent reason). The other algae fish tend to grow big and will sometimes get vicious as they age. If the algae is on the sides of the tank, olive nerite snails do an excellent job of keeping the sides clean (plus any eggs they lay will not hatch because they need brackish water for hatching) and nerites don't eat regular plants. They don't do gravel or plants very well (baby ones will but they grow to be about the size of a small olive and too heavy for most plants). Algae-eating shrimp will eat hair algae growing on plants, decorations, and will also graze around for any leftover fish food but since these tend to be small, fish love to eat them which defeats the purpose. They will reproduce (baby shrimps will be eaten by most fish though) but are sensitive to bad tank keeping and chemicals (including dechlorinates--let your dechlor. treated water sit for a day before inputting into the tank).

Answer 5

You can scrape off the algae, but it is only a part
of the algae story. Your aquarium should be
placed in a position, that it gets as little daylight
as possible. Sunlight a no no -. You will have
little algae to worry about.

Answer 6

nicely, you will choose a much bigger tank to maintain that tang, yet whilst i might forget approximately approximately that for a 2nd and concentration on your question: First, the phophate measurement isn't efficient. The phophates on your water are tied up interior the algae, so the low examining is somewhat deceptive. some concepts: -seem right into a skimmer improve. it quite is not an algae answer, yet a good skimmer does help (particular, females and gents, organic and organic phophate *is* a polarized molecule). -do away with the potential filter out. in case you have sufficient stay rock, you do no longer choose it, and it basically save the nitrates inflated. stay rock will denitrify the waste thoroughly. -How's your water flow? in case you haven't any longer have been given sufficient pass, or in case you have too many ineffective spots, algae can earnings on that. maximum tanks have a minimum of 10 circumstances the quantity turnover consistent with hour (350 gallons consistent with hour on your case), and greater is often greater suitable than much less. -shrink down on your feeding at the same time as the undertaking clears up. -You did no longer point out what style of substrate you're utilising. If it quite is not argonite, replace it. despite if it quite is aragonite, pass deeper; examine deep sand mattress methodologies. they are super denitrators. i for my area in no way got here upon phophate-lowering media to have any result, yet you may consistently attempt it. in spite of the shown fact that, the foremost to controlling algae is prevention. locate out why it quite is transforming into and fix the undertaking. Afterwards, you ought to appear into getting some astrea and/or swifter snails. they would be better than satisfied to graze on hair algae that should crop up, so long because it does not enhance too long. And in case you nonetheless have problems with the diatoms regardless of each and every thing of this, cerith snails can grow to be your suitable buddy.

Answer 7

The little green suckers. They're good with eating algae and also the excrement of other fish. Yes, this will keep your tank pretty clean. And like the other dude said, scrubbers, they "MAGNET-O" written on them (really work with algae on the walls). Oh and if u ever restart your tank never use soap!!!!!!

Answer 8

Clean all sides of the tank and clean the rocks good with your siphon hose vac, clean all the objects that have anything green on them with a fine stiff brush, buy a screen for the outside back of tank and keep daylight out of the tank!And don't leave the tank lights on all the time,only eight,ten hours.Then start with a nice clean tank,do you have a under gravel filter,tank filter and power head set up?? Get them.....Also get one or two tiny algae eaters depending on the size of your tank, ( one for each 20 gal of tank).

Answer 9

Three options buy an algae eater, clean the tank really well or buy some algae killer and put a couple of drops in the tank.

Answer 10

Elbow Grease ..... go to a store & bought a straight edge razor blade & scrape the algae off the inside.