Why is my aquarium water green?

An aquarium is an enclosed environment in which you find fish, plants and in some cases shrimp. It is imperative to have clear water in which the different species will be able to flourish.

However, there are a number of factors to consider and unfortunately these can negatively impact water quality. As a result, you end up with green water in your aquarium.

Why do you have green water in your aquarium?

In the aquatic environment, when you have green water, this means that you have too high a density of planktonic microalgae or algae chloroplasts. In other words, you have a substantial amount of green algae. Of course, the aesthetic aspect is degraded, but it can also pose a threat to the species in your aquarium.

It is important to act in the right way depending on the causes. Indeed, when the water is green, it means that it is not clean. But it will be necessary to determine the psychochemical factors responsible for this disorder.

Indeed, you could experience a problem with your aquarium filter, a lighting problem or even the start of the tank explains the appearance of green water. But that does not exempt you from being vigilant about the various undesirable elements of your decor that can unfortunately disturb the clarity of your water.

Monitoring microalgae in water

The presence of heat and sun encourages the proliferation of microalgae. As a result, your soft, clear water will gradually turn into cloudy water. If you have a direct light giving on your aquarium, this one is certainly in excess and of this fact it is a source of proliferation of the microalgae.

It should be kept in mind that the majority of plants including algae use light for their photosynthesis. However, if you have too much exposure, algae will tend to proliferate. The solution is then to move the aquarium to moderate the brightness. Be careful, this does not mean that you have to put your aquarium in the dark.

A significant amount of waste

If unfortunately you have an overcrowded aquarium, your fish will tend to throw up a lot of organic waste. However, these are directly used by plants for food. In aquariums, it is important not to end up with an overpopulation, because unfortunately you will experience devastating effects.

In a very short time, you could end up with a significant amount of waste, obviously affecting the quality of the water. You have a disturbance of the biological balance with a rate of carbon dioxide which increases greatly.

It is then impossible for the species present to flourish, especially since the organic waste discharged will promote the development of algae. As a result, you will end up with green water.

Be careful not to use too much food

You must finely dose the food of your fish, otherwise the food that is not consumed will turn into nutrients for the algae. With too much food, algae growth will be extremely strong.

Again, this is a particularly harmful situation for your fish, plants and shrimp. You must therefore scrupulously follow the recommendations of the food by dosing as it should.

Solutions to put into practice to fight green water

A disturbance of the ecosystem will be noticed if you have green water. In other words, it is a harmful situation for the shrimps, fish and plants in your aquarium. But this is not inevitable, because several solutions are available to you in order to get rid of this problem.

Elimination of light sources

To combat algae growth, it is important to limit photosynthesis in your aquarium. If you have several light sources, you will have to get rid of them by avoiding direct sunlight.

In this case, it is imperative to move the aquarium to a more suitable location and get rid of the algae present. For this, nothing better than carrying out a thorough cleaning using the right utensils and the right products.

The use of a micron or diatomic filtration system

By installing this type of device, you will be able to get rid of suspended algae in your aquarium. For the growth of the animals, you will have to be vigilant about the cleanliness of the water. This is why you use this type of filtration system, which is particularly effective in getting rid of algae.

But that's not all, you will then have a greatly increased purification capacity so that the water is of better quality. But to achieve such a result, you must have optimal maintenance, that is, the filter must be able to treat all of the water in your aquarium at least four times per hour.

As a result, you will be able to see that the cloudiness will gradually disappear in favor of clear water.

Place daphnia in the tank

You don't know daphnia? They are planktonic crustaceans between 1 and 4 mm in length. The latter feed exclusively on bacteria and algae to live.

Therefore, they are absolutely essential in the purification of your aquarium. Another advantage, the tiny crustaceans do not pollute the water, but undeniably contribute to its purification.

As a result, you do not have green water in your aquarium and you have excellent water quality.

Using Shrimps or Snails in Your Aquarium

They are waste-eating species in your aquarium. By introducing snails, you will be able to maintain a better balance.

Indeed, they will eat the diseased and dead leaves on the algae. If you have dead fish, shrimps and snails can also help you get rid of them.