How to clean algae in an aquarium?

Cleaning the algae in your aquarium is a bit of a must when you invest in the aquarium hobby. The presence of these invasive plants is a natural phenomenon in aquariums as well as in ponds. We cannot therefore totally prevent their development.

That said, if algal blooms are observed at the end of the nitrogen cycle, action is advised. Indeed, even if their appearance is natural, algae can be harmful to the aquarium and its inhabitants.

In this post, we will therefore see the possible alternatives when it comes to cleaning pain. We will see how to clean the aquarium to protect it from an invasion, but also how to get rid of it effectively when we observe strong growth.

You may also be interested: our article explaining how to kill algae in a pond .

What are the problems caused by the presence of algae in an aquarium?

In an aquarium, algae growth is usually a sign of a problem in the tank. If the phenomenon impacts the health of the aquarium less, it will be just as remarkable. And for good reason: the algae will certainly give a blow to your decoration, and make the aquarium ugly.

At the same time, the strong presence of algae can also have harmful consequences for living beings in the tank. In other words, other plants such as fish and shellfish could be affected by algal blooms.

The high oxygen consumption of algae

Thus, an aquarium infested with algae can quickly harm your plants as well as your fish. This is explained by the high oxygen consumption of the algae during the night.

In the event of proliferation, your tank therefore dangerously loses oxygen. And this directly impacts the inhabitants of it.

Some algae are influenced by light

At the same time, there are also other species of algae whose consumption of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is influenced by light. In other words, it greatly increases the pH of the water during the day (pH above 9).

For their survival, these particular algae extract CO 2 from the carbonate hardness (the KH). This causes a significant drop in the amount of this element in the water, and pH instability.

The latter will drop sharply at night, to rise above 10 during the day. Eventually, such a situation will lead to the disappearance of all life in the aquarium.

Prevent the appearance of algae in the aquarium

Before getting to the problem posed by the elimination of algae, we can absolutely limit their spread. Of course, this starts with regular monitoring of the various parameters of the aquarium. And when we talk about follow-ups, we think in particular of the various tests and periodic checks that we must carry out.

Take into account the nutritional sources of algae

As we have seen previously, the appearance of algae is completely normal. In a simplified way, the idea consists in limiting the quantity of food available to the algae. To determine if the pond already contains the nutrients favorable to the development of algae, we will start by testing the water parameters.

Nitrates

On their own, nitrates are not as dangerous as ammonia and nitrites. That said, when you have a high concentration of nitrates, they can still be toxic.

The real problem is rather because they promote the development of algae. Check that the nitrate level does not exceed 5-10mg per litre.

Phosphates

Along with nitrates, phosphates can potentially constitute the origin of algae.

As they are also necessary for optimal plant growth, it will be necessary to determine their concentration rate and adapt the treatments according to the basin.

Check that the nitrate level does not exceed 0.1 mg per liter

Limit the level of phosphates and nitrates in the aquarium

Nitrate removal

To remove nitrates from the aquarium, it is best to use long-term biological filter material such as JBL BioNitratEx .

For faster treatments, on the other hand, we will opt for the filter medium to be placed in the filter such as JBL NitratEX .

Phosphate removal

To eliminate the phosphates present in the aquarium, while limiting the appearance of black and green algae, a special filter medium such as JBL PhosEX Ultra will be used.

If rapid intervention is envisaged, the JBL PhosEX Rapid liquid preparation is more suitable.

How do I eliminate algae throughout my aquarium?

In an aquarium, the uncontrolled growth of algae is very harmful to the beings that live there. This is a sign of an imbalance in your aquarium device. Ideally, you should get rid of them quickly or at least limit their development.

Of course, there are several applicable methods for cleaning and removing algae from an aquarium. In the case of a tank infested with algae and depending on the situation, we can therefore choose one of the solutions proposed below.

Solution 1: clean your tank with algae eaters

One of the first methods is to use algae eaters . A very evocative term since it is shrimps, snails or fish that are very fond of algae. In addition to getting rid of algae, algae eaters consume manure, as well as dead plants and animals.

Algae eaters will help you keep your gear clean for as long as possible. Not only do they eradicate algae, they also clean your tank and optimize the ecological balance of the aquarium.

1. Snails

Snails are much more effective against green or brown algae . In this kind of case, we recommend the use of snails called " Neritinas " for optimal results.

Put simply, these invertebrates use their scraping tongue to remove layers of algae . And this, as much on the glass, on the material as on the decorative elements of the aquarium.

It should be noted, however, that Neritinas can pose a downside. In this case, they can go deep into the substrate and lead to the uprooting of ground cover plants. If this happens, you can turn to Clithon snails . These are smaller and less robust than the Neritinas.

Recommendations:

• We recommend one snail for ten liters of aquarium volume.
• It is also important not to use algaecide treatment in this type of tank: the snails will not survive.

2. Japanese shrimp

In the case of shrimps, we recommend using them against thread algae . More specifically, we will talk about the japonica shrimps which feed almost all the time. This allows in particular to limit the growth of layers of algae.

Also known as Caridina multidentata or Caridina japonica , these shrimp are at risk of causing substrate oscillations when their activity level reaches a high.

You can also opt for the Amano shrimp, which are just as effective. These are, on the other hand, more suitable for 60 cm aquariums considering their large size.

Recommendation :

• Use 10 liters of aquarium volume for one caridine

3. Crossocheilus oblongus fish

The Crossocheilus oblongus is a Siamese algae-eating fish. Perfect for cleaning a tank infested with black algae, this fish is quite large. We will therefore prefer an aquarium with a volume greater than 200 liters.

Solution 2: Use hydrogen peroxide to clean algae (Biobooster)

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a safe way to remove algae from a completely overgrown aquarium. This method should be applied only if natural eradication methods have not worked.

In this case, we will therefore use the Biobooster+ . Make sure to use the weakest, but capable enough to eliminate these algae, at the risk of threatening the life in your device.

After applying this treatment, some plants will momentarily change color. Don't worry, it's not because your aquarium has a problem. They will return to their normal color after a few weeks.

To avoid harming the inhabitants of your tank, it is recommended to use 3% hydrogen peroxide. Be careful not to exceed this percentage to avoid overdosing which could seriously and dangerously impact the aquarium.

This treatment is most effective in removing green and blue-green algae. Regarding the dose of hydrogen peroxide for algae cleaning, use 20 ml per 50 liters of water in the aquarium.

Solution 3: Use glutaraldehyde to clean algae

To eliminate red algae, green or blue-green algae from your aquarium system, it is advisable to use glutaraldehyde . The morning is the best time to use this solution, since it can consume enough oxygen in the water depending on the dose.

Make sure your aquarium has good ventilation if you plan to use the treatment over several days, and with a high dose. You can thus use an aerator with a stone diffuser. The recommended dose of glutaraldehyde is 2%. This percentage is equivalent to 1 ml or 2 ml per 50 liters of aquarium water.

Clean algae in a specific area

Algae may only invade part of your aquarium. In this case, you do not need to process the whole tank. All you have to do is target the areas that the algae have invaded, and clean. In this cleaning process, you will use a standard 5ml disposable syringe, and hydrogen peroxide or glutaraldehyde.

The syringe will extract the right amount of liquid to remove algae from a specific corner. For this method to be effective, the tank current should be as low as possible. This treatment must be repeated once a day for 4 days to effectively clean the algae from the area concerned.

Conclusion

The best solution to avoid the proliferation of algae in the aquarium is to adopt better habits. Change the water regularly, have a good lighting and oxygen system.

If all this does not work, you are entitled to resort to treatments to clean your device.

You may also be interested: our selection of oxygenating plants to keep a balanced pond .