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Why do I have so much algae in
my saltwater aquarium?
There are many possible causes of algae in a saltwater aquarium that
are all interconnected. The primary factor in excess algae growth is
too many nutrients (organic molecules) in the water. This is caused
by the addition of food to the aquarium. Residual food and fish poop
produce nitrates in the aquarium. Nitrates, for all practical
purposes, are fertilizer for algae. Combine that with
high-intensity lighting, and *poof* you have algae.
What can I do to keep algae from
becoming a problem?
Keeping feeding to a minimum - as in every other day is a good
start. Using RO/DI water to keep the addition of nutrients to
a bare minimum is a second thing you need to do. However,
despite our best efforts, sometimes other factors are still a
problem. Phosphates are another common problems to have.
Phosphates typically come from food and when combined with the
nitrates, make an ideal fertilizer. If you are having a
problem with these things, you are probably behind on your regular
monthly water changes. Make sure to keep up with them so that
you keep the levels of phosphates and nitrates down to minimal
levels. Remember to check out information about water changes
in our FAQ section about
regular maintenance.
I'm doing regular water changes, but
algae is STILL a problem. What next?
Some people, despite their best efforts,
have problems with algae. This is common in tanks that are
heavily fed because of the type of fish (predators) or a high number
of fish. in this case, NorthSide recommends the regular use of
Seachem's Purigen to remove organic wastes such as nitrates.
One may also use Seachem's Phosguard to remove excess phosphates.
Another product that we have had success with is Algone.
NorthSide regularly keeps all of these products in stock.
What animals can you use in a
saltwater aquarium to control algae?
There are a number of animals that can be used to control algae in a
saltwater aquarium. Invertebrates: Snails do a good job at controlling algae on glass and on the
rock when it is short. Hermit crabs, in large numbers, can do a bang up job on
cleaning up rock. They can clean up rock that is very dirty in a
short period of time, provided there are enough of them to do the
job. Remember to stick to small blue and red legged hermits if you
have a reef tank. You may also use Scarlet hermits, but be sure to
stay away from hermits that become very large. They may prey on your
fish. Urchins also do a good job at controlling algae, but they
will not consume it at a rapid rate. NorthSide recommends Globe
Urchins because they are easy to handle without risk of being stuck
by spines. Just be sure to have your corals glued down with some
Aquascape Epoxy, because they like to decorate themselves with
whatever is loose in the aquarium. Emerald crabs are wonderful critters to have in the aquarium
when hair or bubble algae are present. Sea Hares and Sea Bunnies are voracious algae eaters.
If you have an out-of-control algae situation, these guys are a
great temporary fix in a medium to large aquarium. You must plan on
bringing them back to the local fish store as soon as your algae
disappears, because they will starve without it. Be aware that these
guys can cause problems in your aquarium if they die. You should
always run carbon as a precautionary measure.
Algae-Eating Fish
Rainford's Gobies and Hector's Gobies are small
algae-eating fish that are very suitable for nano and small
aquariums. They pick at algae as it grows out of the rock. While
they will not raze a completely overgrown rock, they do help keep it
from becoming a problem in the first place. Lawnmower Blennies are so named because they "mow" down
algae. They are suitable for medium sized tanks and up. They can
become aggressive, so be sure not to select them if you have a small
tank. Tangs (a type of surgeon fish) are great at eating algae, but
they require a lot of swimming room. Many tangs get quite large, so
they need a 6' tank to be happy.
