Blue-green algae is a real scourge for many aquarists. Appearing as if from nowhere, they flood an aquarium, causing many problems to its inhabitants, as well as causing serious damage to aesthetics. Therefore, how to deal with blue-green algae in the aquarium, it will be useful to know for every lover of fish. But first, it's worth figuring out what it is and where it comes from.
What it is?
Their other name is cyanobacteria. And they are tiny, unicellular organisms capable of photosynthesis with the release of oxygen. In fact, they are the real algae. And hornwort, Elodea, pistia and other greens in the aquarium are officially called aquatic plants. Therefore, it is safe to say that bacteria and blue-green algae are one and the same.
How do they look
Before you figure out how to get rid of uninvited guests, you need to decide how they look. Still, the enemy needs to know in person. In such a case, photos of blue-green algae in the aquarium are attached to the article.
Despite the fact that these are unicellular organisms (in fact, bacteria), it is not difficult to notice them. After all, they do not keep alone, but in large colonies. Once in the aquarium, they multiply fairly quickly, covering all surfaces (walls, large stones, decorations, leaves of aquatic plants) with a characteristic film. It is slippery to the touch and has a rather characteristic color (the palette is rich: from greenish yellow to black with purple tint), so it’s rather difficult to miss it.
It is quite easy to remove a thick layer, but in the process it collapses into rags and settles to the bottom. A small piece is enough for the colony to continue living, capturing new areas of the aquarium. Therefore, ordinary mechanical cleaning will not achieve the result.
Also, the colony of bacteria has a characteristic odor. It is especially pronounced if you remove a layer of algae from the water. Hardly anyone would like such a "scent." Therefore, to learn how to deal with blue-green algae in the aquarium, it is worth every aquarist - both experienced and novice.
Where do they come from
Talking about the blue-green algae in the aquarium, the reasons for the appearance should definitely be mentioned.
This bacterium practically does not occur in tap water due to the treatment at the water intake stations with chlorine or ultraviolet. Therefore, the risk of introducing it when replacing water is close to zero. Of course, when using a centralized water supply.
Most often, algae are introduced along with snails, decorations, stones taken from the natural environment, or aquatic plants. It is not surprising that this usually applies to beginner aquarists who are not yet accustomed to such a necessary thing as quarantine. Yes, a tiny piece of a few millimeters is enough to cover a green carpet of mucus in a week or two.
Harm
Of course, the most obvious harm caused by the appearance of blue-green algae is the deterioration of the aesthetic component. Few people will like the aquarium, in which the soil, glass and leaves of plants are covered with a thick layer of green mucus.
In addition, the oxygen balance is disturbed. Yes, in the afternoon, algae start the process of photosynthesis, enriching the water with oxygen. But at night in the absence of light, on the contrary, they actively absorb oxygen. As a result, fish, especially large and active ones, begin to seriously suffer from the inability to fully breathe. In the most advanced cases, this may well lead to death.
Therefore, the fight against blue-green algae in the aquarium is very important. The sooner you start it, the easier it will be to win.
We fight with algae shading
Of course, the easiest way to destroy harmful algae is shading. However, it requires some effort on the part of the owner. Any representatives of the flora living through photosynthesis need sunlight or replace it. In its absence, the processes do not go, and they die. This happens especially quickly with unicellular organisms that do not have a supply of nutrients for survival. Therefore, the first method of struggle suggests itself - you need to shade the aquarium.
Of course, first you need to catch all the inhabitants - fish, shrimp and others. Even if they survive the shading, it certainly will not do them any good. The only exception is snails. They will easily tolerate a night lasting several days. In addition, fragments of algae that need to be disposed of can also be found on their shells. The rest is moved to an aquarium with clean, well-maintained water.
Water plants also do not need to be pulled out. Yes, they need light just like algae. But a few days of shading will do them less harm than transplanting to a new place.
When all preparations are completed, just shade the aquarium. It is advisable to use a black, dense fabric for this, which will absolutely not transmit light. The main thing is that even the diffused light does not penetrate there - otherwise, the desired result will not work.
After three to four days, you can remove the shading. Dead algae will lie in layers at the bottom. They must be carefully removed, trying not to leave the slightest bit. However, dead algae will not deliver much harm - they obviously will not be able to reproduce. Part of the water (about one third) changes to fresh, after which the fish and other inhabitants of the aquarium return home.
We use the antibiotic "Erythromycin"
The method described above is safe and convenient, but it takes a lot of time and effort. Not everyone has the opportunity to use it. Therefore, many people have a question, how to deal with blue-green algae in the aquarium, without spending so much time.
Yes, there is such a way. But you have to use antibiotics, which are not always easy to acquire. A good choice would be Erythromycin. It costs quite inexpensively and is sold in most pharmacies. It is advisable to give preference not to tablets, but to capsules, which are much more convenient to work with.
For the complete destruction of algae, you need to bring the concentration of the drug in water to 3-5 milligrams per liter. It is easy to calculate the desired proportion, knowing the weight of one capsule (indicated on the package) and the volume of the aquarium. More concentration should not be increased - serious harm can also be caused to fish with snails. But the drug should not be saved too much, otherwise it will not work to get rid of algae.
The effect is observed after a day. Yes, after 24 hours, all unicellular blue-green algae will die. Most of them can be easily removed with a hose, at the same time replacing about a third of the volume of water with fresh. Minor residues will not cause any particular problems - they either decay, creating a breeding ground for aquatic plants, or become food for snails and fish.
Apply hydrogen peroxide
Unfortunately, getting antibiotics is far from always and not everywhere. In this case, you can use another drug that is freely sold in any pharmacy. We are talking about simple hydrogen peroxide. When using it, the treatment process takes longer, but the result is also just perfect.
There is no need to transplant fish and snails, because hydrogen peroxide will not harm them. The main thing is to correctly calculate the appropriate ratio of water and drug. To achieve the desired result, it is enough to spend 25 milligrams of hydrogen peroxide on an aquarium of 100 liters. It is added daily for three days.
Most often, by the end of the third day, the algae die off and their remains are easy to remove. At the same time, conduct a water change - about 20-30 percent of the total volume of the aquarium.
We clean a small aquarium
Above, we described several ways to deal with blue-green algae in an aquarium. But usually they are resorted to if you need to clean a large capacity - 100 liters or larger. But the owners of small aquariums can solve the problem differently. It takes comparatively little time and effort.
It is enough to catch the fish and mollusks and move them to a suitable container, and then thoroughly rinse all aquatic plants with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, having previously removed the film from the algae mechanically. After that, you can send them to the fish.
The aquarium itself needs to be cleaned of bacteria. To do this, the water is completely drained, the soil boils for several minutes, and the glasses are thoroughly wiped with a soft rag from the inside. Do not forget about the compressor tube and filter - algae can also remain on them. The method requires a relatively small waste of time and effort, while allowing to completely solve the problem. But, for obvious reasons, it is not suitable for large aquariums.
Proper restoration of the aquarium
After the fight is completed, the bacteria and blue-green algae are completely destroyed, you need to restore the aquarium. This must be done competently.
First of all, you need to fill up the soil. If he retired - everything is simple here. It is laid out in an even layer with a slight slope, so that the waste products of the fish accumulate in one corner. After that, aquatic plants return. They are rooted in the right order, and then left for a day so that they acclimatize. At the same time, during this time, you can make sure that there are no algae left on them.
After this time, you can return shells, stones, sunken ships and other decorative elements. Then again you need to wait a day.
The final stage is the return of the inhabitants of the aquarium to their usual habitat - fish, shellfish and others.
Preventive measures
It is quite clear that to prevent the occurrence of a problem is much easier than to fight it later. That is why we will tell you what can cause the development of algae in the aquarium.
First of all, the reason is excessive illumination. After all, unicellular species reproduce especially well with sufficient lighting. Because of this, experts recommend that you do not place the aquarium on the windowsill or near the windows. If there is simply no other place, then it makes sense to shade one wall of the aquarium or plant cultivated plants (hornwort or elodea) here with a solid wall, so as not to allow sunlight to illuminate the entire aquarium.
Another reason for the development of blue-green algae is the temperature of the water. The higher it is, the faster unicellular organisms will develop. Keep track of the thermometer and keep the aquarium away from the battery.
Finally, algae begins to actively develop if there is a large amount of nutrients in the aquarium, that is, fish feces and food debris. If you regularly clean, at least once a day after evening feeding, the risk of algae in large quantities is sharply reduced. And the health of the inhabitants of the aquarium is improving. So the order is above all.
Conclusion
On this our article comes to an end. Now you know what can cause the propagation of blue-green algae in the aquarium, what are the preventive measures and methods of control. So, if necessary, you can easily solve the problem.