Cleaning Algae in Your Saltwater Aquarium

July 3, 2008 · Filed Under Aquarium Care and Maintenance 

Snail

Cleaning algae in your saltwater aquarium should be part of your routine maintenance and care.

Algae are not really a bad thing, but most aquarims are far better without too much of it. To better understand, here is why algae exists and how you can manage it to avoid problems.

Nitrate, phosphate, carbon dioxide and dissolved organic matter are substances that accumulate in your saltwater aquarium providing the fuel for the algae to grow.

Nitrate is the first source of life for algae and is actively available in the nitrogen cycle in your tank when you are setting it up.

Phosphate will be present in your saltwater when you conduct a partial water change. Excess food that your fish did not eat will also be present. You cannot avoid phosphate but you can control it.

Carbon dioxide will always be present whether you like it or not.

Then the last component comes from the dissolved organic matter. Installing a protein skimmer will help in this algae control.

Excessive amount of these nutrients leads to algae outbreaks in your saltwater aquarium. It also needs light to thrive so avoid direct sunlight.

There is really no single simple maintenance technique on how you can avoid algae growth. But knowing which ones and how much are good will help.

More information about algae and types of algae can be found here.

Complete guide to saltwater aquarium maintenance and care

Text and Photo Source: Saltwater Aquarium Online Guide

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