Facing the problem of algae in aquarium is commonplace and became one of the main routines that must be considered for freshwater aquarium enthusiasts. Things that should to know, algae are a perfectly normal part of nature, flora and even the freshwater aquarium.

Their incidence is very common, because the spores of algae is transferred only to plants, but their spores are even carries the air. Can be ascertained, algae are always present in every aquarium, but it depends on their quantity.

Interestingly, for some people see the aquarium without plants which strongly overgrown with algae is look very natural and nice. The problem occurs when we have a nice aquarium plants and algae is ugly scar, but also in some cases completely choked the plants. Nice aquarium plant and algae can not be paired together. I hope that those who decided to algae in their aquarium turn, this article will help in heavy fighting.

Basic types of algae commonly occurring in aquarium:

1. Red algae - Brush algae
Appearance: Creating clusters decorating the edges and aquarium plants. Overgrowth creates a powerful thick carpets.
Specifics:

• very difficult to remove mechanically,
• fish and snails do not eat near it (except Crossocheilus siamensis)
• not affected by the intensity of illumination
• the main cause of high levels of phosphates and other nutrients (nitrates, nitrites, ...), usually caused by overfeeding fish.

2. Green algae - Chlorophyta
Appearance: the most frequently occur as filamentous algae or sessile horizontally.
Specifics:

• one of the main causes is too much intensity, or duration of illumination
• algae eaters tastes of all kinds about the most.

3. Brown algae - Diatoms
Appearance: brown, dry to the touch like a gritty coating on the walls of the aquarium, equipment and plants. Looks a bit like water established in the brown stone design.

• occurs particularly in the absence of light,
• the plant is virtually impossible to mechanically remove the walls of the aquarium enough sponge for washing dishes, even though it is hard work
• can be destroyed by the snails and fish (sucker that can remove it and eat).

4. Blue-green algae - Cyanobacteria
Appearance: glaucoma, or a thick greasy coating on the plants and aquarium equipment, which smells a bit.
Specifics:

• often occur in newly established aquaria, where they have not developed biological balance
• directly love excess lighting
• can be toxic to fish, although they usually taste,
• this algae can in the short term due choke plants,
• it hate the flow of water.

Beware to the most common causes of aquarium algae problem below:

• inadequate intensity or duration of illumination.
• a strong flow of water in the aquarium
• too high content of phosphates and other nutrients in water

How to get rid of them?
If the aquarium algae overgrove to unacceptable levels, the incidence can be significantly reduced if they cease to create suitable conditions for life, unless, remove the causes of their occurrence. The basic steps you can do...

1. frequent water exchange (weekly change of 25 to 30% water),
2. reduce the benefits of feeding,
3. reduce the flow of water (except for cyanobacteria),
4. according to the type of algae to adjust the intensity and duration of lighting,
5. if it is possible, mechanically removing the algae continuously (by hand from plants, magnetic scraper or razor blade from glass)
6. put into an aquarium snail (preferably Planorbis) and fish-eating algae (Crossocheilus siamensis, Xiphophorus helleri, ....),
7. planted into the aquarium as many fast growing plants with high consumption of nutrients,
8. do not use fertilizers containing phosphates and nitrates. If possible, use the exchange of water with low concentrations of nitrogen compounds and phosphates.

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Beard algae was a class of Red Algae, shaped like a beard with a length of yarn to 15 cm, and the little blackish green branches. Beard Algae very strongly embedded in the leaf and could hardly be removed without causing damage to the plants leaf. Their presences in the water plants aquarium are usually derived from the new plant.

This algae type usually attached to the plants that were growing and close to the source of light. The favored conditions by this algae type is aquarium water with high hardness, low CO2 levels, and high pH. The high nitrate levels are also a trigger of growth. If the algae growth was bad, then they will damage the leaves concerned.

Cleaning the algae forcibly will cause damage to the leaf because they attached itself firmly to the leaves. Thus, the infected leaves should be cut and allowed the new sprout. To prevent new leaves infected by the algae, could be by put the Siamese Algae Eater fish or algae shrimp into the aquarium to clean the algae which new grown. The addition of a dose of carbon dioxide (CO2) can suppress the algae growth because Beard algae can not grow well in the aquarium with an adequate CO2 supply.

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Blue Green Algae grows from the aquarium sand and identified by its shape which resembles the skin coat the leaves, stone, wood and the aquarium sand. The growth of these greenish blue colored algae was indicating that the levels of nitrate and phosphate in the aquarium water were very high. This algae type is in addition to look dirty, also issued a stinging odor when removed from water. If the aquarium is large and the Blue algae was rampant, imaginable how the room smell when the blue algae removal was being done.

Blue algae included in the dangerous group of algae, together with the type of Red algae because these two types of freshwater algae were so difficult to clean, and sometimes because it is so difficult with very compelled the aquarium plants must be removed too due to infection of this algae.

The kind of algae eater fish is not effective for this type of algae. The fish do not appetizing with it because the bitter taste of algae. However, the types of algae snails such as Ramshorn snails could eat these algae type, but the Blue algae growth faster than the amount consumed. Darkening the aquarium for 4-6 days and water replacement in several times could make the Blue algae lost. Anti algae (if used) would be more effective if accompanied by darkening the aquarium for 48 hours. The Blue green algae do not like the water with pH levels below 6.

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Filamentous Algae problems in the live plants aquarium was easily recognizable through the threads or the light green hair. This is a kind of green algae which easy to clean. You do this by lifting directly with hand or strapped it in a small timber, and then withdrawn.

Although this algae type are harmless but the existence of Filamentous Algae in the aquarium can not be tolerated. The reason is the Filamentous Algae will compete with other plants to obtain nutrients and will greatly disturb the plant growth and the appearance of your freshwater aquarium plants.

The Filamentous algae usually formed due to several causes, such as the residual feed, rarely water replacement, or because of the light exposure in the aquarium was too strong. The algae problems can be minimized if we adding a kind of algae eaters shrimp from the beginning to eat young algae which new grow. The algae eater shrimp species usually did not eat green algae that were old.

Another way to handling Filamentous Algae are by reducing the dose of fish feed, reducing the time of aquarium lighting and frequently do water replacement. If we do not reducing the time flame of aquarium lamp or the strength of the aquarium lighting, the algae will quickly grow again in the new water.

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One thing that most annoying and often make frustrating on aquarium plants care is the algae problems. Algae usually appears in the aquarium so we put plants or fish. The large majority of aquarists have found themselves confronted with undesirable levels of algae that are sometimes difficult to combat. Generally speaking, it is better to avoid excess growth in the first place than to have to try to fight it – often with varying degrees of success.

Algae overgrowth can be recognized by its greenish or yellow-brown color, while whitish or gray filamentous masses, made up of bacteria and fungi, may also bi mixed in with algae. This type of growth can form quite thick layers on the glass panes, the bed, and the décor, appearing as filamentous tufts or even completely covering other green algae.

While a modest presence of algae can be considered a sign of equilibrium, this overgrowth is evidence of a degree of imbalance, and so algae are often referred o as biological indicators. We must be careful, however, as every live aquarium is a special case, and applying a generalization to a specific situation could ultimately lead to the wrong conclusions.

Apart from being an eyesore, excess algae grow on the panes, reducing the visibility. They attach themselves to plants and proliferate, with the subsequent risk of suffocating their hosts, as the plants are prevented from exchanging gases and absorbing the salts in the water. Finally, they incrust themselves on the slightest details in the décor, which does nothing to enhance the visual effect.

But, algae also give their advantages. These are substantial. Algae consume nitrogenous substances, particularly nitrates, and sometimes ammonia. This is the normal role of plants in fresh water, and algae can therefore complement this action or, on the contrary, exert an antagonistic effect by diverting nutritious salts away from the plants. The vegetation is less abundant in marine tanks, and so algae – particularly the filamentous green ones – can play an important role.

Algae can also be grazed or ground by some fish. In fresh water, this applies to the Poeciliids and the species known as “suckers” or “washers” (Gyrinocbeilus, Ancistrus, Hypostomus, Pnaque, Otoclinchus, Epalzeorbynchus). In sea water, algae from part of the diet of fish families, such as the Chaetontids, Centropyges, and Acanthurids; their presence in an aquarium can help these fish acclimatize themselves to the artificial environment of the domestic aquarium.

Basically, algae is a type of aquatic plants are most easily and rapidly growing in the aquarium, especially in the new aquarium setup. The algae problems of course can be frustrating for those who have just started the "aquascaping aquarium" hobby.

Every aquarium must have algae problem and almost impossible an aquarium 100% avoid algae or moss. So thin difference between the mossy aquarium with an aquarium that have not algae, just like a hair. If algae have not seen, it just waiting to the suitable conditions for life and then it will multiply rapidly. Some types of algae can even be twice as much in two hours. Because until today there is no way to prevent the entry of algae into the tank, then that we can do is controlling and suppress the growth of algae to a minimum.

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