- Products
- Help & Advice
- Blog
- 10 things to avoid with your new fishBringing home a new fish is exciting, but there’s also lots to think about. To help you out, we’ve listed 10 things to avoid with your new fish.
- How to maintain good water quality in your fish tankTop tips on maintaining good water quality in your fish tank
- Why is water quality such a big issue when it comes to fishkeeping?Why is water quality such a big issue when it comes to fishkeeping?
- All Blog Entries
- 10 things to avoid with your new fishBringing home a new fish is exciting, but there’s also lots to think about. To help you out, we’ve listed 10 things to avoid with your new fish.
- Store Finder
- Trade Enquiries
- Contact Us
- Products
- Help & Advice
- Blog
- 10 things to avoid with your new fishBringing home a new fish is exciting, but there’s also lots to think about. To help you out, we’ve listed 10 things to avoid with your new fish.
- How to maintain good water quality in your fish tankTop tips on maintaining good water quality in your fish tank
- Why is water quality such a big issue when it comes to fishkeeping?Why is water quality such a big issue when it comes to fishkeeping?
- All Blog Entries
- 10 things to avoid with your new fishBringing home a new fish is exciting, but there’s also lots to think about. To help you out, we’ve listed 10 things to avoid with your new fish.
- Store Finder
- Trade Enquiries
- Contact Us
Previous Questions
- Fish Care
- Aquarium - Maintenance and Care
- Set Up & Maintenance
- Does my aquarium need gravel or substrate?
- How long should I leave my aquarium lights on for?
- What maintenance should I do on my aquarium?
- What is a biological filter?
- How do I calculate the volume of water in my aquarium / pond?
- When can I add new fish to my tank?
- Can I add tap water directly to my aquarium?
- Water Quality
- How often should I change the aquarium water?
- How often should I clean my aquarium?
- How can I eradicate algae from my aquarium?
- Why are nitrite levels slowly creeping up in my new tank set up?
- Why does my aquarium water have a pale yellow tinge to it?
- What causes cloudy water in my aquarium?
- What is Water Hardness?
- How can I test the water in my aquarium?
- Set Up & Maintenance
- Fishkeeping Myth Busting
How can I eradicate algae from my aquarium?
‘Algae’ is a general term used to describe many types of aquatic plant life. Algae is present in almost every body of water on earth – it is completely natural and not harmful (unless it becomes out of control). Many fish keepers do not like algae because it makes their tank look unsightly. There are different types of algae that require different treatments.
There are a few basic rules to follow that help to keep algae growth to a minimum.
✔ Do not place your aquarium in direct sunlight, as the extra light and nutrients create perfect conditions for algae growth.
✔ Do not over-stock your aquarium.
✔ Try not to over-feed your fish and remove any uneaten food from the tank.
✔ Carry out partial water changes regularly. This will help to lower the level of nutrients in the water, and also removes sludge that would otherwise provide food for algae.
✔ Keep the water quality in top condition and regular cleaning of the gravel and aquarium glass should keep algae at bay.
If you have continuous problems with algae, you may need to lower the level of nitrate or phosphate in your aquarium. Tap water can sometimes have quite a high nitrate level to start with. Alternatively, there are algae treatments are available on the market, such as King British Green Algae Control and King British Green Water Control. Algae can also be controlled by adding an algae-eating fish to the aquarium, for example, Plecostomus fish are very efficient at keeping aquariums largely free from algae.