Aquarium

How to prevent the growth of green hair algae

A small algae hair here, a little greenness there looks adorable in the aquarium. Isn’t it? But when suddenly you experience algae explosion in your tank- all the hard work of maintenance seems futile. This is when the know-how of how to prevent green hair algae growth comes in handy.

Green hair algae are not only fast growers but can also suffocate your aquatic plants. They grow so rapidly that they might end up overtaking your entire tank in just a few days. The chances of fish getting stuck in these green hairs of algae rise considerably. They create huge difficulty for the swimmers of the tank. Moreover, the aquarium starts looking uglier which no aquarist wants.

Therefore here we have come up with every detail about their growth, quick fixes, and tips that could help you in proper upkeep of aquarium.

What are Green Hair Algae

If you are seeing your aquarium getting greener in color with feathery looking mass, probably there is an intrusion of green hair algae. Once they get a foothold in the aquarium, the chances of them covering your entire tank rises to a great extent. If the apt measures are not taken at the right time your plants and creatures in the tank could struggle.

Green hair algae consume the nutrients like nitrates and phosphates to survive. Moreover, they want a lot of sunlight to flourish. They give a good competition to aquatic plants as well as fish to survive. It leads them to struggle hard to live peacefully. They all start competing for sunlight and nutrients altogether.

How to quick fix the growth of green hair algae

Getting green hair algae in the aquarium is one of the most problematic things for aquarists. It prevents the light from reaching the plants in the tank. At the same time, they also create a hindrance for the fish to float freely. They even suck up the essential nutrients and create difficulties for the aquatic plants to thrive.

So let us ponder upon few quick fixes of green hair algae and know how much they are feasible.

Introducing fish that eats up the green algae- You may find plenty of fish and other invertebrates that love to munch on algae. But does that mean you will get rid of your problem forever? The answer is NO. Once you remove the algae eating fish, the chances of green hair algae coming all over again remain.
Using algae control products- No matter how tempting the algae control products sound, if you introduce them in your tank the chances of your aquatic plants suffering due to them also raises. So, it is also not a sure shot solution to overcome this issue.
Scrubbing- Removing algae by scrubbing is a great idea indeed but needs a lot of hard work. But again scrubbing is not a permanent solution to keep your aquarium safe. It can temporarily make the aquarium look clean, but the chances of algae coming back will be always there.

Since these three most widely used methods are not everlasting and highly effective, here we have come up with a more efficient solution. It will help you get the issue resolved permanently. So, check it out!

The primary cause of green hair algae is an imbalance of CO2. Therefore if you maintain a proper balance of CO2, you may vanish most of your problems. Therefore let us take a sneak peek into some easy ways which can help you eradicate green algae growth permanently.

Check the CO2 content in the aquarium- Add CO2 system in your aquarium. Although it may seem futile to add this costly equipment, believe me, it is worth. The optimum level of CO2 will help other plants also to reach their full potential and at the same time compete with algae growth.
Add CO2- If your tank is lacking the optimum level of CO2, add it immediately. Once the right level is reached- the chances of getting the algae growth seizes to a great extent. If not completely disappear, the algae growth will lessen, and you might see drastic changes in a week. Make sure the other nutrients are also resent in their correct amount.
Minimize the lightning- When the light is more plants utilize more CO2. Therefore if you shut off the aquarium lights in certain hours of days, the consumption of CO2 and nutrients will decrease. It is advised to keep the lights on for around 8 hours in a day. You may install a timer to shut the lights off if you are not available throughout the day.
Circulation- A proper circulation is essential not only to improve the water quality but to make the ambiance apt for the fish as well. Adjusting the filter flow and maintaining it properly do the needful of providing the fresh water and optimum level of CO2 to the plants.

The green hair algae look good in the tank if it is in considerable amount. Since they spread very fast and can cover the entire tank quickly considerable amount becomes intolerable soon. Therefore keeping the above points in mind and maintaining an apt aquarium condition is highly important.

It is an excellent idea if you continue maintaining the CO2 balance and at the same time scrub regularly. It could help you much in combating the green hair algae growth and make the tank look neat and tidy.

Mani

After completing her doctoral degree in Agriculture and working in various government and non- government funded projects, she settled to become a freelance copy and content writer. Born and brought up in the foothills of Himalayas she loves traveling and exploring the untouched. She is passionate about fish keeping and has got a good experience in the niche.

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View Comments

Omkar Surkutla says:

May 6, 2020 at 2:04 pm

What are the fish that eat Green Hair Algae ? The algae was in check when I had cherry shrimps in my tank. I added some Congo tetras in my tank and now all the shrimps have disappeared and my tank infested with hair algae. I also have ottos but they are useless against hair algae.