Wondering How to Stop Algae in a Saltwater Tank - These Simple Tips Will Help Stop Aquarium Algae

Many aquarium keepers wonder how to stop algae in a saltwater tank and have tried unsuccessfully even after spending large sums of money in the process. This article will help you understand why aquarium algae grows and what you can do to get rid of it in you marine aquarium for the least amount of money possible.

First Why Does Algae Grow In an Aquarium
Algae growth is a natural part of any marine environment. When the algae grows it is using compounds that are harmful to fish and other delicate animals in your tank or the ocean. It basically acts as a line of defense and its growth tells you that there is something out of whack in your tank.

What Makes It Grow In My Saltwater Tank
The biggest contributors to algae growth are nitrates and phosphates and these come from various sources. Uneaten and decaying fish food is a major aquarium algae food source as is fish waste.

Having to many fish in a tank is a common problem that leads to algae growth be cause there is to much waste for the system to handle and the excess fish drive oxygen levels and PH down. Low oxygen will also trigger algae growth and the algae will be fueled by the carbon dioxide.

What Can I Do To Stop The Algae Growth
First you must examine your system and see if it is overstocked, if it is you have to remove enough fish to bring the system back into balance. Every saltwater tank is different but as a good rule one smaller fish per 10 gallons is a good starting pint.

You must also reduce the amount of food you put into the tank and make sure that your fish eat all of it. The easiest way to accomplish this is to feed a few times a day and shut all the pumps off when your add the food, this will give the fish the best chances of eating all the food.

You should also increase the maintenance of your saltwater tank by cleaning all your equipment and filters more frequently. Also start using purified water like reverse osmosis or deionized in place of impurity filled tap water.

Re examine your equipment and make sure that your protein skimmers and filter units are functioning properly and are the adequate size for your system and the fish load of your tank.