Algae eaters have their role in aquariums but more often than not, people only want them in order to quickly address an existing algae problem that has gotten out of control . One of the issues I have with this is that many hobbyists don’t think about the compatibility between a new algae eater, the existing tank inhabitants, and the tank size. As an example, someone keeping an african cichlid tank full of algae might go to the pet store and buy an otocinclus in the hopes of clearing up the algae problems, only to find out a few days later that the poor otocinclus had no chance at surviving in a tank full of aggressive and intelligent african cichlids. A far more common example I see is that people will buy a pleco for their algae-infested 10 gallon tank without considering the fact that plecos can grow to be 2 feet in length!
Another issue I have with algae eaters being used as an algae solution is that suppose you put an algae eater in your fish tank solely to get rid of your current algae problem, and it works. What next? Will you buy algae flakes or blanch vegetables just to feed this algae eater that no longer has anything in the tank to eat? Will you sell it back to the local fish store?
The point I’m trying to make here is that algae eaters aren’t the best way to tackle algae problems in an aquarium. Algae problems exist for a reason, and the reason is never because there are no algae eaters. Excess algae growth in your tank occurs because your tank is ecologically unbalanced; algae in aquariums need nutrients and light to grow. Like so many other aquarium hobbyists, you could be overfeeding your fish, leaving uneaten excess nutrients in the water column for algae to thrive on. Or it could simply be that your tank’s photoperiod (the length of time your aquarium light is on) is too long.
Why spend the money on an algae eater when your algae problems could be addressed permanently by doing something as simple as feeding your fish less? If you’re struggling with algae control, I urge you make an attempt at addressing the root of the problem before you add an algae eater to your tank.
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Just an additional insight. I still believe that prevention is the best medicine. So instead of using algae eaters, I try to prevent the growth of excess algae as much as possible. The perfect way to do that is to ‘starve’ the algae. Keep leaves and other organic materials out of the pond which serves as their food. Limit the nutrients and sunlight that comes to them by planting a variety of plants around. Great article, keep it up!
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Hello Chris. I agree to that and thank you for these helpful tips. One should look into deeper reasons as to why algae grew excessively in their tank before spending much on algae
eaters. You can also take into consideration the pump and filter system. Aerate, filter and circulate the water by making sure the pump and filter system is large enough. This reduces warm pockets, accelerates filtration (clean filter regularly) and adds oxygen (decomposing debris depletes oxygen). I’ve read more helpful tips like these in this algae control article. It also has measures that will cost you less when prevention is not enough.
gardenGuru911 recently posted..Ideal Planting Zones