How to clean greens in an aquarium

The greened water in the aquarium can often be found among beginners or people who have no time to deal with their small aquamir. How to remove greenery in the aquarium so that it does not appear for a long time, you will learn in this article. In some cases, even if the water changes frequently, the aquarium quickly overgrows with algae. This process is influenced by many factors. You will learn: what are the reasons for the overgrowth of algae, how to avoid it and how to clean the aquarium of green plaque.

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Causes of green plaque in the aquarium

Water turns green - how to get rid of it and how to fight so that it is not there? Water turns green from excessive uncontrolled algae growth. By algae you need to understand lower order organics. They cannot be seen with the naked eye when they are at the initial stage of development. And those plants that you plant yourself in the ground are higher-order organics and have nothing to do with algae.

Note: It’s definitely not enough just to clean and put all the construction details in their original place without eliminating favorable factors for the development of plaque. Be sure to find out the cause of the problem, how to remove greens in the aquarium.

Reason # 1. Thermal

Rules for directing light to control temperature to avoid the formation of green plaque:

1. Do not place the aquarium where it will not be exposed to direct sunlight. 1,5m - this is the distance between the water with the fish and the sun.
2. Monitor the temperature of the water with a thermometer. Try to control it within the normal range.

Note: At high temperatures, not only do harmful plants develop. The fish become lethargic, and in the water, which is heated by intense light, the living creatures in the aquarium can die at all.

Reason number 2. Incorrect light mode

The ill-conceived location of light and its prolonged exposure can cause algae growth. Consider these recommendations in order to no longer wonder how to remove green plaque from the aquarium:

1. In summer, the aquarium should be lit no more than 12 hours a day.
2. In winter, lighting time is significantly reduced - from 7-10 hours a day.
3. Use artificial lamps to illuminate the aquarium.
4. Watch the light intensity. In bright light, algae develops rapidly, as the water in the aquarium can heat up.

Reason number 3. A large amount of food that the fish do not have time to eat

Often, with proper lighting and thermal conditions, algae still actively develops. This process causes rotting food that accumulates at the bottom. Several recommendations will help you control its amount:

1. Sprinkle an adequate amount of food. On average, if the fish eat the received dose of food in 15-20 minutes, then - you feed them correctly.
2. Once a week, put the fish on a diet. Do not give them food. They easily endure a hunger strike and even recover.
3. Buy proven food. If the fish do not eat the one that you give them, then maybe it is expired or made from low-quality ingredients.
4. It is advisable that you have fish in the same aquarium who prefer one type of food.

Reason number 4.Aquarium fish waste

Since the metabolic products of fish of organic origin, they can cause active reproduction of algae. To avoid this, take action on time:

1. Do not overfeed the fish.
2. Clean soil and water regularly.
3. Install a good modern filtration system in the aquarium.

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How to remove greens from the aquarium?

Having dealt with the causes, make sure that they are eliminated. Now you need to wash or clean the aquarium from harmful algae. To do this, you will need special equipment that can be purchased at any store that sells fish and food for them. Also, some tools at hand will come in handy. Approximately before cleaning, prepare the following kit:

• a scraper for cleaning glass from algae;
• a bucket (at least 10 l);
• a sufficient amount of prepared replacement water;
• siphon type pump;
• filter accessories;
• aquarium glass cleaner or wine vinegar solution;
• plastic or metal blade;
• 10% bleach solution.

Note: If you intend to replace all the water in the aquarium, carefully move the fish to another safe container with prepared water before the cleaning process.

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How to remove green plaque from the aquarium?

In order to cope with the task as quickly as possible, how to remove the greens in the aquarium, and put as much effort into it as you need, check out a clear outline of your actions. The work takes place in several stages.

Stage number 1

To begin, clean the walls of the aquarium from green plaque. To do this, follow this instruction:

1. Without draining water, clean the glass with an aquarium glass scraper.
2. Do this with a little pressure on the surface. If hard-to-clean areas come across, use a blade and remove plaque.
3. If you have sensitive skin, you will need rubber gloves. Make sure that they do not come into contact with chemicals before.

Note: Do not scrub the walls of the aquarium with sponges or metal scrapers from the kitchen. They may retain the remnants of detergents that can harm the entire microclimate of the aquarium.

Stage number 2

At this stage, it is necessary to pump out old water. Do this with the pump, following the step-by-step instructions:

1. Dip one end of the pump hose into aquarium water.
2. Lower the other end into an empty bucket.
3. Pump out water and make sure that it does not overflow.

Note: Experts advise you to purchase a new bucket and use it in the future only for this purpose.

Stage number 3

After you have removed the old water, you need to clean the gravel from the remnants of feed and excrement. This is done using the same siphon pump:

1. Take out all the aquarium decorations and decor.
2. Take a gravel pump.
3. If you have sand, use only the pump hose. Keep its suction end 2.5 cm from the surface - this will protect the sand from suction.
4. Loosen sand or gravel with a spatula or hand. It is advisable to do this with a rubber glove. Thus, you will perform a deep cleaning of the soil, the debris that was under it will rise up.

Stage number 4

At this stage of solving the problem of how to remove greens in the aquarium, go to the decorations and decor. They need cleaning because algae spores can remain on them. There are two ways to clean them from plaque:

Method number 1:

1. Take the aquarium glass scraper.
2. Treat them with a surface.
3. Rinse off the remaining algae with old aquarium water.

Note: Instead of a scraper, you can use a new toothbrush. Do not use the old one, because it may contain harmful microorganisms.

Method number 2. If your jewelry is very dirty, then they need additional cleaning:

1. Soak the aquarium decorations in a bleach solution.
2. Leave it in for 15 minutes.
3. Rinse with boiling water.
4. Allow to dry before immersion in water.

Stage number 5

At this stage, it is time to pour clean water. Water must be aged or filtered. Change the water, taking into account the following factors:

1. Water should be at a temperature suitable for the life of the fish. Too warm or cold water can cause fish disease. Monitor the temperature with a special water thermometer.
2. If the tap water is too hard, then replace 60% of your water with distilled water. Only specialists warn that such water may turn out to be too clean for your fish, and this can also adversely affect your health.
3. Pour in water slowly so as not to damage the terrain and decorations.
4. When you have poured all the water - wait a couple of hours, all the particles that have risen should settle and the water should lighten.
5. If the water remains turbid, this indicates that some problem has not been resolved. It needs to be eliminated.
6. When pouring water, leave a space between the water and the lid of the aquarium. This is necessary for the proper circulation of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Even the fish need to somehow straighten their dorsal fins.

Note: if your fish are healthy and you maintain a healthy microclimate of the aquarium, then you just need to change 10-20% of the water weekly. Change all water or 50-75% if you have diseased individuals.

Stage number 6

Now you need to clean the aquarium from the outside. To do this, use a special tool for washing aquariums or prepare a solution of wine vinegar. Quality cleaning instructions are as follows:

1. Take a clean sponge or rag.
2. Moisten with the selected product.
3. Wipe all external parts, including the lamp, glass, and cover.

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What else to look for if green constantly appears in the aquarium?

In addition to replacing water, constantly monitoring the temperature and eliminating other causes of green deposits, it is necessary to change the cartridge in the filter every month. When installing filters in aquariums, consider the following features of their operation:

1. Replacing the cartridge will not affect the biological filtering of the aquarium. Most beneficial bacteria are found in gravel.
2. If you do not change the filter in a timely manner, coal in its composition can harm your pets.
3. If you, when replacing the filter, do not want to lose the beneficial bacteria that have settled on the cartridge, then simply rinse it during the next weekly cleaning of the aquarium.
4. Replace the cartridges every month, even if you feel that it is not clogged enough.

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Useful Tips

• Launch fish that feed on algae. Especially well, these fish cope with the task, if they are not fed. These include:
  • molinesia;
  • catfish;
  • Pecilia.
• Use chemicals that are specially formulated to fight algae and are sold at pet stores. Use them according to the manufacturer's instructions on the packaging.
• If you have streptomycin at home, you can prepare a drug from it, which will also easily solve the problem of how to remove greens in an aquarium. The instruction is as follows:
  • Dilute streptomycin powder in boiled water.
  • Per liter of aquarium water should be 3 mg of powder.
  • Enter the drug solution through the filter.
  • The plaque will disappear in a few days, while the animal will not do any harm in the aquarium.
• Increase the number of beneficial plants in the aquarium. They quickly grow and swim in the water column, absorb excess light, which impedes the development of lower algae. These include:
  • pinnacle;
  • limnobium shoot;
  • hornwort.
• For the best effect in the fight against algae, experts recommend combining these recommendations. For example, a couple of catfish and beautiful healthy vegetation will not interfere with anyone in the aquarium, and streptomycin dissolves very quickly, destroying the green coating.

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Stock footage

As you can see, it is easy to solve the problem of green plaque on the walls of the aquarium.The main thing is to prevent pollution, adhere to other rules for handling and maintaining a healthy microclimate in the aquarium.