Aquarium fish is the choice of many people. They are quiet, do not litter, do not ask for a walk at six in the morning and do not arrange races on sleeping owners at three in the morning. In addition, the aquarium is very animating the interior, it is very interesting to observe its inhabitants, and caring for all this good is relatively simple.
However, often the "water house" begins to greatly upset its owner. Water becomes cloudy, the walls begin to overgrow, an unpleasant odor may appear. There is a strong concern: whether these unsympathetic manifestations will harm the inhabitants of the glass house.
First thing that comes to mind
The most common reason why greens appear on the walls of the aquarium is the excess of light. It may be too bright or too long. The direct rays of our Sun also negatively affect the state of water. The light favors the active reproduction of the simplest (unicellular) algae, which first “green” the liquid medium, and then begin to grow on the inner surfaces of the aquarium.
It’s very easy to deal with. Shade the fish house. If the greens on the walls of the aquarium have not yet completely tightened them, the reproduction process will at least stop. Snails and daphnia can destroy the attack. The latter must be launched into the "pool" in such an amount that the fish do not have time to eat them. And if you want to diversify the population of the aquarium, buy catfish - they do an excellent job with the thickets on the walls.
Some aquarists believe that when gardening, partial change of water gives good results - of course, with filtration. This is not true. On the contrary, such actions will lead to even greater growth of the green colony.
Hygiene and hygiene again!
The second most important factor explaining why greens appear on the walls of the aquarium is its rare or careless cleaning. Unfinished food, fallen leaves of underwater plants, untreated sewage on time create comfortable conditions for the active growth of the same unicellular algae. Most often, such accumulation creates excess feed. Observe the pets: if in a quarter of an hour they did not eat the poured, remove the residues, and then reduce the amount.
If your aquarium walls turn green , this may mean clogged filters or damage to aeration equipment. You need to check both of them at least once a month, and for filters - even more often.
And if there is not enough light?
In the first two cases described, the circumstance explaining why greens appear on the walls of the aquarium is excessive lighting: in the first, directly, in the second - indirectly, stimulating decay of underwater debris. And it is not difficult to cope with such a problem.
However, plaque on the walls of the aquarium can cause the so-called diatoms, which like the lack of light. Many "fish farmers" they appear in the winter, if there is no additional illumination, and with increasing daylight hours disappear by themselves. Such algae are unpleasant in that they stick to surfaces almost tightly. If they can still be torn off the glass, albeit with the risk of scratching, then there is no way from plants.
Diatoms look like yellow or brown flat formations. The first step is, of course, to increase the illumination. However, if this does not help, then the reason is the presence in the aquarium water of a significant concentration of silicates. Accordingly, you have to go to the pet store to get a filter that absorbs them.
Multicellular evil
So far, it has been a question of unicellular unwanted "neighbors." However, the most terrible enemy are multicellular - cyanophytes. They are the reason why greenery appears on the walls of the aquarium, moreover with a bluish or brownish tint. They begin to spread from the bottom, then they creep along the walls and plants with unpleasant dense mucus. They can form floating islands, making it difficult for oxygen to enter the aquarium.
Compounds containing nitrogen are to blame for the appearance of cyanophytes, and an excess of light contributes to the rapid reproduction. It is very difficult to remove these algae, it is better to prevent their origin. First of all, in a new aquarium you need to plant a lot of plants at once, combining them with floating species that grow quickly (elodea, naias or pemphigus are suitable), it is better to lower the pH of the water to around 6. Algae-eating fish will also be very helpful in a difficult fight. The smallest colonies of blue-green pests should be cleaned immediately. If you are lucky and if the process is not too running, you will defeat them. If not, the aquarium will have to be re-equipped.
The good news is that the blue-green algae in a healthy glass house do not survive, so this misfortune happens quite rarely.