Algae Control

Algaecide : About Algae Control Products Like Algaefix

2009-08-06T16:28:00.001+07:00

If you've reached this page, it probably meant you were directed here from elsewhere or you got here because of a google search on "algaefix". Perhaps you're looking to purchase this product or maybe you just want some general information on it. Well this post doesn't promote algaefix in fact i'll flat out tell you not to use this along with any other type of algaecide for your aquarium or pond.

But first, lets talk about the product. Algaefix is a liquid algae killer that was designed for freshwater aquariums and ponds in mind. There is also "algaefix marine" which was developed for saltwater tanks as well. Algae fix claims to effectively deal with phytoplankton (green water) and filamentous algae in ponds, tanks, water fountains and any body of freshwater that has an algae problem. I also claims to be safe for your fishes and plants.

Such products are not new. On the market there are many other brands including algone, algaequel by amquel and many others. Do they work? Yes they do. So whats my beef with such products? I have 3 points of contention with such products and i'll go through them one by one.

My first problem with algae fix is something that is printed on the side of the bottle. It reads ,"Do NOT use AlgaeFix with crustaceans, including crabs, shrimp, freshwater shrimp and freshwater lobsters". So its not safe with crustaceans huh? Well what else isn't safe with crustaceans that is also used to control algae? Copper Sulfate, a deadly algaecide. I'm not saying this product does have copper for sure but i seems like there's some amount of it involved. I do not condone the use of copper algaecide simply because it is very toxic and a danger to the environment. Algaecide destroys the microfauna that is part of the ponds ecosystem.

My second problem with this product stems from various reports on the internet by users of algaefix. There have been reports of fish dying in large numbers after a few days of use. These aren't isolated cases, just do a quick google on "algaefix fish dying" or something and see for yourself.

My last point of contention with algaefix has to do with the fact that it is not a permanent solution. The algae will come back simply because algaefix did not address the root cause of the nuisance algae bloom in the first place. Algae blooms happen because of elevated nutrient levels.

If you're still interested in purchasing algae fix then hey, i can't stop you, knock yourself out on the stuff. But if you're looking for a long-term solution to a long-term algae problem then check out my guide on algae control.

Queen Angelfish

2009-07-31T19:50:00.004+07:00

The queen angelfish (Holacanthus Ciliaris) is one of most popular angelfish in the marine aquarium hobby. They are normally found in the Caribbean Sea and around Brazil.

Juvenile queen angels look quite different than adult specimens do. Juveniles are streaked with blue and yellow throughout their bodies while adults sport a brilliant iridescent yellow and blue.

Young queen angels assume an interesting role in their natural habitats. They take on the role of a "cleaner", where they pick parasites off other fish.

Known to be a bully in captivity, two specimens should never be housed together. While it is mainly peaceful with other species of fish, they are usually hostile towards conspecifics. It also a very large angelfish, reaching a foot and a half in the wild.

An aquarium no smaller than 150 gallons should be used to house a queen angelfish. As with all larger marine fish, the bigger the tank, the better. The queen angelfish is not reef safe, they can consume corals. Although some hobbyists have kept them in reef aquariums with minimal damage to their corals, queen angelfish are better suited to large, fish-only aquariums.

They feed on tunicates,sponges, corals, algae and plankton in the wild. Offer them a good variety of foods from sheets of nori/seaweed to meaty foods like krill or mysis shrimp. Angel Formula by Ocean Nutrition coms highly recommended as it was developed for the species.

Raw nori is a good choice if available. Get a clip for your nori and stick it on the side of the aquarium glass.

Brine Shrimp - Brine Shrimp In The Aquarium Hobby

2009-07-28T15:56:00.000+07:00

Brine shrimp (artemia, seamonkeys) are a hugely popular fish food in both freshwater and marine aquarium hobbies. So popular that almost all of the top fish food manufacturers have at least a single brine shrimp product in their line up.

Brine shrimp have been around since the time dinosaurs roamed the earth. And they haven't changed very much for millions of years, a true testament to the survivability of this little crustacean.

They are found inland, living in any body of salty water such as salt lakes. There are not many predators that can live in such waters thereby enabling brine shrimp to increase their populations rapidly. The two biggest predators they face are birds and .........us. Even despite the fact that manufacturers normally add vitamins to them before packaging. There are far superior foods on the market that are just as cheap, mysis shrimp for example.

Despite their wide use as fish food, adult brine shrimp are actually nutritionally poor as they offer little else besides roughage (fiber). Some companies offer enriched brine shrimp which are only marginally better.

Baby brine shrimp on the other hand, are nutritious as long as their yolk sacs are still in place. Within 12 hours of hatching their yolk sac reserves are used up thereby dropping their nutritional value to those of adults.

In the aquaculture industry, baby brine shrimp see widespread use as larvae feed for a variety of shrimp and fish species such as the peppermint cleaner shrimp (Lysmata Debelius) and the ever popular Percula Clownfish (amphiprion Percula). They can even offered as a treat to corals.

There are many foods on the market that are superior nutritionally. Mysis Shrimp and Krill are just two instances of those types of food. While krill may be more expensive than brine shrimp, mysis shrimp is normally just as cheap (depending on brand).

If you insist on feeding your livestock frozen adult brine shrimp, always choose enriched types like the spirulina enriched brine shrimp by the Japanese manufacturer, Hikari.

Artemia - An In Depth Look At Artemia Salina

2009-07-28T15:54:00.000+07:00

Artemia are a very old and primitive crustacean that has been on our planet for millions of years. Since the time of dinosaurs, they haven't changed much at all. They are also known as Sea Monkeys, a popular childrens pet and they see widepread usage in both the freshwater and saltwater aquarium industry.

Artemia are a very common fish food in the aquarium hobby and their nauplii (babies) are also used as larvae food in the aquaculture industry. Commonly sold in frozen packs or as eggs to hatched later at home.

These creatures are not found in the sea where they will be easy pickings for predators. Rather, they make their homes inland in saltwater lakes or saltwater swamps. They are able to survive in waters so salty that it would fry any other creature. Up to 50% saltwater. Artemia eggs are very hardy and can survive in dry conditions many years. Their eggs are buoyant, making collection very easy for the industry.

Hatching the dry cysts is an easy and straightforward affair. Simply putting them in saltwater will bring about hatching in about 17-24 hours. They are fed microscopic matter such as powdered spirulina and dried yeast. Given enough food, they grow at astounding rates. THey have been known to double their sizes within 48 hours.

They need to molt to grow and will go through a total of 15 molts before they become fully functioning adults. Unfortunately they do not live long. Expect them to live in captivity for no longer than 2 months.

Sea Monkeys - Keeping Sea Monkeys As Pets

2009-07-28T15:52:00.001+07:00

In this article we will be looking at the popular Sea Monkeys as household pets.

Not everyone knows what sea monkeys are actually. So what are Sea Monkeys? To answer that question we have to look way back to the year 1957. Harold Von Braunhut patented the name with the idea to market them as childrens pets.

If you're a comic reader you'd certainly remember those advertisements marketing outlandish and strange products in some of the pages. That was the work of Harold Von Braunhut. Remember those ads on X-Ray Glasses? That was one of the few products put there by him. Truly ahead of his time, he was one of the few that were successful at mail order marketing.

So lets address the main question, what are sea monkeys exactly? They are small, primitive crustaceans that are only found in salty water like salt lakes. They are also a staple product in the aquarium industry.

You typically will get them in cyst form. Putting them in saltwater and waiting for 24 hours will result in them hatching. Fairly straightforward process.

They are born with yolk sacs that will sustain them fro about 12 hours. After that, they need to be fed. Food is normally included in the package so feeding isn't a worry.

The ingredients of the food packet should be a mix of dried yeast, spirulina and other powder like food as sea monkeys only consume microscopic food. In the wild they will feast on microscopic algae, bacteria and whatever else that can fit into their mouths.

They have short life spans and they will typically live for about 50 days or so. They will also breed in captivity once they are of the right age.

All in all, they are an interesting and hardy creature for the home. They are particularly popular among the younger generation and there are a whole slew of products aimed at them ranging from fancy aquariums to keychains and such.

Pond Algae - How To Treat Nuisance Pond Algae

2009-07-28T15:45:00.002+07:00

Pond Algae is an all too common problem among pond owners around the world. Pond algae blooms are usually brought about by things like season, temperature and available nutrients. There is a lot a pond owner can do to limit the spread of pond algae, this guide will highlight those methods that work.

Pond scum is a very general name to describe a whole bunch of pond algae that can take over the pond. Their names and details are not important. Suffice to say that the methods listed below will be equally effective against all three.

Every pond had at least some amount of sludge resting at the bottom. That sludge is a rotting mass of detritus, fish waste and any organic particulate matter that dropped into the pond. As it rots, it produced nutrients that are used by aquatic plants, microscopic algae and pond scum. Microscopic algae (green water) is part of the pond scum problem. Swift removal of the sludge and any pond algae you can grab is essential.

Aquatic plants are a natural and ideal as they compete with problem pond algae for nutrients. Floating varieties are especially useful as they prevent sunlight from reaching pond algae in the water column and on at the bottom. There are a few popular kinds available to take a trip to your local nursery and find what suits your tastes best.

A quick and effective method on ridding your pond of microscopic algae (green water) is simply hooking up a UV sterilizer to your water circulation. While it deals with the problem admirably, UV sterilizers are not a cheap item to purchase. The bigger the pond, the bigger the sterilizer needed.

Algaecide's are commonly available but i would advise against their use as they are a very toxic substance that wreaks havoc on the your pond. Algaecides are made from Copper Sulfate, a poison that will destroy the microfauna that exists in pond systems. While they are very effective, they are ultimately a short-term solution for pond algae. The root of the problem is nutrients, which algaecides do not address.

Barley straw sees widespread use in the pond industry as they can battle nuisance pond algae with better than average results. It is put into the pond where it releases natural chemicals that are harmful to most problematic pond algae, but not all. While they are not completely effective towards all forms of pond algae they are cheap enough to be viewed as a viable alternative. Use in conjunction with proper pond husbandry.

Hair Algae - How To Control Hair Algae

2009-07-28T15:33:00.001+07:00

Yep hair algae, do you have them? Well if you're just starting out and you aren't quite sure how to set up a balanced marine system then chances are you will have hair algae soon enough. Hobbyists have been dealing with them since.....well probably from the beginning. They're tough and they spread like wildfire. No corner is safe from them. So lets pond them into oblivion shall we?

We start by asking the question,"Why are they spreading like amd all over?". Well hair algae or any plant life need three things to survive. Water, light and nutrients. Well its a tank so water's a given, its mainly nutrients and light for us hobbyists. So the two nutrients that hair algae really needs to thrive are :-

Nitrates (NO3)
Phosphates (PO4)

Unfortunately, both are always present in an aquarium on some level. Anything organic that is breaking down in the aquarium is a source of NO3 and PO4. Thats a lot of stuff. Fish waste, detritus, shrimp molts and the list goes on. We can't stop fish waste and detritus from happening but we can prevent them from rotting in our tanks. We do this by maintaining a clean tank, change your water regularly and siphon out any crap and dirt that you find.

Water changes also get exports nitrates and phosphates directly. A 50 percent water change will remove 50% nitrates and phosphates and so on and so forth. So check your water with a test kit and perform the necessary water changes. Do not perform too large a water change as the sudden change in chemistry may shock your livestock. Nothing more than 50% a day. While you're cleaning out your tank be sure to remove as much hair algae as you can as well. I know its a tough job but it needs to be done. Take out your live rock and scrub them off if you need too.

While water changes export phosphates, a quick feeding or two will see PO4 levels rise again. Fortunately for us there are such things as phosphate removers and i swear by them. Simply put the directed amount per gallon into an area that gets a lot of water flow and wait. I you put the correct amount, i promise you phosphate levels will be zero in no more than two days. And it keeps it that way until th media is finally exhausted. Just replace it and you're all set.

As we're looking for ways to import less nutrients into our system, we should also stop feeding our livestock so much. Feed your fish once every two or three days. Seems like a little but they will get by just fine trust me. And besides, this is only a temporary measure. We should also look at the water we use during water changes. If you're using treated tap water you may find that it already has some amount of NO3 and PO4 in it. Most reefers tackle this problem by buying a RO/DI water unit as the water that is produced is nutrient free.

There are a few fishes and invertebrates that can help with the war against hair algae. Turbo snails are probably the best. The others include nerite, trochus and a few others. Hermit crabs are known to eat hair algae along with herbivorous fishes such as tangs and lawnmower blennies. It is important to put too much hope in these algae eaters as they won't solve the problem completely. They are merely there to help turn the tide in your favour.

We look at your lighting system next. Red light really helps the growth rate of all algae so it is important to ensure that your bulbs are of the color spectrum and that they're not too old as well. This is because bulbs tend to shift spectrum slowly as they age. We might not be able to see it with the naked eye but they do emit some amount of red light.

Last but not least, stay away from algae removers like algaefix, algone and all the other brands. To find out why, visit my guide, algaecide.

Algae Control : Effective Algae Control Methods

2009-07-28T15:27:00.008+07:00

Algae control. If you have an aquarium, those two words have probably crossed your mind at least once. While unfortunate, it is nevertheless true that the closed aquarium system offers all sorts of nuisance algae ample opportunity to multiply. While we can try and duplicate mother nature, more often than not our aquariums are left wanting.

And thats ok because maintaining a balanced system is easier said than done. Which means most of us will have to read up on proper algae control methods at some point. Sooner rather than later. This guide is primarily aimed at Algae Control in a marine aquarium but the same techniques can be used with freshwater tanks.

The usual suspects :-

Red Slime Algae (Not an Algae, a cyanobacteria)
Diatoms (Again, not an algae)
Hair Algae
Dinoflagellates

These four turn up whenever our systems our out of balance. More specifically, algae growth is accelerated when excess nutrients are present. Nitrates and Phosphates are the two most important nutrients we are concerned with when attempting to implement some form of algae control. As they are both forms of nitrogen and phophorus, they act as fertilizers to all plant life within a saltwater aquarium, so naturally, it is our goal to reduce them to an appropriate level.

Nitrates and Phosphates come from many sources. The main sources we should be looking at are fish waste, fish food, tap water and anything else that is slowly rotting in the tank like uneaten fish food and detritus.

Reverse osmosis units are normally used in the marine aquarium hobby as they effectively remove any nitrates and phosphates present in tap water, if there are any. I personally don't use one as i'm lucky to have relatively clean tap water that i treat for chlorine and chloramine beforehand. Still, i will be looking to get one in the near future as the water that the Ro/DI unit produces does not need to be treated any further, making it a hassle free affair.

We should begin cleaning the entire system of any fish waste and detritus that is present. During this time we also need to manually remove as much of the problem algae as possible. If we're dealing with red slime algae then it is a simple affair as it forms carpets that is easily removed. Not so when dealing with hair algae. Removal of live rock and scrubbing may be required. Its hard work but this needs to be done. Siphon out any bits of the algae floating about in the tank.

Next we deal with the current nitrate and phosphate levels. Nitrate is easily dealt with via water changes. The most you should ever consider changing at a time is around 40%. And never more than one a day. If the nitrate levels are so high that the tank needs two 40% changes then leave a gap of a day or so. So thats 40% on Monday and another 40% on Wednesday.

Phosphate are even easier to get rid of. Some companies sell these lovely products, PO4 removers and i love them. Simply put the appropriate amount in an area of high flow and your phosphate readings should drop to nothing in a day or two. The larger the tank, the more media is needed. Some good brands i can vouch for are Phosguard, Rowaphos and Phosban. I personally use Phosguard as it is a bit cheaper and just as effective as the other two.

Another area we need to address is light. Chances are, you have a lighting system. Are they older than 6 months? If they are you might want to consider changing them. Older bulbs tend to shift in spectrum towards red. You don't want any red light in your aquarium as it will affect algae growth. You might want to lower your photoperiod to about 4-5 hours a day depending on the type of corals you keep.

All of the above represents effective algae control techniques. It should be noted that results will not be seen immediately. The goal should be effective implementation of algae control in a month. I do not recommend liquid algae killers an effective form of algae control. To see why, pay a visit to my article, Algaefix.

Red Slime Algae : Dealing With Red Slime Algae

2009-07-27T22:55:00.005+07:00

Red Slime Algae is one of 4 pest algae that are common in the marine aquarium hobby. No hobbyists has been left unscathed, we've all had them before regardless. This is a guide towards eradicating Red Algae from the aquarium.

So lets start with the basics. Red Slime Algae is a prevalent problem in saltwater aquariums. It actually isn't an algae at all, it is a cyanobacteria like spirulina. They form mats that eventually cover large parts of the tank. They are one of the four biggest algae pests marine aquariums face, the other three are hair algae, brown diatoms and dinoflagellates.

Chemical removers enjoy brisk sales simply because most hobbyists are looking for a quick fix. Chemical removers are just that, quick fixes. While they may remove red slime algae with some effectiveness, they do not correct the source of the problem. Red Slime Algae normally comes back after a month or two after treating the tank.

Higher than recommended nutrient levels are the prime reason why hobbyists deal with these red slime algae on a regular basis. We need to address elevated nutrients immediately if we hope to be successful in our endeavor.

The two nutrients we will be focusing on are nitrates and phosphates. Fish food, detritus and fish wastes contribute to both those nutrients. To reduce waste in the tank we should lower the amount and frequency of feedings to the present livestock. Manual removal of any red slime algae present in the aquarium will help in stopping its spread.

Also remove any fish waste, detritus and uneaten food that you find. Perform as many water changes as necessary to reduce your nitrate reading to zero. Phosphate removal is a much easier task. It usually takes 48 hours to bring your phosphate levels down to zero when using these products.

Rapid red slime algae growth may be linked to your lighting set up as well. As light bulbs age they tend to shift into the red spectrum. Replace your bulbs if they are older than 6 months, just tobe on the safe side.

Red slime algae does not do well in areas of high flow so be sure to increase water flow in these spots. All the methods listed out here are effective towards getting rid of red slime algae, but only if you are diligent and most importantly, patient.