Green algae only in the stronger lighted part of the aquarium
An algae film deposits extremely quickly on rocks, plants, aquarium glass and the thermometer in the foreground. The back half of the aquarium is entirely free of algae. The algae film is green. I do not feed much and change water regularly. I have 3 small bushes of a plant that looks like grass in the foreground, which are covered in algae. Is there a possibility to remove this, or should I remove the plants from the tank and purchase new ones?
Hello,
this indicates that the light intensity in the front part is considerably higher (this is not necessarily obvious to the eye!). In such cases it is worth a try to reduce the light intensity - e.g. by removing a reflector, provided you use one, or by adding floating plants.
Regular water changes are already good. However, possible that the fresh water (be it tap, spring or well water) contains rather much nitrate which then supports the growth of (bright) green algae - especially in case of strong light.
It may be possible to gently remove the algae mechanically, e.g. with a long pair of tweezers or by rolling them onto a coarse wooden stick, maybe even with a soft brush. If that does not work, just leave the plants as they are.
If the growth conditions for the green algae deteriorate (in this case: by lacking light), they will mostly disappear by themselves after a few weeks. If there are algae eating fish (livebearers, many catfish etc.) it is often helpful not to feed for a couple of days. The fish will then considerably decimate the algae.
Best regards
sera GmbH
Dr. Bodo Schnell