Green Carpet Algae Saltwater Aquarium

As its name suggests green spot algae first appears as tiny green spots on pretty much any surface in your tank decorations plants glass etc.

Green carpet algae saltwater aquarium.

When disturbed it comes off in sheets. The species structures can be unicellular to filamentous and some species are colonial. Phosphates po4 and nitrates no3 are primary nutrient food sources for red and other slime algae. It is also one of the most the hardy herbivores you can purchase for a saltwater aquarium.

What is that or what is the cause of that and how can you get rid of it. They will chew up any hair algae in the aquarium and will happily eat most macro algae. These algae form thick hair like mats that can carpet your aquarium. If what you see in your saltwater aquarium is a green feathery looking mass it is probably green hair algae.

Cyanobacteria formerly called blue green algae are not really algae but are a phylum of photosynthetic bacteria that live in moist soils and water. Once green hair alga has a foothold in a saltwater aquarium it can soon cover everything in your tank if prompt measures are not taken. Phosphates are commonly introduced into aquariums through the use of unfiltered fresh tap water as well as many aquarium products that may contain higher than normal concentrations of po4 such as sea salt mixes activated carbon kh buffers foods and many other sources. The foxface is an amazing algae eater in saltwater aquariums.

It can grow quickly and can cover the substrate in the aquarium. Hair algae are less desirable. Turn green hair algae into food. In fact it shows that an aquarium is well balanced and healthy and the cultivation of macroalgae forms is actually beneficial.

In this article we will try to answer all that questions and give some information about hair algae. The appearance and growth of algae in an aquarium is not bad it s just the natural order of things. Emerald crabs and lawnmower blennies are two animals with a taste for green hair algae. They can help they are.

They are coarse wiry and generally have thicker wider blades than green hair algae. The cure for green hair algae is the same as the prevention. Combining them with a kole tang covers more algae you will face in a saltwater tank. For a fish only tank this matting will be simply ugly but in the reef tank it can smother and kill live corals.

What is known as green turf algae in the hobby is really a generic name given to hundreds of different species of macroalgae that describe certain similar characteristics. Starve it into oblivion. Common in freshwater aquariums a small amount of green spot algae in your tank is normal and expected but an overgrowth should be prevented or treated.