So it’s not a good idea to leave that cool-looking “actinic light” on your aquarium’s LED during night time. Algae grow like crazy from white daylight but they also really like blue light. However, more often than not, sunlight that’s hitting your tank from a nearby window is often the culprit here. Rarely your aquarium’s plant will need over 8 hours of light per day. Algae takes advantage of the excess light that hits your tank but is not used by your aquatic plants. Too much leftover food can result in high phosphate levels which are also favorable to the algae’s growth. In that case, your plants simply can’t compete with the algae, because of inefficient photosynthesis processes. Insufficient CO2 in your fish tank is one example. Note that I’m saying imbalance and not just “too much”. The two main causes of black algae outbreaks in aquariums are: But algal spores won’t be a problem if you don’t allow them to grow and develop. The truth is you will always get a few BBA spores no matter how careful you are when you pick up new plants or fish. Without enough light to create life energy for themselves – the plants could die. The algae cover the leaves of the plants which blocks their way of receiving incoming light. It’s easy to confuse each stage as a different “type” of black algae but they all are practically the progression of the same thing.īeware reader: Even though black beard algae isn’t harmful to fish, it can destroy aquarium plants. They may cover most of your fish tank’s decor. If left unattended, the patches will grow to become very thick and hair-like and will remain soft to the touch (hence the name).Keep in mind that any true aquatic molds will be white in color and will be a type of fungus. The algae then progress to small patches that look like black fuzzy mold not uniform.It starts out as tiny black spots covering your aquatic plants or the aquarium’s glass.There are three development stages of black beard algae: They are very persistent and are often difficult to remove because they have a tendency of returning. This happens through its single-celled spores.īlack algae do not only infest aquariums but also pools, ponds, and other artificially managed bodies of water. These algae are usually introduced to an aquarium from outside sources like contaminated plants or even the guts of fish. In fact, in some cases, it can actually appear bluish or greenish in coloration. There are more than 6000 recognized species of red algae, and what we call “black algae” is one of them. What causes Black Beard Algae to appear in fish tanks?ĭespite its color, Black algae, also known as Black Beard Algae is a member of the red brush algal family in the Rhodophyta division. It’s progressively attaching itself to plants, decor, and rockwork.Īre black algae in the fish tank bad for aquatic life?Īfter months of fighting this pest, I really got to know it and finally found the cure. Scrubbing it removes the stuff for a while but it keeps coming back.Īt first, it appears as a black mold, often, in a freshwater aquarium environment and it later develops to a beard-like growth. Shop the best aquarium lighting and aquarium heaters here on Chewy today.Here’s a scenario for you: You take care of your aquarium by the book but suddenly there’s a strange black fuzzy growth that’s covering everything. There's also the Hydor Betta & Betta Bowl which provides the natural warmth needed to heat a two- to five-gallon tank or bowl to an ideal temperature, simply plug it in and you're ready to go. It's an around-the-clock lighting solution that you can program from your couch. Current USA Orbit Marine Aquarium LED Light is an aquarium lighting accessory for saltwater reefs. It's a universal heater that can be used for marine, freshwater or tropical aquariums. It features a graduated scale that will give you precise temperature control to help maintain the optimal conditions for the health of your fish. You'll create the perfect fish environment in your aquarium with the right aquarium heating and lighting accessories.Ī fish heater like the Hydor Theo Aquarium Heater is fully submersible, compact and can be installed vertically or horizontally according to your desired setup. Providing proper aquarium lighting and aquarium heating is very important in maintaining the integrity of your tank. Supplying your aquarium with sufficient lighting and heat will help maintain the quality of life of the plants, corals and invertebrates in your aquarium.
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