Foam in the aquarium: reasons and options for dealing

Foam in the aquarium is very common and occurs for many reasons. In most cases, this situation does not pose a threat to the aquarium community, but sometimes it serves as a direct signal of improper maintenance of the tank. Whatever the nature of the foam, it is necessary to find out the reasons for its appearance as soon as possible, and if the situation requires it, immediately begin to eliminate them.

Foam on the surface of the tank is an accumulation of organic compounds arising from the influence of various factors. Organic matter is represented mainly by proteins and amino acids, which are present in water in large quantities.

As a result, a large amount of foam appears on the surface, which sometimes not only spoils the appearance of the aquarium, but also harms its inhabitants. It should be noted that soft water, unlike hard water, tends to foaming, therefore, when starting the aquarium for the first time, this point must be taken into account.

Foaming a home pond is a problem that every aquarist has faced at least once in his life. There is no need to panic in such a situation, the main thing is to try, as soon as possible, to recognize the cause of the appearance of the foam, and to act in accordance with the circumstances. The following are the most common factors in the formation of foam and methods for eliminating it.

It often happens that a person bought an aquarium, calcined the soil, planted plants, placed pre-disinfected decorations, installed a filter and a compressor - he did everything according to the rules, and after a few days the water began to foam and cloud a lot. In this situation, there is no need to worry, as the deterioration in water quality is a consequence of the establishment of biological equilibrium in the aquarium. During this period, beneficial bacteria are included in the work and trigger the mechanisms of self-regulation of the reservoir.

On about the fifth day, the foam will begin to disappear, and the water will become transparent. After this happens, it will be possible to proceed to the next stage of starting the aquarium - the colonization of fish.

Very often the appearance of foam is caused by poor-quality decorations. This is especially true for products containing varnish or painted in different colors. Unscrupulous manufacturers, in pursuit of profit, try to make their products more attractive, which often happens to the detriment of the quality of the goods. In this regard, decorations should be purchased only in specialized stores, try to avoid elements coated with varnish or paint.

That's why if the water foams a few days after the installation of a new accessory, then most likely it is in it... In such a situation, immediately remove the dangerous object from the water and turn on the filtration and aeration systems at full capacity. And also in the scenery, the dead inhabitants of the aquarium often get stuck, which causes protein pollution of the water, and, as a result, the appearance of foam. To prevent such cases, it is necessary to regularly inspect decor items, immediately remove such finds from the aquarium.

Inefficient filter operation also leads to foam formation and is very easy to recognize. So, if in the water, as in the foam, there are many organic residues, as well as blue-green and red algae, then the filter is either heavily contaminated or has a low power. The way out of the situation will be to disassemble and rinse the filter element, and in case of a lack of power - to buy a stronger model.

You can understand that foam in the aquarium is formed from improper care due to the large amount of debris in the water. If scales, fish waste and food residues float in the tank, then no filtration will help here, you need to urgently take measures to purify the water. Moreover, in especially advanced cases, when fungal mucus appeared along with the foam, its complete replacement and restart of the aquarium will be required.

Feed should be poured exactly as much as they eat in 5 minutes. In addition, the bottom of the tank must be siphoned regularly, and the decorations must be removed and thoroughly washed.

Frequent changes of large volumes of water also lead to foam. Due to the constant infusion of fresh portions, beneficial bacteria do not have time to recover and be included in the self-regulation system of the reservoir. The biological balance is disturbed, the water becomes cloudy and begins to foam. To prevent this kind of situation, you cannot change more than 1/4 of the water at a time, and this should be done no more than once a week.

Foam in the aquarium often appears from the high density of fish, which should not be allowed for the following reasons:

• leads to stress for the inhabitants of the aquarium;
• causes deterioration of the organoleptic properties of water; the liquid becomes cloudy and begins to foam strongly in the corners.

To prevent such situations from arising, you should adhere to certain norms.

At higher densities, some fish species become aggressive and others become very sick.

Sometimes it happens that after the introduction of this or that drug, the water in the aquarium becomes very foaming and cloudy. In such cases, a mechanical filter and aerator should be used to minimize the amount of medication. The best option is to pre-test a small amount of the drug in a separate reservoir. This will help determine the dosage and predict the development of events in a large aquarium.

Algae in the process of growth release a large amount of volatile substances into the water, leading to the appearance of foam.

Often, such cases are accompanied by damage to the soil. To remedy the situation, you need to remove the soil, rinse it thoroughly in a solution of potassium permanganate and bake it in the oven.

Often during the mass spawning season, the water in the aquarium begins to foam. This is due to the high protein content in the food. Similar processes occur at the time of hatching of the larvae. In such cases, you do not need to do anything, since this is a temporary phenomenon. Thus, weekly water changes, regular bottom siphoning, use of filtration and aeration systems, judicious use of medicines, and proper feeding of fish will ensure that the water in the aquarium is clean and the risk of foam formation is minimized.

What is foam in an aquarium, see below.