Black algae in an aquarium: why do they arise and how to deal with them?

Sometimes the plants in the aquarium take on an unnatural hue. If you see that they are covered with a brownish coating, this is the first symptom that processes are going on in an artificial reservoir that disrupt the existing ecosystem. If dark, almost black spots appear, you need to urgently start taking active actions, the plant is affected by black algae, which grows rather quickly.

Black plaque on the representatives of the aquarium flora appears as a result of the reproduction of the "black beard", this is the lowest algae of black-brown color, which entangles the leaves, substrate, decorative elements and even covers the glass walls of the tank. From a botanical point of view, a black beard is a multicellular filamentous alga, the size of filaments is 5-6 cm. The reproduction rate of algae is so high that it can entangle the entire aquarium flora in a fairly short time.

Despite this, that this alga is not a parasite, it destroys plant tissues and darkens them... If the situation is not taken under control and you do not get rid of the misfortune as quickly as possible, then the plants can wither and even die.

The reasons for the appearance of a black beard in an artificial reservoir are the most primitive, here are just a few of them.

• Stagnant water. As a result of the vital activity of fish, waste accumulates in the tank, they release nitrates, nitrites and phosphate, which create an environment favorable for the growth and reproduction of algae.To avoid clogging the reservoir, it is necessary to regularly change the water, preferably on a weekly basis.
• Lack of lighting. Over time, the brightness of the aquarium lamps decreases, the lighting becomes dimmer, in such light, as a rule, algae begin to develop much more actively.
• Surplus feed. It is known that some fish feed on black beard, since it is algae, but if there is too much food, then aquarium pets will not need plant food.
• Violation of the rules for the density of fish population. A large number of fish in the aquarium leads to excessive accumulation of organic matter, which has the most harmful effect on the existing biocenosis.
• Accumulations in the substrate. With excessive filtration and constant digging in the soil by large fish, particles of food and other biomass begin to penetrate into the upper layers of the water. In this case, the algae lurking in the substrate find a comfortable environment for active growth.
• Resettlement of infected plants and decorative elements (stones or driftwood). In order to avoid the appearance of disease, when purchasing any aquarium plant or decoration, you must first hold it in clean water and check for dark swaying villi, and if you notice such threads, the plant is sick.

However, if there are no obvious signs of defeat, this does not mean that there is no problem. Perhaps she is already inside the reservoir and is just waiting for conditions suitable for abrupt reproduction.

The options for dealing with a black beard in an aquarium are divided into chemical and biological. When using the chemical method, drugs are used - they quickly cope with the misfortune, but at the same time they can harm the fish, therefore we will dwell in more detail on all possible methods of struggle.

As you know, ordinary catfish, ancistrus catfish, as well as Siamese algae eaters and kartozidny fish eat a black beard. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that it is quite tough, therefore they will not just start feeding on it. During the treatment of the reservoir, it is better not to give any other food to the inhabitants of the aquarium., only in this case will they turn their attention to the black filamentous algae. From snails, a possible solution to the problem is to launch a small handful of small ampularia into the aquarium - they do an excellent job of all types of algae.

It is noted that the placement of hygrophila, elodea and lemongrass, as well as hornwort, vallisneria, nayas and Indian rotala in the reservoir, promotes the removal of a black beard. The point here is that algae primarily attacks the simplest plants, while the higher ones, with rapid development, begin to actively absorb useful substances. To do this, you should purchase as many seedlings as possible and create favorable growth conditions for them. It will be useful to use special fertilizers containing iron and manganese. During the growth process, the plants need to be pruned, since young shoots are more active in absorbing useful components from the water.

This is a rather radical method that is used with a large degree of infection. To do this, you need to place all the fish in a temporary tank, drain all the liquid, and destroy the damaged plants, clean the substrate and decor elements thoroughly and boil. After that, with the help of bleach and hot water, clean the walls of the aquarium, wash thoroughly with cool water and restart.

This is one of the most unusual ways that experienced aquarists often resort to. In this case, no one needs to be evicted, the recipe is simple: they take a couple of copper batteries from the contacts, put them in water and leave them for 3-5 days.

A 3% vinegar solution has a good efficiency, it is dissolved in water to a slightly acidic medium and the affected plant is lowered so as not to affect the root system. Vinegar helps to destroy the villi. After that, the plant is thoroughly rinsed in clean water and planted back. This procedure is absolutely safe for the sprouts themselves and the aquarium inhabitants. The method is optimal in the very first stages of infection, when the beard has captured only 1-2 plants.

Blackbeard does not tolerate hard water, therefore, to eliminate it, the corresponding parameter should be increased to 8 units. To do this, add 10% potassium chloride to it in the calculation of 2 ml for each liter of water and 7% magnesium sulfate (2 ml per 1 liter) or use baking soda (0.2 g per 1 liter).

Antiseptics furacilin or furazolidone are highly effective - for this they are dissolved in aquarium water for several days. She may turn yellow, this should not frighten the breeder.

Dissolving borax will quickly destroy all black algae in the tank, but remember that all fish must be moved to a separate container before treatment, otherwise they will simply die.

If the aquarium is damaged by a black beard, you can fight it with special antiseptics, which quickly cleanse the water from the disease. Most often used "Sidex", which is completely safe for fish, shrimp and snails, but it does not always show effectiveness, so it is better to give preference to the more expensive drug AlgaeFix. It is distinguished by its rapidity of action, but crustaceans are not friendly with this medicine - when it is used, they die.

As they say, the disease is always easier to prevent than to cure, therefore, in order to save the aquarium and not create conditions comfortable for the reproduction of a black beard, you just need to carefully monitor the biocenosis in it. Change the water by about 25-30% every week. Avoid overcrowding the artificial reservoir.

Any new plant should be disinfected before settling, for this use "Bicillin-4" (a liter of water needs a dose of 15 thousand units) or penicillin (at the rate of 5 mg per 1 liter). The drug is diluted in water, heated to 25-26 degrees and the plant is placed there. For 2 hours, the jar is kept in a dark place, and then transferred to the light. After a day, the plant is washed and placed in an aquarium.

Alternatively, you can use a hydrogen peroxide solution (20 ml per 100 L of water). Some aquarists use chlorine, which is quite effective against algae, but some plants (anubias, kabomba and elodea) do not tolerate it quite well.Keep an eye on the content of nitrates - their concentration should not go beyond 5 mg / liter, for this you need not to overfeed the fish, use filters and siphon the soil at least once a week. These simple rules will help you maintain a healthy microenvironment in your aquarium.

You will learn more about how to get rid of black algae in an aquarium in 2 weeks.