Why does the water in the aquarium turn green – useful facts about the important

You’re not alone if you’ve ever noticed the water in your aquarium turning green. This can be an unsightly and worrying problem that many aquarium owners deal with on a regular basis.

Maintaining a clean and healthy aquarium starts with knowing why the water turns green. Once you are aware of the various causes of this phenomenon, you can take appropriate action to ensure that it doesn’t occur again.

This post will discuss the main causes of green water in aquariums and offer some helpful advice on how to keep your fish’s tank crystal clear.

Reason Explanation
Excessive light Too much light, especially direct sunlight, promotes algae growth, turning the water green.
Overfeeding Uneaten food decomposes, releasing nutrients that fuel algae blooms.
Poor filtration Inefficient filtration allows waste to accumulate, leading to green water.
High nutrient levels Excessive nutrients like nitrates and phosphates encourage algae growth.
Lack of water changes Not changing the water regularly leads to a buildup of nutrients, promoting algae growth.

What danger does blooming pose

Underwater residents are not in danger of a worldwide catastrophe because of a small bloom.

If the issue is not fixed in a timely manner, the bloom will grow to enormous proportions, with the following outcomes:

  1. The amount of nutrients in the water area will decrease.
  2. The oxygen level will decrease.
  3. An imbalance in the aquatic ecosystem will appear.
  4. Some fish may die, others, more resilient ones, will begin to get sick and wither away.

Green water is a blatant sign of an imbalance in the aquatic ecosystem; this violation won’t go away on its own, so the cause of the green aquarium water needs to be found and fixed right away.

The fast growth of algae in aquariums is a common problem that is frequently brought on by an excess of light, nutrients, or unbalanced water conditions. It’s crucial to comprehend the causes of this issue if you want to keep your aquarium clear of debris, your fish and plants healthy, and your ecosystem flourishing.

Main reasons for green bloom

In a domestic aquatic system, green water is a sign of single-celled algae reproducing quickly. The simplest microorganism, Euglena grows particularly actively and is unique in that it can survive in nearly any environment. Furthermore, Euglena green can grow on bacteria in both light and dark environments (assuming photosynthesis is present). Although managing the parasite is challenging, it is completely possible.

This phenomena has multiple initiators. In order to deal with greenery successfully, the source must be identified and the offender removed. Let’s examine the primary causes of the aquarium’s green water.

Excess of organic matter

Fish remains from their vital activities, dead aquatic plant particles, and tiny fragments of shrimp and snail shells are examples of organic matter. All of these elements break down fast and actively release nitrogen compounds, which algae eat.

The more organic materials there are in the tank, the faster the algae proliferate and grow, giving the water a green tint.

Recognize that the cause is an overabundance of organic materials due to the large number of excrement and residue left over from the "molting" of water residents. Not only does the waste quickly spread throughout the aquarium, but it also contaminates the water, lowering the fish’s quality of life.

How to proceed:

  1. Deflated densely sulfur. Part of the living creatures to transplant other banks.
  2. Adjust the feeding and do not forget to immediately remove the remnants of not eaten food.
  3. Seeking the bottom of the aquarium.

Excessive vegetation

CO2 is actively produced by aquatic plants, especially at night. Algae use carbon dioxide as part of their feeding process, which promotes faster growth.

How to proceed:

  1. Remove the water flora.
  2. If necessary, you can replace the plants with slowly growing. For example, Anubias nana, Thai fern, cryptocorynes, liverwort-monosolenium, etc.

Excessive lighting

When photosynthesis is optimal, green algae actively reproduce. When the jar is exposed to direct sunlight or when the aquarium owner uses an excessively strong lighting fixture, a vigorous bloom can be seen.

The problem’s origin is simple to comprehend:

  • the aquarium is installed next to a window facing south, southeast;
  • the container is illuminated for more than 12 hours in a row;
  • the power of the light source does not correspond to the volume of the jar.

How to proceed:

  1. Change the location of the aquarium (it should be at least 2 m from natural light).
  2. Calculate the level of light required for your aquarium. Here, the lumens per liter of water are used (the number of Lm per W is indicated on the device box). There are 3 gradations in terms of lighting strength: 15-25 Lm/l low, 25-50 Lm/l medium and from 50 Lm/l high level.

In the summer and winter, respectively, there should be a maximum of 12 and 10 hours of daylight.

It is ideal for the fish in an aquarium to have lighting requirements that are nearly equal for all of them. For example, a light source of 10 W and a total luminous flux of 900 lm are needed for a small container with a volume of 40–50 liters that is inhabited by species that prefer shade (low illumination level). We compute and find that 1 liter of water will yield 22.5-23 lm, which is within the allowed limits.

Insufficient filtration

Pollutants build up in the water due to weak and inadequate filtration, and when their concentration rises, algae can develop. Any waste, after all, serves as a perfect nutrient medium for it.

How to proceed:

  1. Replace the old and unusable filter.
  2. Select new equipment that matches the volume of the jar.
  3. Periodic clean the filter (every 2-2.5 weeks).
  4. Change the sponges in the device body annually.

Make sure the aquarium has the ideal filtration rate. A volume of two to four records per hour is ideal.

Illiterate maintenance

The most frequent cause of green water in aquariums is a careless or incompetent approach to maintaining their inhabitants.

Generally speaking, aquarists—especially novices—make the following errors:

  • Irregular cleaning. Poor cleaning of the tank leads not only to water bloom, but also provokes fish diseases. Regular cleaning includes cleaning the aquarium walls, decorative elements from plaque, as well as weeding and trimming overgrown aquatic plants, cleaning the filter and soil.

A large aquarium of 150–200 liters should be serviced once a month, whereas a small 15-liter jar should be cleaned every week. The frequency of cleaning an aquarium tank increases with its volume.

  • Incorrect water change. Both frequent and too rare water changes lead to rapid growth of green algae. Remember that water changes are carried out every 2 weeks, and up to 30% of the total water volume should be replaced at a time. When adding new water, do not forget to let it stand (1-2 days) to get rid of excess chlorine.

Both the drained and added water to the aquarium should have the same temperature. It is preferable to replace using a siphon to prevent turbidity from forming in the container.

  • Inappropriate food. Poor-quality, low-grade fish food leads to active algae growth. This problem is easy to solve:
  1. Buy only high-quality food from well-known manufacturers.
  2. Feed your aquarium inhabitants taking into account their natural needs.
  3. The amount of food should be such that the fish eat it in 1-2 minutes.
  4. Immediately remove excess food.

Knowing the reasons behind green aquarium water is essential to keeping your fish in a healthy environment. You can take appropriate action to prevent and resolve the problem by determining its causes, which may include excessive light, overfeeding, and nutrient imbalances.

Water clarity can be maintained with regular maintenance, which includes balanced lighting, appropriate filtration, and controlled feeding. Maintaining the equilibrium in your aquarium also requires keeping an eye on the growth of algae and making adjustments as needed.

You can guarantee a clean, healthy habitat free from the difficulties of green water for your aquatic life by being proactive and aware of your aquarium’s needs.

Video on the topic

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Elena Grishina

Ecologist and aquarist with a special interest in creating balanced ecosystems in aquariums. Main focus — ecosystems that require minimal human intervention. I support a natural approach to aquarium care, where each element plays its role, helping to maintain harmony in a closed ecosystem. I promote sustainable aquarium keeping and respect for nature.

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