How to Clean Green Water in Aquarium

We have all experienced green water in our aquarium, it might not cause any particular problem to our fish and shrimps, but it is just a very unpleasant sight. Water changes are crucial and it helps in removing the nitrate from your aquarium and maintaining a healthy water cycle, so make sure to perform frequent water changes to your aquarium and bring about a sense of at least 40% water change every 2 days for 1 week. In addition, make sure to control the ammonia in your tank by frequently cleaning your filters, and scraping excess algae off the hardscape and aquarium glass.

Why is my aquarium green?

The common reason why the aquarium turns green or has green water is due to the algae bloom in your tank. This algae bloom takes place when there is high ammonia in your tank. It activities the algae and makes your water green in color. 

Ammonia produced by the fish in your tank results in ‘Nitrite’, which in turn results in ‘Nitrate’ in your aquarium which accelerates the growth of algae in your aquarium. Irregular water changes, few aquatic plants, and high dosage of chemicals can result in increased Ammonia in your aquarium. 

Is green water Dangerous for the fish?

I haven’t seen any kind of issue arising from green water or algae in my aquarium. In fact, I have seen my fish and shrimps thrive better with algae than Algae-free aquarium. It creates a natural ambience for the fish and helps in breeding, and healthy growth of the fish. 

But on the other hand, it indicates that there is a high concentrate of ammonia in the aquarium which simply makes the water look bad, translucent and could eventually cause death or sickness to your fish. 

So, make sure you balance this level of ammonia and fix the green water in your aquarium by following the steps below. 

Here are some tips to fix the green water in your aquarium

Water Changes

First step is to make sure to perform frequent water changes to your aquarium and bring about a sense of at least 40% water change every 2 days for 1 week. You will notice reduction in the green water which will indicate lower ammonia level. After 1 week, make 30% water change every 2 days for 2 weeks. This will help you remove the maximum amount of ammonia in the aquarium.

Water changes are crucial and help in removing the Nitrate from your aquarium and maintaining a healthy water cycle. 

Cleaning the glass

Make sure to keep your aquarium glass clean by scraping off excess algae in your aquarium glass each time you do water change. It will help you in controlling excess algae growth. In addition, there are some algae eaters like Siamese Algae Eater, Amano Shrimp, Otocinclus, and Nerite Snails.

Put Floating Plants

Make sure to add floating plants into your aquarium. This will reduce the light entering your aquarium and reduce the growth of algae in your tanks. Since the floating plants will be on top of the aquarium, they will be the first to come in contact with light and form a blanket over the surface of the aquarium. 

Floating plants like water lilies, red roots, duckweed, and water spangle are excellent for the aquarium.

Lower the Lighting hours

Too much sunlight will result in algae bloom. The best amount of lighting hours are between 8-10 hours. But no matter what, try to avoid keeping the lights on for more than 12 hours as it might simply accelerate the growth rate of the algae and also alter the water cycle. 

Try to avoid keeping your aquarium in direct contact with sunlight. Aquarium lights are best as they can be switched off anytime and also have a moderate amount of light entering the aquarium. 

Add Aquatic Plants

Aquatic plants are able to reduce the level of ammonia in the aquarium and also bring about a sense of slow growth of algae in the aquarium. You can try adding aquatic plants like; Water Wisteria, Water Sprite and Guppy grass into the aquarium. They have helped me control algae best, compared to other plants for my aquarium. 

They absorb excess ammonia and reduce the overall Nitrate level in the aquarium. 

The above mentioned plants are super easy to keep and have a hardy nature, which makes it an easy beginner plant. 

Regular Cleaning of Filters

Make sure you keep your filters cleaned and perform frequent changes to the biomaterial and filter sponge. Filters absorb a lot of ammonia and also maintain a steady flow of water in the aquarium. Therefore, make sure to keep your filters clean and on throughout the day. 

Water Flow

Make sure to keep a steady water flow in your aquarium as it prevents the growth of algae as a whole. Steady water has high chances of algae bloom. Having a filter should do this job well. 

Algae bloom is the main cause for the green water in your aquarium and it will make it difficult for you to keep a healthy water cycle as a whole. we have showed you how you can tackle the problem for green water, but if you need an in-depth idea of how to deal with tough algae like ‘Black-beard algae, Hair algae, Staghorn Algae, etc. you can refer our article on How to Kill Black Beard Algae and Staghorn Algae.