If you have an aquarium or type of outdoor water feature then you will understand the struggle of algae control. Algae tend to grow in these types of environments because they have plenty of food and light. In order to stop algae growth you need to restrict these basic growth needs or use products, many eco-friendly ones are available, which will stop algae from growing.

Most algae do require light in order to grow. So you need to limit the amount of natural light that your aquarium gets. Try to place your tank somewhere that only gets direct sun for short periods of time. If you use an aquarium light then it should not be on for more than 12 hours.

You can keep the nutrient levels in the water low by changing the water frequently. Silicates, nitrates and phosphates can be an issue and you may need to use deionised water, adsorption resins or reverse osmosis. There are also fish that will specifically eat algae such as the Siamese Algae Eater and sucker mouth catfish.

You need to be vigilant against four different types of algae; green algae, brown algae, blue-green algae and red algae otherwise known as brush algae. Brown algae are the first type to grow as this does not require any light.

Red algae is the most difficult to clean and favors water with a high pH. Blue-green algae are actually very slimy and green algae are the most preferred by fish because they like to eat it.

A pond will need a pump and filter as this can be the best way to avoid algae. However there are many products available that will naturally eliminate algae from your pond as you cannot eliminate light from outdoors. These products are not harmful to fish and can keep your algae growth in check.

Roland Stockwell enjoys writing about natural products. To find quality products for aquarium or pond algae control or to take care of other algae problems with products like natural fountain algae cleaner, check out a natural water treatment supplier’s site now.