Blue-green algae is technically not really an algae in the true sense of the word ' it's actually a form of bacteria, called cyanobacteria, which is a type of bacteria capable of photosynthesis.
Cyanobacteria is one of the worlds oldest organisms, and is thought to have been around for at least three.five billion years!
It looks like a slimy coating in a number of greenish-blue shades, and the wastes it releases can actually be toxic to your fish ' another good reason to keep it to a bare minimum.
One good thing...
One good thing about marine algae is that it's easy to remove manually: usually, it forms 'sheets' of hanging matter in the water, which can easily be scooped out.
The bad thing...
The downside is that it's pretty hardy: even after a thorough removal, it's usually back by the next day
This algae is usually caused by low levels of nitrates (usually in combination with high levels of phosphate), and a bacteria imbalance in the water.
How to get rid of this persistent eyesore:
* Block all light for a week, and get rid of the dead algae out of the tank each day. Your plants will be pretty sad by the seventh day, but they usually recover just fine.
* Add new bacteria pellets after every water change. You can purchase bacteria pellets for this express purpose from your pet store and aquarium supply dealer. Ask for bacteria pellets that remove ammonia and excess protein from the water.
* Be stringent with your tank maintenance: keep everything clean, check the filter for clogging, make sure the lights are working adequately (blue-green algae needs light to survive, but good fluorescents are necessary to maintain an adequate balance of bacteria and plant life in the tank).
It's not very hard to cure the problem of algae if you are organised. Just keep at it and you will get there.
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