Is Algae GOOD or BAD for Your Aquarium?!

Despite what many people think, having algae in your aquarium can be very beneficial for the health of your aquarium. In this video I explain the benefits of algae, why we should embrace it, and also how to get rid of it if you have too much.

Mail To:
Tazawa Tanks
58 West Portal Ave 235
San Francisco, CA 94127

Disclaimer: This video and description may contain affiliate links. I am also employed by Aquarium Co-Op, LLC. Some video content may be sponsored by Aquarium Co-Op.

[TazawaTanks]

What are your thoughts on algae in your aquarium? Do you love it or hate it?

[bubasmollett]

I only clean the front of my tanks, allowing algae to grow on the back and sides. When it gets really dense, I move my pleco in the tank. Its usually spotless in a few hours.

[evocativeswine]

Nobody ever talks about guppy’s as clean up fish, but guppy’s and platys both will graze like a heard of cattle all day and pick plants and surfaces pretty clean of detritus and algae! Love it!!

[assiahinarkansas]

I love the way a tank looks with sunlight shining thru SO much that I’m OK with some algae in about half my tanks. I don’t mind manually removing some every week.

[angiegtz]

i saw a bloom of algae growing in my guppy tank and wasn’t sure if it was good or bad. im new to fish keeping so this was really helpful, thank you!

[sarahwoodring]

Great point on algae as an indicator of aquarium health!

[fisharefriends]

Algae is free food. If nutrients didn’t convert, they’d just be in the water column. Better it converts into something visible and you can remove when you want

If you hate it that much, don’t fight it, set up an algae scrubber and let algae free roam there

[HopeB]

Honestly I LOVE algae and as long as it's not completely covering my front glass or suffocating my plants I'm happy to have a good bit of it. I just only feed every third day or so when I have bad outbreaks and the fishies nibble it back into check. I had the HARDEST time growing it when I had a big mbuna tank. I left the lights on for like 16 hours a day and it couldn't grow fast enough to actually stick around on my rocks. 😅

[LyraPleia]

Thank you. My algae grows in all the right places, making it more beautiful, so your video was very assuring.

[bec]

I have some gorgeous green algae growing on a piece of driftwood in my nano community tank. My dwarf gourami loves snacking on it.

[rikdownunda]

Awesome video. Love the message, love the way it was delivered. I agree totally

[EpicConspiracy]

There was a time I would nuke a tank and start over. But after 18 years I realized the tanks with algae are my healthiest tanks in the fishroom.

[legionaquatics]

I clean the glass I’m looking through and leave the other sides to grow algae

[garageaquatics]

The one algae I have a problem with is a really stiff-fibrous green hair-like algae. It's in a clump of Java fern. I can pull out wads of the stuff. It almost feels like steel wool. The algae eaters and shrimp don't seem to touch it. I've tried treating with hydrogen peroxide. It's a tough one.

[Booogie.Gaming]

Hey boss. I found some greeny something on my seiryu stone is that good?

[workharddieproud]

100 percent spot on with everything. I hate it and I don’t have any in my tank.

[Consoul]

a comb is my go to by-hand removal tool :)

[CarolynnMc]

Zenao! Nice to come across this video. I don't have any algae to speak of in either of my tanks. One is just shrimp and the big tank has become a habitat for nano fish, shrimp and nerites (limpets and trumpets too). I dose Bactor AE in both every week in hopes of creating biofilm for the crustaceans and snails. Seems to work because everyone is thriving. I also put a couple algae tabs in a couple times a week. Send algae! lol

[simonbuys]

Do algae and plants only remove nitrates out of the water or also ammonia and nitrite? Great video!!

[JohnWood-tkge]

I keep and breed super red bristle nose, I want more algae to grow in my tanks free fish food!