How to Clean Algae Off Aquarium Decorations?

Placing new aquarium decorations into your fish tank adds a touch of beauty and color to the tank. The aquarium can look good for a period of weeks or even months but after a certain period of time, you are going to notice the growth of brown or green algae.

The beautiful touch of beauty and color is gone, which can only mean cleaning the decoration is what follows.

Have you just put aquarium decorations into your fish tank? Are the aquarium decorations covered in brown and green algae? Do you want to get that beautiful crisp and clean look your fish tank had a couple of weeks back?

In this article, we are going to discuss how to safely remove algae from aquarium decorations to ensure the conditions of your fish tank do not change, and the methods you take to get that clean tank back.

The Importance of Cleaning Your Fish Tank Safely

As a fish owner, you are going to have to clean your fish tank regularly to make sure that your pet fish have a healthy and happy place to stay. It is important to understand the importance of cleaning your tank safely as it is not just about the aesthetics of the tank.

Cleaning your tank and aquarium decorations with the wrong chemicals or soap and not rinsing them off properly could result in your fish becoming ill or even killing them in the long run.

If you do not rinse the soap off your aquarium decorations it risks changing the conditions of your fish tank and could result in negative effects for your fish.

This is why it is essential to clean your tank and its decorations regularly and safely to promote good health and good water quality for your fish.

How to Clean Algae Off Your Aquarium Decorations?

All aquarium and fish owners are going to have to deal with the removing and cleaning of algae.

Fortunately, the cleaning process is not particularly challenging and the are several methods to getting rid of the brown or green algae growing on the sides of your aquarium wall or decorations.

The first step is to remove your aquarium decorations one at a time. When you are cleaning your fish tank, it is important to take out aquarium decorations one at time.

If you take all the decorations out at once it could result in causing your fish to become stressed and therefore increase their chances of getting ill.

In short, your fish does not want his environment and home disturbed. When cleaning the tank, it is recommended that you take out 25%-50% of the aquarium decorations.

Some of the aquarium decorations in the fish tank are home to good bacteria’s which assist in the promotion of a happy and healthy environment for the fish. We recommended that when you are cleaning the tank you keep your fish in the tank.

Some savvy fish owners also have two sets of aquarium decorations to swap as they clean. Here are a few of the methods we recommend for cleaning off the algae from your fish tank and its decorations:

Boiled Water

A simple yet effective method of removing algae from aquarium decorations is boiled water. Boil a good amount of water (enough for all the aquarium decorations you intend on cleaning) and soak the aquarium decorations in the hot water for 15-20 minutes.

After the recommended amount of time has passed that your décor being submerged in boiled water you follow with a rinse.

You can use tap water to rinse the aquarium decorations. You should avoid using any chemicals or soap when rinsing your decorations. The algae would have absorbed when soaking and is going to be easy to remove with a toothbrush, scrub, or aquarium sponge.

Use a toothbrush, scrub, or aquarium sponge to gently brush off the algae. Use the brush to clean off the algae and insert it softly into cracks or other hard-to-reach places to ensure the removal of all algae which may be hiding away.

Once you have completed this final step you should notice your aquarium decorations no longer have the green or brown algae on them and you can put your algae-free décor back into the fish tank.

Bleach Solution

The bleach solution method is used for that stubborn and hard to remove algae. When algae cannot be simply removed through boiled water and scrubbing with a brush, bleaching is the way to go.

When cleaning your aquarium decorations with bleach you need to ensure your mixture is 95% water and 5% bleach.

The bleach mixture solution you use to clean should not have any additives and the main ingredient should be sodium hypochlorite. It is also important that the 95% water is lukewarm as hot water tends to neutralize the bleach.

The first step is to submerge and soak the aquarium decorations in the bleach solution for 10-15 minutes. After the time period has passed, you are going to notice that the green or brown algae on the decorations begins to peel off.

The length of soaking time depends on how dirty the decorations are in the first place; however, we do not suggest soaking the aquarium decorations in water for more than an hour as this could result in decolorization of the decorations.

Once the algae have begun to peel off, follow this by rinsing the aquarium decorations with cold water and using a toothbrush, brush, or aquarium sponge to clean off the excess algae particles.

Once you have brushed off the excess algae particles, follow with another rinse and leave the aquarium decorations to soak in warm water overnight – this is to ensure all the bleach comes off the decorations.

After the overnight soak in warm water, soak your aquarium decorations in dechlorinating tablet water. This ensures that you have gotten rid of any chlorine which may be harmful to your fish.

Repeat the soaking in the dechlorinating tablet water as much as three times to remove all traces of chlorine and bleach.

Vinegar Solution

Vinegar solution is another method you can use as an aquarium owner to clean off algae. Vinegar serves to be a good cleaning agent when in terms of the removal of mineral deposits from aquarium decorations.

Start with preparing the vinegar solution, this is part vinegar and part distilled warm water. Soak the aquarium decorations in the mixture for about 5-10 minutes and use a scrub or brush to gently clean off the excess algae.

After scrubbing the decorations, rinse them off with cold water before putting them back into the aquarium.

The Final Verdict

The growth of algae in your fish tank and on your aquarium decorations is inevitable. Fortunately for fish tank owners, the process of cleaning off the algae is simple enough.

By following either of the above methods your fish tank is going to return to its beautiful and colorful self in no time.

You should always keep in mind that having a fish tank requires consistent cleaning and maintenance, and as much you would love for a spotless aquarium, algae do provide good bacteria too which promotes a happy and healthy place for your fish to live.

The final verdict is to keep your tank and its aquarium decorations clean, but not overly clean.