Algae

• Types: Green, brown, black, hair, blue-green (cyanobacteria)

• Causes: Excess light, nutrients, or feeding

• Solutions: Reduce light duration, avoid overfeeding, add live plants, consider algae-eating species

Cloudy Water

• White cloud: Bacterial bloom, usually resolves on its own

• Green cloud: Algae bloom, reduce light and nutrients

• Brown cloud: Suspended particles, improve filtration

Fish Health Issues

• Ich (white spots): Raise temperature gradually to 86°F (if fish can tolerate it) and treat with medication

• Fin rot: Improve water quality, treat with appropriate medication

• Swim bladder issues: Fast fish, feed cooked peas to some species

Water Quality Problems

• Ammonia or nitrite spikes: Immediate water change, find and fix the cause

• High nitrates: More frequent water changes, add live plants

• pH swings: Test KH, use appropriate buffers if necessary