Brown Algae

[Ezzn]

I have a month old fresh water tank and I'm noticing some brown algae on structures. What causes this? What do I need to do to fix it?

Thank you in advance

 

[Rivercats]

It's diatoms which are common in new tanks. Commonly they are caused by excess silicates. Diatoms will eventually go away or you can get get a couple snails (nerite, ramshorns, mystery) or depending on the size of you tank, which you didn't say, you could get a bristlenose pleco (personally I wouldn't keep a BN Pleco or any pleco in a tank smaller than 30 gallons-IMO).

 

[Ezzn]

The tank is 100 gal.

I have a plecostomus already in it.

 

[Rivercats]

I'd do some nerite snails, they love diatoms. The tank is rather new or I'd say add some Oto's. They are great at eating diatoms. Something else you could try "if" you don't have plants, is to add some phosphate remover to your filter media. That will often times speed the diatom cycle down. I'm really surprized the Pleco isn't eating it. When I started my planted 220g I added a BN Pleco and within a couple days it was all but gone. You could add a bristlenose pleco along with your other pleco in a tank that large.