Everything is going well with my tank.... except for the brown algae thats starting to form. I've kinda been waiting for it to happen. I believe the tank is fully cycled and all the tests come out ok. ammonia 0, nitrate around 20, nitrite around 1. My tap water has nitrate levels around 20 or so. my tank has 8-32 watt t-8 bulbs in a homemade fixture with mirrored reflectors. that should be around 2 wpg. I've heard that brown algae can be caused by high phosphate/ nitrate, or high silicates. how do i test for phosphate, and can you test for silicate? when setting up the tank i used pool filter sand as one of the layers in the substrate which should be inert, but is silica. In lieu of the usual total eclipse, starving of the fishes, or 300% water changes would a UV sterilizer work? I have one thats rated for 2000 gph from a fountain project that never got off the ground. I also have a huge bottle of excel if that would help. And correct me if i'm wrong ,inverts don't really like this type of algae do they? Any suggestions would be appreciated. thanks, steve

With nitrites reading 1 its not quite done yet. Brown algae always happen with new tanks I think, best you could do is to either keep it wiped down or just wait it out. A uv won't help much on the brown as it isn't free floating algae.

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What you have is most likely diatoms which show up in new aquariums but usually go away on their own. Diatoms look a bit like patches of rust growing on the glass and other surfaces, if it's hairy or bushy looking stuff then it's something else.

Get a pair or more of Ottos. They'll eradicate that brown algae in no time.

I went out and got some ottos per recommendation. I gotta say I'm impressed, within 2 days they cleaned the glass. Then they moved on to the plants, and so on. Now as soon as any algae shows up they are on it. I've started moving more of the plants from my other aquarium and they are polishing them as soon as I put them in. Ottos are awesome. Thanks Steve.

I have the same stuff in my 55g Cichlid tank and have had it for several months. I'd love to get a couple of Ottos but I don't think they will survive in there with six pretty big Cichlids. Will they?

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60g tall, all artificial plants, Rainbow tank; 55g for African Cichlids. 20g long for fry; 20g hex, 2 black Angels at my desk; 10g planted, with 50 Molly fry; 10 gal, 2x 13w cfl lightning, planted; 2g hex for "Buddy the Betta"; Wanting a 200g +, MTS getting bad.

Otos are simply awesome little guys. Not that I'm biased or anything.

Unfortunately no. They will be lunchmeat for the cichlids.