Hi, I am having a difficult time with a brown reddish algae on my plants and rocks and now going to glass. I have a few pics posted in my photos. My lights are on about 6 hours in 24, and there is very little direct window light. My nitrates suddenly shot up a few days ago. I do a 25 % water change every other week and filter cleaning the opposite weekend. Help!a Any ideas. Does a uv sterilizer only help green algae in the water? Hope for help

The nitrates could be the problem. UV sterilizers prevent green water and can help control algae that spreads using water borne spores. The algae has to go through the filter to get killed. I don't know if your algae is spread by spores in the water.

My water is very clear, but possibly not as crystal clear as it could be, can algae attached be spread thru water borne spores? Are water changes the best to get nitrate back in check? I just don't know what to do.

I looked on wikipedia and it says most freshwater algae reproduce using spores that are spread by the current so your uv filter should help. Water changes are the easiest way to control nitrates. Are your plants getting enough light?

How old is the tank? Brown algae will usually stay with a tank for a while and then you'll start seeing less of it. Given that, I have tanks that have been setup for over a year and I still get it in the glass. I would just worry about getting it on your plants and if it becomes so bad that it starts to block some of the light.

What type of light do you have?

From looking at your picture I don't think that you have brown algae but I'm not sure what kind it is. It might be black or red algae and they are harder to get rid of.

Get an Otto!

What fish do you already have in the tank? Ottos are small and might get eaten but probably would eat the algae off the plants.