How to Stop Brown Algae

Brown algae can be the bane of an aquarium. Brown algae is an unsightly nuisance that covers aquarium glass and can make it difficult to see inside. It's hard to control and can have a variety of causes that may not be easily apparent. Though keeping a clean aquarium should be the first step to ridding it of algae, brown algae can be caused by a variety of other imbalances and may not mean that your aquarium is dirty.

Things You'll Need

  • Water-testing kits
  • Large rock
  • Aquarium plants
  • Algae eaters
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Instructions

    • 1

      Check your aquarium's light exposure. If your aquarium is in direct sunlight, this can cause brown algae to flourish. Also, be sure that your aquarium light is not on for more than 10-12 hours a day.

    • 2

      Check your tank's nutrient levels. You can purchase kits to test for nutrients such as silicate, phosphorous, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. You can keep these nutrient levels low by frequently changing the water in your aquarium.

    • 3

      Introduce nutrient competitors. Start keeping a rock in the aquarium on which you let algae grow. This algae will use up nutrients in the aquarium, making it less likely for algae to grow on the sides. You can also use plants in your aquarium to compete with algae for nutrients and to give your fish some fun foliage to swim around.

    • 4

      Get some algae eaters. Snails and algae-eating fish like the sucker-mouth catfish, mollies and the Siamese algae eater can gobble your unwanted brown algae right up.

    • 5

      Install special filters. If you have particularly persistent brown algae, you can install an external canister filter or ultraviolet sterilizer to help keep your aquarium clean. You can also use protein skimmers to remove proteins from the water.