Hi, my Malawi tank has been set up for over a month now, and I've noticed brown algae starting to appear on the rocks, gravel etc. Should I put an Algae eater in the tank now? If so, what type should I put in? I've read that you can get different types of algae. Mines is brown in colour. I have 10 small Malawi's in the tank, who all seem nice and healthy.

algae eaters only eat green algae not brown just rinse it off the of the stuff its on it can be cause by overlighting i have been told

I see. When I'm rinsing it off should I do this in the water I'm replacing during a water change with a sponge?

i would just use hot tap water then soak in water that you treated with dechlorinator then put back in tank

Ok thanks!

Brown algae is quite common in newer tanks, and I do believe can be a sign of too little light rather than too much. I'd wait a couple more months before adding an algae eater (I'm assuming you want a pleco) as they prefer a mature tank. Also, as mbuna graze on algae in the wild (their primary diet), it is generally desirable to have algae on the rocks to keep them busy.

When it comes time, bristlenose plecs are a good fit. They stay fairly small (around 5 or 6") and are good algea eaters

But like dthoffsett stated, wait until your tank is a little more matured before adding one.