Worried About Brown Algae In My New Tank

[alexpb22]

My tank has been set up for about 6 weeks now and I've noticed over the last week or so that brown algae has been appearing on some of the plants.
 
All but one of my plants are artificial but I want to try and tackle it before it takes over.  I've noticed today that it has started appearing on the glass and although there's nothing wrong with it I don't want it ruining the look of my tank.
 
Is there anything I can do?
 
I do have fairly high nitrates in my tap water which doesn't help, usually around 30ppm and the lights I only have on from about 4pm - 10pm.
 
I realise that I can clean the plants but I do have quite a lot and my tank is fairly structured so having to clean them weekly is going to be a bit tricky.
 
What can I do? 

 

 

[Lillefishy]

Brown algae or diatoms is quite common in new set ups, it should go away after a while.
In the meantime just clean it off, a new unused kitchen sponge scrubber is good for getting it off the glass.

 

[alexpb22]

Brown algae or diatoms is quite common in new set ups, it should go away after a while.
In the meantime just clean it off, a new unused kitchen sponge scrubber is good for getting it off the glass.

Thats good to hear. Do you think I should up the lighting time or is that about right?

 

[Mamashack]

You could try adding snails to the tank as they eat algae. My little common hitchhiker snail quickly earned his keep by cleaning an anubias plant of all the diatoms welded to it and that was no mean feat as I couldn't even shift it with my fingers!
Depends what else you've got in the tank, but there are some lovely snails available now.

 

[alexpb22]

You could try adding snails to the tank as they eat algae. My little common hitchhiker snail quickly earned his keep by cleaning an anubias plant of all the diatoms welded to it and that was no mean feat as I couldn't even shift it with my fingers!
Depends what else you've got in the tank, but there are some lovely snails available now.

Hmmm that's def worth looking into. Only thing is I thought snails can get out of control but if it works I will have a look as it's going to be quite a mission to clean all my plants as there's quite a few!

 

[Mamashack]

They don't all cause population explosions tho I understand your concern.
There's a good snail guide on here by Donya if you want to do a bit of research first:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/424364-freshwater-snail-species-in-the-hobby/

 

[Alasse]

My personal experience (not saying yours will be exactly the same of course) I have a new tank that exploded with brown algae, the snails (MTS, pond snails & ramshorn) in there did nothing,so they have been removed (or close to). I am just waiting it out, and it is improving. This tank was bad, like real bad. You could not see into the tank at all, plants coated, wood coated. I can now see through the glass mostly and the plants are pretty much fully clear, just the wood that needs to clear...
 
Oh the joy of the settling in period....

 

[CSnyder00]

Waiting on something is terrible trouble sometimes. Don't get in a rush. 'To those who wait, good things come' (Yoda talk).

 

[alexpb22]

I have looked at the snail option but as a I have loaches I can't really have any.  I think I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and hope that it's just to do with the tank being new.  Fingers crossed it will clear up at some point before the tank gets covered!

 

[evan47]

a trio of ottos would get rid of it. they worked in my tank from the moment i introduced them.