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How to Get Rid of Brown Algae

Although brown algae grows naturally within saltwater marine life, people with aquariums search for ways to eliminate the algae which can, if not monitored, overwhelm a fish tank. A certain amount of brown algae in an aquarium provides a healthy ecosystem, but when the organisms expand they can monopolize the oxygen supply and impact negatively on the health of the fish. Algae-controlling chemicals can rid your tank of brown algae, but environmentally-friendly methods can prove even more successful at managing the brown algae level in a fish tank.

Instructions

- 1
  Reduce the amount of light to which you expose your aquarium. Keep the lighting on for 10 hours or less within the fish tank and reduce the amount of lighting near the tank. Don't put your tank in direct sunlight. Change your light bulbs every six to 12 months and use bulbs with a color temperature of 6500K or below in place of actinic bulbs.
- 2
  Control nitrates and phosphates in the water by changing your water regularly and installing a filter system in your tank. Vacuum the gravel when you change the water to remove any of the organic matter from the tank which may, subsequently, decay into the nitrites and phosphates that feed brown algae. Change 25 percent of the tank's water every three to four weeks.
- 3
  Keep your water circulation moving in your tank with a pump or powerhead. In conjunction with a filter, these devices will maintain water motion, inhibiting the brown algae from settling attaching to the tank.
- 4
  Avoid overfeeding your fish. Leftover fish food causes a rise of nitrites in the tank, contributing to brown algae growth. Overcrowding in the tank can also factor in an increase of brown algae in a tank.
- 5
  Wipe down any new algae spores that you see sprouting on your tank's walls. Skim your tank's water periodically. Floating matter contributes to a high nitrite level which allows algae to grow.

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