I Have Brown Algae

I have gross looking brown algae growing in my tank, I know algae is going to happen. Any reasons why it's be brown instead of green? I don't like the brown.

 

is it a newer tank? I just had a similar problem in my 20 gallon planted tank. I dosed my ferts equally and in a consistent schedule. And have my light on the same hours every day. It took about 2 weeks but its starting to go away.

 

Yes it's a new tank and okay good. It's not a planted tank. Cause I'm new to all this any way, so thought that'd be a little muchv

 

It's because it's not really algae. What you are experiencing is an out break of Diatoms (commonly called Brown Algae). They are very common in new tanks. While unsightly they are harmless and will go away on their own eventually (once all the silicates are depleted).

If you want to know more about them:
Diatom - Wikipedia

 

Brown algae in a new tank is common. It will go away with time. If it comes back it can be that you have an excess of light, or abnormally high nitrates. Check out Ottos, despite all the comments people say they are hard to keep. I bought 7 and still have 7 and I don't have perfect readings all the time. Ottos specifically target brown algae.

 

I've read that feeding them can be hard if they eat the algae to fix, do you supplement and if so with what?

 

I've read that feeding them can be hard if they eat the algae to fix, do you supplement and if so with what?

Honestly, I don't supplement. There is always some brown algae in my tank. And since they are so small, they don't need to eat much. But then again my tank is already mature, more than a year old now. So everything is balanced meaning I am producing algae but not enought that its a problem. But enough to keep my algae eaters fed. I do feed my Pleco cucumber, and the ottos pile up on that to eat. So I guess you could feed them cucumber if there is no algae left in the tank.