Are You Fighting Brown Algae In A Salt Water Fish Tank?

The setup of your saltwater fish tank is only the beginning. You may have to make many adjustments to the water, lighting, food, and the items in your saltwater fish tank. One frequent problem many people complain about is algae.

Algae can be green or even brown colored. Diatom or brown algae in a saltwater fish tank is easy to get and will need special attention to remove. Fortunately, there are just a few causes for brown algae problems. Once you've identified and removed the source, your problem will be solved.

Brown algae, just like the green algae, need light and a few other ingredients to survive. It could be tank lights or sunlight feeding your algae. The other ingredients are nitrates and silicates that help the growth of brown algae in a saltwater fish tank. Therefore, the first step to get rid of brown algae in a saltwater fish tank is to consider the lighting.

If your tank is placed where sunlight hits it for any length of time, you'll want to move it to a different location. Also, evaluate to make sure the tank lights aren't too bright, thus giving the brown algae a good growth environment.

Remove Ingredients

The best way to remove brown algae in a saltwater fish tank is to get rid of the ingredient feeding it. Getting rid of the silicates alone will kill the brown algae. It's also a good idea to remove high levels of nitrates.

The best way to check your nitrate and silicate levels is to buy a test kit. Adjust your water accordingly, cut down on your lights and the brown algae in a saltwater fish tank should be a problem of the past.

What is the best way to get rid of silicates?

Silicates can enter your saltwater tank through many different ways. They can get in with certain sea salts, through the tap water you use, or enter on the substrate inside your tank.

Since the problem could be coming from any of the above sources, the best thing to do is to remove any sand in the tank unless it actually came from the ocean. Start using only RO/DI water no matter what kind of tank you have. Finally yet importantly, check the salt you use for high silicates.

Follow these simple steps and verything in your tank will not only look better but will be healthier. Your salt water fish will have a clean and happy home.

Cris Stanford is the publisher of www.saltwater-aquarium-secrets.com where you'll find money saving advice and expert tips on subjects like fighting brown algae in a salt water tank.