Find
out how to prevent and remove brown algae in a saltwater fish tank
Fighting
Brown Algae in a Saltwater 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 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 that help the growth of brown algae
in a saltwater fish tank are nitrates and silicates.
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 everything in your tank will not only
look better but will be healthier. Your salt water fish will
have a
clean and happy home.
