Brown Algae ? Yet Again

[kimmers318]

Okay....I got the normal brown algae in my 64 g tank so I added 4 ottos, lost one within a week, another is playing dead off and on and then swims off to eat some more. They don't seem to be making a noticeable difference in the algae as of yet, although they are eating all of the time! Is this maybe too few for this size tank? Or should I just be patient and let them continue to work on it. It has been 3 weeks so far. I really don't wish to add more fish since I am waiting for my sparkling gourami's that will come in 4-17. The tank only has 2 small clown loaches (yes, I know they will get BIG and need moved.....75 gallon coming this fall after busy summer activities!) 3 gold tetras, 2 white skirt tetras, 1 platy, 1 lone rummynose, and about 1/2 dozen baby platy fry waiting for their 10 gal set up to finish cycling. The tank looks horribly bare...but like I said, waiting for sparkling gourami in a few weeks to round out the tank. Or is there something else I should add to help with the algae? I have read about SAE's being great, but am leery of me finding the right one since there is so much info out there about them being sold as SAE's and being something else that can A) get aggressive or B) not be effective on algae at all.

 

[digimac]

Getting fish that eat algae is only covering up a problem IMHO.
You really need to get to the route of why you are getting a lot of algae in the first place instead of buying fish that will eat it.

 

[kimmers318]

Maybe because the tank is 3 months old??? New bulb in light, it is on approx 10 hrs per day...2 amazon swords, 1 moss type plant, a ludiga (sp?) I think and not sure what the other plant is, but it is one that fish love to nibble on. Weekly small water changes...haven't had any issues with parameters....so not sure what is causing brown algae except maybe because it is a newer tank.