Brown Algae?

[tameem]

I have this brown stuff on my plastic plants. It is especially on a couple of the plants, and much less on another. It looks unsightly and I think it's brown algae, but not sure. Ihve had my tank setup now for almost a year.
Is there anyway to get rid of this and have the plastic plants look cleaner? Can I remove it and clean it with something? Is there a fish that will eat this stuff?
It makes the tank decorations look bad and I would like to get rid of it.

Thanks.

 

[Truck]

how long do you have your lights on for? anything more than 10 hours will cuase bacteria to grow decrease you lighting hours by and hour for a week and if it still persists drop a further hour

 

[tameem]

well, I thought it was maybe the light. There is one plant in the corner that shows very little if no sign of brown stuff on the leaves, and it it's also on the side of the tank where we tend to turn the light off in the afternoon or evening so it's not too bright.

I think we have the lights on for at least 10 hours, and again the left side probably less.
I will try to have the lights on for less. or turn them on much later in the day, since it looks nicer in the evening instead of having them on during the day/

 

[aaronnorth]

It is diatoms. How long has the tank been set up? It is common in new setups for the first few months, just keep cleaning it off, eventually it will go.

 

[minxfishy]

Assuming you have no live plants, you dont need the lights on for long each day, the fish care not for the lights being on. Drop it to 5-6 hours a day, as for the brown algae you already have, just take out the plants, ornaments and give them a quick wash in warm water (no soap) and pop them back in again, its easy to get off.

 

[tameem]

Okay, maybe we'll just leave the lights on in the evening. I will try cleaning the plants. Thanks for your reply.
clown loaches are cute!