I seen to getting a lot of, what looks like brown algae growing in my tank.

It's all over the silk plants directly under the lights and it's now growing on the glass which I keep wiping off.

Is it a bad thing? I didn't know brown algae existed, thought it was all green.

Nitrate level in tank is less than 5 ppm and the light is on for 2, 4 hour slots through the day. As I have floating plants and java moss.

Any info or suggestions about what it is, how to stop it or is it fine?

Mature tanks can come a cropper to diatom aglae too just as new ones. Your lighting regime seems OK though.

See here: http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles ... -types-and-treatments.htm

I had this last year in a very mature tank. Phosphate levels in tap water were up a bit and the treatment I use, needed replacing more frequently. Added some fast growing stem plants (6 bunches or so) and it sorted it.

Any form of algae *usually* relates to an inbalance between light/excess nutrients (including phosphate and nitrate)/co2 and planting levels. It's a fine dance between them all IMO.

What are tank nitrate levels?
What are tap water phosphate levels?
How many plants? Fast growers will use up the food before the algae gets a chance.

Thanks for the reply.

Tank nitrate level is less than 5 ppm. Tap water phosphate is 2.7 ppm. Last time my tank water was checked, the phosphate was 2.5 ppm.

Only got about 15 ish Amazon Frogbit floating plants. Also a little java moss.

Get something like Rowaphos to go in your filter. More than you think you'll need!