BROWN THREAD ALGAE

Question
Dear Nori,
Are you famaliar with the NITROGEN CYCLE NEW TANK SYNDROME?
I have done some research of this subject and have discovered that one of the main problems that occur about midway through the nitrogen cycle is BROWN DIATOMS (a form of algae).  It appears as a brown thread algae and attaches itself to everything.  It can easily be removed with a toothbrush, but it will soon re-appear again.  If left unchecked or not removed, it will grow into large clumps.  After the bacteria colonies inside the biological filter sponge get established, the nitite will decrease rapidly and these brown diatoms will starve, since they thrive on nitrite and silicate.  There seems to be nothing one can do to eliminate this problem, except to let nature takes it's course. To speed-up this cycle, I gently sweep the substrate (bottom) daily and let the filters "suck up" these tiny spores.  I also gently rub the leaves on my plants, removing most of this algae, as too much of this thread algae will suffocate them.  Our local aquarium chemist told me that this NEW TANK SYNDOME  algae problem lasts (on average) about 2 weeks.
Have you had any experience with this common problem like I've been having.
Regards & thanks for reading!
Dave M.  

Answer
Hi Dave,
Thank you for your question. If the plants are dying and breaking down they will pollute the water. Remove any dying plants immediately.
You may also lack organic biology in the water to accommodate the plants, so try a friendly bacteria product like "Cycle."
Please read & print out this page for future reference:
http://steamboats.com/aquarium.html
Another cause of this problem could be too much light. If your aquarium is in a sunny bright room, you may not need artificial light at all. If it is a dark room, limit the artificial light to 4-6 hours a day. Do not place the tank in direct sunlilght.
I hope this helps. Write back if you want to discuss further,
Nori