Brown Algae

[suitable4frank]

I've had an outbreak of brown algae in my tank and I'm not sure on what to do.
I have a 30 gallon for my little female and there's been brown algae building up on the glass of the tank. I had a proper clear out last week and did a 50% water change then scrubbed the glass to get it all off but it's just come straight back.
Had the tank running since November and had little Edgar (named her before she was sexed) since January. It's only appeared in the past couple weeks.
Nitrate levels are 10 ppm.
Also put some of the water in my 5 gallon which I don't use and it's literally covered in the stuff.
Usually I would crank up the lights but obviously I can't do that with axolotls. Does anyone have any ideas on what to do?

 

[RyanTheFIshGuy]

Those are most likely Diatoms, they usually appear in newly set up tanks. Maybe you had a cycle crash? Do you have a HOB Filter where you are instructed to throw away filter media?
What are your full water params?

 

[suitable4frank]

I have an internal filter and I wasnt told to throw anything away, everything I have in there is what came with it.
Tested the water today after a 25% water change yesterday
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Not sure what other parameters I should include but if you let me know I'll tell you.
Somehow I can't get the nitrate levels to 0 and I have no idea why. When I didn't have Edgar in there everything was always 0.
Usually my nitrate/nitrites only fluctuate between 0 and 10, never ever gone higher than that.