180L Jewel Rio - First time with plants

[Sirkavu]

I don't believe that the Juwel multilux LED need to be dimmed on this tank - the 50cm water column depth has already reduced substrate PAR to low to moderate levels
(look online at Tropica Inspiration page Juwel tanks, at professional aquascaper tanks (Jurijs mit JS, George Farmer, Filipe Oliveira ... with & without CO2) - sufficient light is an important aspect of leaf structure/health)

Algae is a component of planted tanks - it fares remarkably well in excessive light, moderate light, dim light - to me, limiting algae is about tank balance & maintenance rather than strongly limiting a single factor (eg, light)

What you're seeing is fairly typical - most aquarium plants are cultured emerse (think wet feet (fertilizer enriched), humid air, lots of light, CO2 ...), this gives them lots of stored energy for the transition to aquatic conditions (whatever they may be in an individual tank)
As plants establish, often first sign is root growth (why media such as Aquarium Soil with easily accessible (bioavailable) nutrients is helpful), followed by the development of new immerse (underwater) leaf structures - these are often thin & soft relative to emerse culture, also different shape
This new immerse leaf is now able to (readily) uptake water column nutrients, scavenge the low levels of CO2 & light

Some plants begin to adapt leaf structure almost immediately, other plants, more slowly

The breaking down (old emerse) leaf structure is a nice base for algae - some deeply attached into leaf structure (shrimp, snail etc crew will consume this algae while it's young/delectable/soft ), some just sitting atop leaf structure (easily rubbed off)

Of course algae will also try for new immerse leafs as well - a healthy new leaf tends to be more resistant to algae attack than the old emerse leafs - this is the aquarist job, supplying sufficient light, CO2, nutrients

Here again, I differ with ian_m, I'm a limited nutrient person - excess nutrient molecules can inhibit enzymes, block transport mechanisms, etc
Most natural waters that aquatic plants are sourced from are relatively nutrient scant (vs dense), so water column fertilizers should be sufficient rather than excessive

Daily water changes can help with minimizing algae (mechanical removal of "spores" at the least)
Physical removal of visible algae
Physical removal of plant breakdown materials

Soft brown algae that "rubs" off is usually diatoms - this is typical in tank startups, Otocinclus are the most effective diatom control

CO2 - gas - are you still planning this? I usually add this at the beginning to help establish plants, even if I'm intending to run non-CO2 enriched later, often tap water is a decent source of dissolved CO2 (relative to tap water that has been standing/water in tank) so again daily water changes can assist plant growth

Liquid Carbon - this can be utilized efficiently by some plants, less so by others; it has a definite algicide/algistat effect so it's often useful to add daily

You can also add carbonated water (look for low sodium) as a CO2 source - add daily; again this should be done with daily water changes to avoid buildup of other sparkling water components (most often sodium)
(Mick.Dk provided a dose somewhere)

Fertilizers - as you might guess, I prefer to add small daily amounts rather than dumping in a weekly dose (especially in a beginning tank)

What's your algae crew? How many?
Are you seeing new growth on the carpet (Monte Carlo?)? Other plants?

Yeah, they are growing. yesterday I wanted to rescape it and boom, just learned the roots are bigger than I thought it would be Most of my plants are slow growing, but yeah I can see growth.

I did 50% water change yesterday morning and added EI Micro. Later afternoon I added the Liquid CO2. I currently have 6h of photosynthesis and just went down to 4h, just to see if it helps. Also grabbed a toothbrush to take all algae from my rocks

I am definitely doing more water changes, do you think they have to be daily still?

I am not sure about the gas CO2, as I don't want to spend much money due to my crazy insurance problem haha

I have 6 Amano Shrimps and am thinking on buying 4 more. I heard about Otos but, I am afraid to have both. Any other you would advice? I have neon tetras, amano and molies.

 

[Sirkavu]

Decent Amano shrimp photos, there are definitely more "fake" Amano shrimp shipping these days

Thanks, now I know where to order from hehehe
They look a like. I think they became brown due to the algae they ate?

 

[Sirkavu]

So, this is my tank 29 days later. I am still missing some plants to get rid of the space between my valls.

Some of my Neon Tetras ate more than they should - ups

One of my Amanos

My Amanos seem great and healthy. 4 of 6 are a bit brown due to the brown algae they ate. Want to add 4 more next week.
My two Mollies are great as well. Now I think I will add 1 more female and 1 male (3F to 1M).

Some of my plants have brown algae on them, including my anubias. I hope by adding more Amano shrimps the algae on my plants can go away. I also bought new BIOPads so I can replace mine - they are brown and with some plant leaves.

Will also preform water change tomorrow.

I add 5ml of LC easycarb once lights go on, Micro OR Macro x3 a week, never on the same day and always in the morning, around 8am. I also try not to overfeed fishes as I can see some baby snails - no adults though.

All ideas and advices are more than welcomed