ghost shrimp effects on live plants

Question
i started my tank with about 10 ghost shrimp and live plants in a 10 gallon tank.  the plants quickly developed an aggressive brown algea that covered plant leaves and soon killed the ferns and small leaf plants.

broad leaf plants ive had to wipe off/scrub off algea as best i could.

i've worked in an aquarium shop before and i've never seen
this type of algea.  of course i change water weekly. i've checked TH, alk, ph and NO2/3.  Hardness (over 150-180)and ph (acidic 6.5 - 6.0) everything else ok including shrimp.

The only thing i can think of is that the shrimp are excreting some chemical that attacks otherwise healthy plants.

what do you think is going on.  is use a combination of "jungle" plant care and Nutrafin plant grow.

karl

Answer
By brown algae do you mean diatoms?

Diatoms are the most common form of algae in new tanks, if you've never seen it before either you are blind, or your massive central filtration system took it right out.

Diatoms are caused by silicates, silicates are always present in new tanks.

The diatoms will die off when the silicates are used up, you just need to wait it out.

Amano shrimp, otocinclus and bristlenose plecos will eat diatoms if you don't want to wait that long.