Stunted growth and hair algae with reading being okay

[Nikxan]

Hello and thanks in advance for your help. I have a low maintenance aquascape for nearly 2 years now. It has aquasoil capped with sand and easy epiphytes and fast growing stem plants. For lighting I am using a 25 watt and a 10 watt fluval aquasky. The lights run on 60percent intensity for 7 hours. I am currently dosing tropica specialised 2ml per day and liquid co2 5 ml per day. and make 50 percent weekly water changes. I have 9 emperor tetras 6 pygmy Cory's and 7 red neon rainbowfish. The tank is fluval roma 120.
Here are my latest meter readings
Ph: 6
Kh: 3
Gh: 8
Phosphate 1
No3 : 10-20
Ammonia :0
Nitrites: 0


My main struggle at the moment is very slow growth even on floating plants, mosses and stem plants. Overall the plants seem to be struggling.This has come with the appearance of green hair algae. I have tried reducing the light intensity even further, reducing the liquid fertiliser and reducing the frequency of my water changes however all these had limited success. I have also added nutrition capsules to the soil but can't tell that it makes much of a difference.
I am aware that adding a co2 would help but these are all easy plants that were thriving for 18 months without co2. It seems as if I am lacking nutrients but my API liquid tests come with the results above.

Any help / suggestion would be extremely valuable.

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi @Nikxan
Welcome to the UKaps, please provide more information per the request below!

Thread 'Please read the guidelines for plant help!'

27 Apr 2020

Dear Member

Please give as many details as possible regarding your aquarium set-up, when requiring advice/help!

The above will be posted at the start of each help request.
Why do we ask these questions?
It will reduce the member posting multiple times, plus adviser's don't need to scroll through a whole thread to find them.

Copy and Paste the list below...and add your answers to each number on the list!
Please upload photographs/images if possible.

1. Size of tank.
2. Age of the system approximately.
3. Tap water parameters.
4. Filtration and Media.
5. Lighting and...

• G H Nelson
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Plant Help

• 

Cheers hoggie

 

[Nikxan]

1.Size of tank. : 120 litles fluval roma
2. Age of the system approximately since Nov 2022
3. Tap water parameters. Ph6, kh 3, gh 3 , nitrates 20 , phosphate 1, nitrite 0 , ammonia 0
4. Filtration and Media: internal u3 fluval filter
5. Lighting and duration: 35 watt led 7 hours
6. Substrate: aquasoil tapped with sand
7. Co2 dosing or Non-dosing: liquid co2
8. Drop Checker: no
9. Fertilizers used + Ratios.: tropical specialised nutrition 2ml daily
10. Water change regime and composition: 50 percent weekly
11. Plant list + Invitro/Emersed: anubias different species, buce, hetera zestelepholia, limnophila sessliflora, ludwigia palustrris, java ferns
12. Inhabitants 2 macmasteri apisto, 9 emperor tetra, 7 red neon rainbowfish, 6 pygmy cory
13. Full tank shot and surface image.