Assuming the parameters are tested are correct, they have been measured against known standards.
I'd add about 4-5X more PO4.
NO3 can change the color of some species as it gets lower, adding more PO4 will can drive the NO3 lower as can more CO2.
Still, I get excellent color without low NO3. So it can be done.
Your CO2 may be a bit low from the sounds of it, Tonia is a good indicator, you have a ton of light, so that's not a factor. What type of sediment do you use?
GH seems good but might be a bit lean on Mg.
If you have some plants doing well, and others not, often times this i a CO2 issue.
You hear a lot about cometition with algae and plants. In the real world it's mor eoften between two plant species for light and CO2.
We prune to address the light issue, add more/less etc.
Can you adjust the light up about 4-6"?
That should help.
You can also add more CO2, drop the pH down another 0.1pH units and see for a week or so. Then another and keep an eye on things. It might take 1-3 weeks for responses.
The less slight= less CO2 demand.
P stellata is a big weed! It can be very aggressive and yours sounds like it is doing that well. Tonia and Erio's are less agressive and do fine at less light also(1/2 or so what you have is plenty) I've had them all doing well in my 180 in large amounts.
I got rid of them after hacking and pruning so often.
I use a fair amount of GH booster(2 table spoons 2x a week), I use 8000K ADA light, coralife 6700K(I did find some CSL 8800K plant bulbs finally in 35" sizes), dose a lot of Traces, KNO3/PO4 etc.
Tap seems a bit like yours.
So CO2 is more the issue and adding more and/or reducing light are two ways to go about addressing it. None of these plants demand this much light and will grow nicely at 1/2 this amount for years. They will grow faster however at higher light, but the CO2/nutrients also need scaled up appropriately also.
This is why some folks can get away with little dosing, nutrients etc, while others have trouble, it's all about the rate of growth and demand.
More light is not better.
Also, if you use the MH's etc, placing them higher is often better so you do not get the hot spots, rather, and lower, but better area spread can yeild more total growth out of te aquarium than sitting the lights close to the surface, this is true for the more intense T5's as well that pack a lot of light in a narrow strip, and would get better more even spread if they where rasied up another 4-6-8-12 " etc.
My typical ppm's are about 20ppm for NO3, 2-3 ppm for PO4, GH about 3-4 mostly from GH booster, CO2 about 30-40ppm, light varies depending on the tank, goal, location etc. I use ADA aqua soil with nothing but some old sponge mulm added, and dusting or ground peat to start.
I add about 5-10mls per 80 liters 4-6 days a week of traces from 3 different chelator sources. Tropica and SeaChem flourish can be used at these same rates together.
That's about it.
You have a light meter to adjust and see what the PAR is, so you can do that, but measuring the CO2 is much more problematic for most.
Slowly adjusting it and add more slowly, did I say add progressively more CO2, slowly?
Eyeball the tank and health, give things some time, watch fish close, do not add CO2 at night time ever.
Regards,
Tom Barr
