Plants not growing, brown crap everywhere...

I'm a bit stumped as of late. My plants had really done well for nearly a month, and now they're struggling. It started with the appearance of whispy thread algae. In order to reduce this plague, I had to trim several plant tops. Nothing I hadn't done before, but this time the remaining plant material didn't respond with prolific new growth. The new growth is seemingly mutated and stunted, very tiny leaves close together. This is most apparent on my favorite, the Red Ludwigia and Bacopa.

Also, within two days of water change there appears a brown slimy poop all over most leaves and amongst the Java moss, looking like rust. The accumlation of brown crap is easily dusted off, but comes back in 2 days.

Help needed, thanks.

Tank specs:
55g
3.2 wpg, 12 hours
gH 5
KH 3.5 (crushed coral added to substrate to add buffer)
pH 6.6
C02 30ppm
temp 78-80f
Filtration is taken care of by an AQ 300 and a power head for lateral water movement.

Dosing regime:
Liquid solution of KNO3 and KCI to equal 5 and 8ppm dosed twice weekly
CSM+B mix plus Mg dosed at 15ml 3 times week

Tank is full of plants; Hygro P., Ludwigia, Bacopa, Watersprite, Wisteria, Java moss and fern, Crypts, Dwarf hair grass.

4 dwarf Cichlids
3 cory cats
1 Ancistrus cat
3 ottos

Pictures here:
http://aquaria.info/members/ervis/

and the brown stuff here:
http://aquaria.info/members/ervis/brownCrap.html

Thanks in advance for any advice and help,
steve