Why aren't my amazon swords thriving?

Hello everyone,
Currently I am running a 55 gallon planted tank. In the tank I have 2 amazon swords, 8 Water wisteria, some java moss, and some java fern tied to driftwood. I dose ferts daily except on days I do water changes. The ferts I use are the GLA EI dosing method package which comes with KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4, and plantex CSM+B. I also put flourish root tabs under the amazon swords and between the water wisteria. My lighting is a finnex planted plus 24/7 that I got about 2 weeks ago. I also run diy co2 at 2 bps.

My question is why aren't my amazon swords thriving like I hope they would. Ive had them since august and they haven't grown to their full potential. The swords and the java fern recently got invaded by bba. I have since spot treated hydrogen peroxide and the bba turned red but the plants still have it on them and the java moss turned yellow and I think it may have died. I don't know if it can bounce back.

Is there anything else I can do to help out my plants Ive tried everything I can think of to make them grow but nothing is helping. Any Ideas will be helpful. Thanks in advance

 

Ok I’m no expert but I think your doing to much. The plants you have are on the easy end of plants. Not sure what ferts your using but dosing daily seems like too much. I have a lot of those plants and I use flourish only once a week. What are the readings in the tank. Ph ammonia nitrite and nitrate?

 

Ph when co2 is off is 8.2
Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:40-60
Do you have any recommendations for dosing ferts? Thanks

 

Are your ferts a home made solution? Like I said I do it once a week. Your nitrates are high. I would do a water change. You don’t have many plants so you won’t need a lot of ferts. You also added root tab. How many did you use and how often? It’s very hard to get rid of bba it may feed off the nitrates. Also the ph of 8.2 may be to high for fast plant growth. The high ph may slow down growth. How long has the tank been running and how long have you had plants?

 

What setting do you have your light?

 

My ferts aren't a home made solution I just put them in the tank directly. I have 5 root tabs in the tank spaced out between the wisteria and one under each sword.My nitrates are always high, I do two 50 percent water changes every weeks and it dosent seem to do anything. I also clean out my filters every two weeks. My tank has been running since August. I got my swords and java fern about two weeks after I set up my tanka and it was cycled. The wisteria and java moss I got 2 and a half weeks ago.

My light setting is on max and it runs for 10 hours on a timer. Thanks

 

My light setting is on max and it runs for 10 hours on a timer. Thanks

This may be a contributing factor to your algae issues. I had my light on for 8 hours and I was getting algae. Now, I have it on 5 hours a day and it's much better for me.

 

Yes lighting could be the reason for the algae. But your algae is bba not green or hair algae? I would put that light on the 24/7 setting that’s what I am doing. I’ve had mine for about a month now and no signs of new algae. I also have bba and have not found a way to permenantly remove it.

 

Ive heard the 24/7 mode contributes to algae growth so I was afraid of using it. I will try doing a test with the lights using the 24/7 mode for two weeks, then lower the max setting to 6 hours for two weeks and see which one lowers algae and has better plant growth.

What would you guys recommend I do with my ferts. Should I dose 1/8 plantex on Monday and the 3 macros on tuesday and that will be enough for the week. Should I stop dosing KNO3 because of my high nitrates?

 

I think that I would simplify. Find a standard liquid fert and use it once a week. More plants helps keep out algae. Where you are now I think your overdoing it but again your ph is much higher than mine. I’m at 6.8-7. The higher ph may demand more ferts? Is that why you’ve been doing it that way?

 

Ive been using the EI dosing method since it would make sure the plants werent missing out on nutrients but I guess the algae is using it more than the plants at the moment.