[APD] Stunted Limnopholia Aquatica

["WayneS" <wayne at waswa_fsnet.co.uk>]

Hi all
 
What might cause a stem of L.A. to narrow as it reaches the tip,
eventually stop growing and then form a new (but spindly) shoot from
lower down the stem?
 
200 litre tank, running 18mths in current incarnation
2 X 30W Triton + 2 x 55W PC (Only running 1 of the PCs ATM, with both
bulbs running the plants don't grow any better but I have to clean the
glass 2x a week which I can do without)
Pressurised CO2 during lights on (12 hrs) 30-40ppm
Eheim 2233 Ecco external & large Eheim internal filters
78F
Heavy-ish fish load, 3 adult clown loaches, 9 assorted rainbows, 3 big
SAE, 2 ancistrus + fry, 4 ottos, 5 shrimp
Mainly greedy stem plants + rampant  glosso carpet
No algae issues
Very little pearling ATM which bothers me a bit
 
100 % Eco-Complete sub
KH 4
GH 13
 
Dosing the following 3x per week
.5 tsp pot. sulphate
3 'rice grains'  pot. phosphate
12.5ml Flourish
5ml Kent Botanica Fe (only for the last 3 weeks & saw the glosso
distinctly darken within a few days so maybe a clue there?)
 
50-60% water change every week
 
I have an AP nitrate kit which always reads 10ppm.  Other kits I've
tried read anything from 0ppm to 40ppm.   Water authority report says
typical NO3 reading is 38ppm.  I sub'd the K2SO4 for KNO3 for a month &
couldn't see any difference in growth in any of the plants so I think
the NO3 levels are probably adequate.  
 
I've had similar wildy varying results from a range of PO4 test kits so
I just dose the PO4 as per TB's guidelines & don't bother to test
anymore.  TBH, I don't test anything except the KH & pH on a regular
basis these days, I think the cheap kits are a waste of money.
. 
I only have 1 healthy stem of the L.A left now.  I like this plant &
feel a bit frustrated that I can't figure it out.  Any suggestions
anyone?
 
Wayne
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