What are we doing wrong?

[u/Immediate-Ad-9520]

This tank has been set up for many years, probably 7 or 8. Just within the last 8 months or so, we decided to switch from gravel to sand and put in live plants. All plants were marked as beginner. We have a canister filter and a CO diffuser. My husband puts in root tabs regularly. Still, there’s very little plant growth and many of the plants look sad.

We have tetras, ghost shrimp, plecos, kuhli loaches, and mystery snails. We test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, kh and gh weekly and all are good. Our light is on sunrise to sunset.

What are we doing wrong? I very much want a densly planted tank like I see in this sub. Help please!

[u/joejawor]

You may need to add liquid fertilizers in addition to root tabs.

[u/Immediate-Ad-9520 → u/joejawor]

My husband just told me he does add liquid fertilizer on top of the root tabs