Deficiency or flow?

[Plants245]

Hi OVAS!

This is my first post here; I joined during the garage sale last weekend and am super excited!

I have a question regarding the plant growth in my tank; I will provide all specs and levels to help with the diagnosis.

Size: 10 gallon
Light: Nicrew RGB (https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07DDCBC4C/ref=twister_B07DPMVTZW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) 1800 Lumen 9000K 18 Watt (do not know PAR... if someone does please share) dimmed down to 75%.
Light regime: 7 hours with 15 min ramp up 15 min ramp down
Filter: Aquaclear 30
Temp = 78 fahrenheit
Substrate: Fluorite base with miracle gro slow release on on very bottom, capped with peace river gravel and fluorite 50/50 mix
Hardscape: driftwood + rocks (all inert)
In HOB filter: a small bag with crushed coral/almond leaf/peat in it to get benefit of peat and almond leaf for plants without completely eating my buffer


Quality:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 30/35 stable
Phosphates: 1.5 stable

GH= 140 ppm ~ 7 dgh (about 4:1 ratio Ca:Mg)
KH = 20 ppm  ~ 1dkh
pH = 6.8-7.2 fluctuation usually morning/night based on co2 consumption

Dose:
Potassium: daily dose to see no deficiency
Excel: daily double dose

PWC weekly about 20 percent with our tap water at same temp (if I go larger, I doctor it to the right levels)

Livestock: 8 neons, 2 rainbow gobys, amano shrimp and a few bloody mary, 1x nerite, MTS, and ramshorn

Plants: Crypt Wendtii, amazon swords (don't mind the black spot I need to trim those 2 leaves), anubias, java moss, red ludwigia, Rotala Rotundifolia (where I am noticing this problem)

Here is my question:

In the attached picture, you can see some weird things going on with the rotala rotundifolia ... leaves are progressively getting smaller on the taller plants, BUT some of the shorter ones the leaves are large and nice. My first thought was that as my plant mass increased, they were combatting for CO2 and the plants were using all the CO2 ... my thoughts were the crypts and swords competed until CO2 depleted, then (since they continued growing) they must be able to uptake carbonate and utilize it instead of CO2, but the stem plants can't --> hence a CO2 deficiency on those guys.

Then I noticed the shorter buds have nice leaves on them, I thought maybe it is the flow from the aquaclear 30 (in its "path", the leaves are shorter??) ... the plants right under it are curved (which I am trying to figure out how to maintain effective flow for nutrient delivery and not have bent stems).

It is worth noting that I had a random frogbit that I threw on top (just one) and it would grow 1 leaf, then 1 leaf would die ... it was in a ring, but I wonder if the water turbulence was too much?

I do have a CO2 system on the way to fiddle with because of my initial thought ... but what do you guys think it is?? The flow thought came to me this evening and I figured it was a good time to ask the local vets.

Also, you can see some of the OLD amazon sword leaves curling ... am I missing a deficiency here? I should also add that the anubias with the big leaves are struggling to grow more big leaves... all of them are small.

I appreciate all help!

Cheers!