Although low nitrate and phosphate is not ideal, in my experience softies are just not going to grow very much. In my current tank I have over 50 softies and have had a problem with very low phosphates and nitrates because I don't have any fish in there. Everything seems happy and growing, just not very fast (except the GSP. I wish that stuff would just stop!). I have had to start dosing the tank to get nitrates up