Amazon Sword Plant Question

[Huntress]

I recently after the sand change planted a Amazon Sword. Its leaves were doing wonderful till today, some of the leaves are clear like. I clipped off the brown leaves. I also purchased Seachem Flourish Tabs which I put in my sand. I am still unsure about live plants but want a live planted tank. I know Its going to take some time as to add a little at a time. Also I did get a baby Amazon Sword from my plant. I planted that today.
I purchased today a Malaysian Red, also known as a java fern I believe.  Haven't placed it in the tank yet as to I bought a snail free version because I saw in the fish tanks snails everywhere.
Any live plant tips would help greatly! Like should I get some aquarium gravel to go under some of the sand?
 
Thanks so much

 

[techen]

Sand is fine for any plants I have sand with my swords. Root tabs are a good call, Swords tend to be heavy root feets, Dosing Ferts and CO2 will also help but the most useful part of it all is having the right lights. If you don't have good lights you wont get any growth

 

 
Mines are brand new so there dying back but they'll pull through after awhile

 

[Akasha72]

I would agree that swords need plenty of ferts and some c02 ... even if that's just the liquid variety.
 
I think there is also a clue in the baby sword plant that you mention. One of my swords sent a 'flower' last summer and from that I got several 'plantlets' which I gave to my lfs to sell for charity. After this the mother plant did die back a bit. The leaves became brown and thin for a time. I thought it was going to die but I pruned it back heavily in winter and now it's recovering. It's recovered enough to send another flower shoot!
 
I add ferts and liquid c02 daily and that seems to help. I use easylife profito and easylife easycarbo. I've divided the weekly amount for the profito by 7 and so the plants get very small doses of fert daily rather than a large dose once a week.

 

[techen]

I would agree that swords need plenty of ferts and some c02 ... even if that's just the liquid variety.
 
I think there is also a clue in the baby sword plant that you mention. One of my swords sent a 'flower' last summer and from that I got several 'plantlets' which I gave to my lfs to sell for charity. After this the mother plant did die back a bit. The leaves became brown and thin for a time. I thought it was going to die but I pruned it back heavily in winter and now it's recovering. It's recovered enough to send another flower shoot!
 
I add ferts and liquid c02 daily and that seems to help. I use easylife profito and easylife easycarbo. I've divided the weekly amount for the profito by 7 and so the plants get very small doses of fert daily rather than a large dose once a week.

 
100% recommend Profito and easylife carbo stuff, Really does the job and tends to be cheap

 

[Akasha72]

I wouldn't buy anything else now techen. Try adding it in small doses daily and watch the results. It's what I do and this is my tank
 

 

[Byron]

Huntress, you're in the USA so you may not be able to get Profito products, I've never seen them over here.  But you can get Seachem "Flourish" line, and there is also the Brightwell Aquatics' "Florin" line, both are good.  I happen to use Seachem's.  The complete liquid supplements (Flourish Comprehensive Supplement, or FlorinMulti) are advisable.
 
Sand is fine; I have play sand in all 8 of my tanks and no problem growing any plants due to the sand.  The substrate tabs (Seachem's Flourish Tabs you mention) will certainly improve the swords as they are heavy feeders; one close to the roots, replace every 3 months or so.  You do not "need" any carbon supplements, but light is the most important factor.  If you could describe your lighting in detail we might be able to comment further.
 
Byron.

 

[Huntress]

Hi thanks for all the replies. I saw a few things available online, that you were talking about.  I did get the seachems root tabs which I placed near the Swords. I have an LED light that is quite bright. Plus a Blue LED in the light set of 3. I trimmed the brown off but my sword is still dying I think. Its leaves are ultra thin and clear. The baby Sword is doing great however.  I placed one root tab should I place another?  I saw online two versions of Seachem liquid. Which of them is better the Seachem Flourish Excel or just the Seachem Flourish?
 
Thanks hoping to get the hang of this plant thing soon.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Seachem Flourish is the fertilizer.  
 
Seachem Flourish Excel is the 'liquid carbon'.  I'd say you do not need that.  
 
 
 
The flourish comprehensive is good, especially in conjuction with the root tabs.  I'd lean on over using the root tabs rather than the liquid.  Its far cheaper in the long run.  You can actually make your own root tabs with gelatin capsules (empty) and a granular type terrestrial fert (I recommend Osmocote+ for that).  The gelatin dissolves under the surface of the sand and then the osmocote slowly releases its nutrients to the roots of the plant.  I bought a bottle of Osmocote for about $8, and a package of gelatin capsules for about $4.  This stuff is going to last me for a VERY long time.

 

[Huntress]

Thanks so much. Should I clip off the clear leafs to allow the healthy ones to thrive better?

 

[Akasha72]

I would remove the dying leaves ... it'll leave you with nothing much but it will give it chance to rest and recover

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Thanks so much. Should I clip off the clear leafs to allow the healthy ones to thrive better?

 
 
Yes.  Once the leaf is browning, etc. it won't recover and is best removed.  You can wait until it is close to completely brown if you want.  There is a school of thought that the plant is actually absorbing nutrients from the leaf as it does this.  I don't know if that is true or not.

 

[Byron]

JD is correct.  Some (but not all) nutrients aquatic plants require are termed "mobile," because the plants can move them from leaf to leaf.  Plants will do this to put more nutrients into new growth.  However, if the stem at the crown is brown, nutrients can no longer travel up and down the petiole to the leaf so it is just as well to remove such leaves.  But if the stem is still mainly white at the crown, then I would tend to leave the leaf as it may be providing nutrients.
 
I also agree concerning the tabs.  Liquid fertilizers disperse in the water column, and if you should provide more than what the plants require (part of that balance with the light) algae will take advantage.  I have caused brush algae solely due to using a second weekly dose of Flourish Comprehensive (I ran the experiment twice, same results, so I know this was the cause as the algae stopped both times the fert was reduced).  The substrate tabs apparently do not enter the water column except as the plants use them; not sure how Seachem managed this, but my experiment using more of the tabs and less of the liquid has so far seemed to bear this out, so I will accept it.  I would still use the liquid, though less of it.  This is also better for the fish.
 
Something that is important to keep in mind is that with fertilizers, just like medications, more is not usually better, and may be quite the reverse for the fish if not the plants.
 
The other thing might be to suggest Flourish Trace over the Comprehensive.  A photo of your plant issue would perhaps help us here.  But the trace nutrients, the micros, are often in less supply than the macros depending upon your source water and fish load/feeding.  Again I have eliminated algae with Trace when Comp was encouraging it.
 
And I second JD again, you absolutely do not need Flourish Excel.  This is a dangerous toxic chemical that will kill some plants even at the recommended dose, and if overdosed can harm plants, fish and bacteria.
 
Byron.

 

[ShinySideUp]

I'd never heard of Profito but have now ordered five litres of the stuff based on the above recommendations, it had better be good !!!!

 

[Huntress]

Thanks. Here is a pic of the Amazon. Thing is, you can't really see the transparent part since its dissolved almost complete. And I still do have a few fake plants in there.

 

[Byron]

Well, there is definitely an issue here, but it is not so easy to pin it down.  You said in post #1 that until today [then] the leaves were fine...how long have you had this plant?  If you for example have had it growing well for say 6 months, and after planting it in the sand it turned into this, we would need to narrow down what changed (sand would not do this, by the way, this is definitely a light/nutrient issue), whereas if you recently bought it, that is another thing.
 
I think we need to look closer at your light...can you provide a link to any data on the lighting?  You mention it is LED, and I have very limited experience with LED, but someone may be able to offer suggestions when we see the data.
 
It would also help to know your tap water GH (this is the prime source of the "hard" minerals).
 
I would definitely put two tabs next to the roots, and I would use Flourish Comprehensive once a week, on the day following the water change, and at the level according to the directions.