Can I Keep Amazon Sword Plant?

[nukeonekitty]

I was curious to know if Amazon sword plant needs a substrate fert or will it be fine with an iron rich additive fert? I do have Co2 fert and about 2.2 wpg if that helps any

 

[marcan]

My amazon sword are doing well in 1.1 wpg tank, standard gravel and no fert.

so... I would say that you're ok with additive fert and without additive fert hehe!

 

[nukeonekitty]

Cool, how long has you tank been running with the amazon sword?

 

[marcan]

2 months with the amazon sword.

The plants are growing at a medium rate. When I planted them, all the leaves died in about 1 week. New leaves appeared and now they are 7 inches tall.

I have 2x40watts hagen life-glo II bulbs on a 77 US Gal tank.

It's looking good.

 

[**sarahp**]

When I planted them, all the leaves died in about 1 week. New leaves appeared and now they are 7 inches tall.

thread hijack alert

why do the leaves die off like that then re-grow?? Mine did that I thought it was just me and I was being cr@p I got my plants from greenline so I know they are proper aquarium plants but they still did the dying re-growing thing

 

[garuf]

When I planted them, all the leaves died in about 1 week. New leaves appeared and now they are 7 inches tall.

thread hijack alert

why do the leaves die off like that then re-grow?? Mine did that I thought it was just me and I was being cr@p I got my plants from greenline so I know they are proper aquarium plants but they still did the dying re-growing thing

because they have been grown emersed, not total underwater just the roots. So the leaves that they have are "air leaves" when you put these underwater they're no longer in contact with the air and therefore useless and must be replaced with "water leaves" which can photosynthesise underwater this is why they die its the plant swapping them over like it be like you swapping a tshirt for a wetsuit

 

[**sarahp**]

because they have been grown emersed, not total underwater just the roots. So the leaves that they have are "air leaves" when you put these underwater they're no longer in contact with the air and therefore useless and must be replaced with "water leaves" which can photosynthesise underwater this is why they die its the plant swapping them over like it be like you swapping a tshirt for a wetsuit

right ok - that makes perfect sense - but (bear in mind I'm a noob) why do they grow them like that?? Presumably it is more cost effective - do not have to provide artificial light - but I'd have thought they'd get so many complaints - especially from people like me (I thought my entire tank full of plants was a gonner!) - I didnt complain because I didnt get chance and by the time I was getting round to it I could see the new growth, but even so seems a very odd way to do things - grow and send out something which you know is going to look like its dead within a week

 

[nukeonekitty]

How long does the death and regrowth process take?

 

[marcan]

The leaves started to die in the first week. I started to trim the dead leaves in the second week. After 3 weeks all the old leaves were dead.

The new leaves appeared in the second week and ~7weeks later they are now ~7 inches tall.
The lights is on 12hrs per day. 10 AM to 10 PM.

They will probably grow faster in your tank... CO2 and more lights

 

[nukeonekitty]

Cool, sounds good!

 

[nukeonekitty]

Anyone else have any input?

 

[@ombomb]

amazon swords are heavy root feeders, the roots of a well established sword will grow longer then the leaves.

a root tab every now and again will do them the world of good and really isn't much trouble...

 

[nukeonekitty]

Sorry, newbie question... but what exactly are root tabs and how do you put them in?

 

[RadaR]

Root tabs

 

[nukeonekitty]

Awesome! Thanks a lot!