how much different are Echinodorus Grandifolius, to grow, than Anubias

[Magnum Man]

I'm looking for a tall sturdy plant for my 24 inch deep mid sized south american cichlid tank... over time, I'd like each tank to be truly as regional as possible... I have an Anubias Congensis, in my African tank, that is growing really well, that tank is also 24 inches deep, and the tallest leaves are brushing the surface... looking at South American plants that would grow similarly to the Congensis... I found on line the Grandfolius... I'm not adding fertilizer for the Anubias... just wondering if I could grow the Grandfolia similarly???

 

[Magnum Man]

everything I'm reading, sounds like most Amazon swords, are heavy feeders, requiring additional fertilizer... so any suggestions would be great... I may end up putting the Congensis, in this tank as well, as I can't believe how perfect it is for the size of the tank, and my lack of desire to add additional fertilizers...

 

[Rusty_Shackleford]

Amazon swords are primarily root feeders. So you're looking at 1-3 root tabs per month depending on the size of the plant. Other than slow growers like Anubias, they are about as low maintenance as a plant can get.
Maybe check out the Red Rubin sword as well, it gets nice and big and shows some red coloration in the leaves.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Swords are for sure heavy root feeders. They also need somewhat deep substrate- think 3-4 inches. The also get wide as well as tall. I was not familiar with this species so I had to do a bit or research. Aside from the ferts you should not need much else. Unlike many sworeds this one is pretty easy and grows to about 20 inches. It does OK in moderate lighting. It is slower growing than most swords.

When I did a sword plant in my 50 gal, high tech co2 added tank I would start with one a few inches tall and within 3 months had to give it away as the tank is only 19 inches tall and then the 3 inches of substrate reduces that to 16 inches. You should be OK for some time with many swords and the one you are asking about should be fine if you give it what it needs.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I failed to include one observation in the above. I have had many anubias reach the surface over the years even in my 150 gal.As they get tall they are also getting closer to the lighting. Annubias are slow growers and algae is not slow. As my anubias close in on the surface I often start to see algae appearing on them. Rather than have to prune the heck out of them or remove and bleach dip them, I like to add a brisltnose pleco and/or algae eating shrimp (when they wont just become lunch) to a tank.

 

[Magnum Man]

in the tank with that Anubias, I have several Zebra Oto's, and I use a floating plant to shade that area of the tank

 

[anewbie]

With co2 my e. rubin definitely grew large (it is the large plant in the back touching the surface); aquarium is 24 inches deep:

 

[TwoTankAmin]

OK, now you made me post this It is a monster mother Amazon sword in a 75 gal. tank 48x18x21 (essentially). It broke the surface and eventually had runners stretching to the opposite end of the tank. I eventually had to take it out and give it away.

At a later time that tanks actually had 65 adult cardinals in it. Amazing to wactch them school, then break into two smaller schools and then reform into one. I learned early on to use SAEs to get them to school, The SAEs were large enough to be intimidating but would never eat or harm the cards which did not know this, so they schooled.

 

[fishorama]

I think a few of the big swords could work for you. The red & spotted kinds won't show much red if you don't have fairly high light & maybe co2. They're still nice but are heavy root feeders. They're both wide & tall. In a 4ft 75g tank I have 2 amazonas? swords that take up 1/3 of the tank but don't reach the 20inch surface. You will have to groom off the old outer leaves, not hard to do. Root tabs are the way to go!

 

[Magnum Man]

both these 2 tanks I've been talking about in this post have 2 full length dawn to dusk LED lights per tank, because of the 24 inch depth... main lights are on from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, but the tanks are shaded by terrestrial plants, and floaters over the Anubias, so the amazon plants would have full light, as they are closer to the bubble water fall, and too much current over them to retain floaters, without restraints...

 

[fishorama]

Whee, that's a long photoperiod. I see some algae glass scraping in your future, lol.

 

[Magnum Man]

actually almost none... I have a magnetic scraper on my most immature tank , and on my Hillstream tank, that I heavily prune the pothos vines, and only have lucky bamboo, for emergents, in all other tanks I use the natural shade of plants like pothos, and peace lilies.... my South American Tetra tank has a jungle growing out of it, and is thus highly shaded... I've never needed to scrape algae, all the glass is perfectly clear...

 

[Magnum Man]

a couple of my Anubias species are in my shaded South American Tetra tank, mentioned above...
this is my Congensis, with some needed floaters above it, as they don't typically handle that much light, without algae taking over... this is down stream from the flow, in my African tetra tank... it's a big plant as that is 24 inches deep... this is growing aggressively for an Anubias, adding a new leaf or two, every few weeks... ( there were actually 3 plants, to start within this group...

the Grandifolius, will be placed up stream in a similar size and flowing tank... it's one of my newer set up tanks ( 8-9 months ago ) so the pothos only cover about half that tank in shade... I have a big tangle of Java fern in this bright side of the tank, but am wanting a taller plant in that space...the Grandifolius seems like a natural there.... both of these tanks are open topped, with the lights about 18 inches over the tanks, and built into the wall, the picture below shows that more... so if something became emergent, that would be cool... you can literally see the shade line in this picture... I'd like to place a plant growing out of a hole in the resin log where the angel fish is in this picture

 

[Magnum Man]

I'm wondering if I could weight the plant at the base, with a piece of lead free solder ( like I do with the Anubias, then insert the root ball into that hole in the resin log, without covering the roots, and allow them to grow into the substrate and if needed, insert root tabs into that hole, with a long tweezers... would setting a root tab on top of the plant's root ball inside that resin log be acceptable for the plant??? also that is a sand bottom tank... it would be difficult but I could add a little sand on top of the roots, if allowing them to grow in, if just placing it wouldn't work...

 

[TwoTankAmin]

That will not work. Swords get nassive roots which need to be able to spread freely in the substrate. The roots must be well buried when you plant it or it will not last very long. Substrate fertilization is done with decent periods between additions. I dose my substrate ferts every 3 months. I dose my water table ferts every week after water changes.

I also use Jobe's spikes for Lush Fern & Palms. These can be cut into any size piece one wants so that small plants may onlg get 1/4 spike or less while a big swaor gets a whole spike but I cut t innto 3 or 4 pieces and push it into the substrate from different side of the plant. This choice of Jobe's means I cannot uproot them. If one does so you will have the worst algae outbreak you have every seen, If you do this soon after you fertilize you may cause an ammonia spike harmful to the fish. So, if you are regular rescaper and change plants, these are not for you.

Here is the thing about those spikes. I have been using them in multiple tanks now for about 20 years. My best guess is this has cost me under $50. They were harder to get in the early 2000s in the NE. I was able to trade 10 of my bn offspring to a gent in FL who sent back several packs of the spikes which lasted me for well over a decade. Since theb I have spent another $10 or so.

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