Its Been A Long Road.... Flyhawks Journal

[flyhawk]

ok so im finally breaking down and getting flourite to
plant my swords in
i have 2.6 wpg lighting
i am adding seachem flourish root tabs
you think they will grow good now?
i really dont have the money for c02
i just want to have a sword plant tank!!


(if you just start looking its decieving, pics and journal start later in the topic-thanks for looking! Flyhawk)

 

[darenshan54]

Be careful with flourite, it is very messy!

 

[flyhawk]

i will take that warning into consideration-thanks!

 

[flyhawk]

but is flourite a really quality substrate, and will it get my swords to grow good?

 

[Gav935]

2.6wpg with no CO2 will be a nightmare to keep algae at bay. Swords are capable of growing under much less lighting than that.

 

[RadaR]

Agreed.
I also wouldn't waste money on flourite. Just get some Tropica plant capsules and put 2 under each sword plant. With low lighting and Easycarbo dosing, the swords will thrive.

 

[flyhawk]

well i havve t-12 lighting.
wont that make it less itense
i tried seachem root tabs and those didnt work
so i just want to do a 10 by 10 inch patch of flourite to put swords in

 

[flyhawk]

im still trying to think of why my swords do bad
is it mavbe because my gravel is about 7-10 mm
is it still maybe because i use softened house water?
i lighting should be fine
i have no extremely strong flow in the tank, but enought to wash water over the plant
i just want swords
heck i would be happy with a tank with just sword plants
i have posted so many times about this
ive tryed root tabs and peat moss

 

[RadaR]

Soft water has less calcium, hence that could be the problem.

 

[aaronnorth]

WPG was originally based on T12 lighting so it is still quite high.

Did you try potassium nitrate & potassium carbonate powders?
i am trying to go off from what i can remeber from the last thread which i shall go over again...

 

[flyhawk]

well i put seachem root tabs under the swords which i thought
that would solve the problem
i also read that swords turn extremly light green with calcium defcioncy
and thats kind of what 2 of my older swords look like
sorry i really dont have the money to invest in a good c02 system
i also read all over the place that swords dont do the best with substrate
over 2-3mm

 

[flyhawk]

i have also had problems with a tiger lotus,
and i hope telling you whats wrong with this
plant will help narrow down whats weong with the swords
the tiger lotus i planted in peat moss with a seachem root tab
it will never really get a really big leaf, and the leaves will die off
in about 2 weeks, kind of like the sword. then when it sends up its tall water lily like shoots there
always small, and they never stauy alive longer than about 3 weeks, but by that time the plant has sent about
3 new leaves

 

[Diesel Trout]

Soft water has less calcium, hence that could be the problem.

Swords are typically from a region like the Amazon which has soft water. How do swords thrive in these regions?

 

[RadaR]

Soft water has less calcium, hence that could be the problem.

Swords are typically from a region like the Amazon which has soft water. How do swords thrive in these regions?

There is a constant supply of calcium to them in the wild even though it's low. Comparing a closed system (aquarium) to the wild is a dodgey area.

 

[flyhawk]

what would suggest the problem with the tiger lotus?