Sword Problems

[flyhawk]

both my echindorus amazonicus and echindorus bleheri are still doing bad after a month of having seachem root
tabs under them everybody said this would help, but it doesnt seem like it is. is it maybe my light thats keeping them small and sickly looking? the tabs are making my tiger lotus look a ton better

 

[flyhawk]

anybody?

 

[flyhawk]

my light is 1.4 wpg?
i feel like im the only person who cant grow easy swords!!

 

[flyhawk]

i just got a new sword 2 weeks ago.
its putting out new leaves, but the old ones are dieng
is this normal?

 

[natalie265]

I've heard that it is normal for swords to die off at first then sprout new leaves. Your lighting is a bit low though.

 

[thefubar]

I can understand your frustration, i've just planted out a tank and now i start to see everything wilting and seemingly dying within days.
Sorry its not any use for your problem, you're not the only one having growing problems. The solution seems to be CO2, fert and light. Trying to get the right balance between them and a little bit a trial and error to see what works and what doesn't.

Put a pic of your tank up, also do you have an old tube running in your lights? How long are they on for? There are no magic beans with this. Even the "pros" will get a sudden algae attack or plant die. I find it part of the challenge.

EDIT: Just read your last thread from a month ago. How many of the suggestions did you try? Are you dosing ferts or just the root tabs?

 

[gzylo]

some swords are plants that are not submerged during dry period. And if they are imported from asia they are growing there not submerged. So its a bit stress for the plants. Theirs leaves are different for wet and dry conditions. Its normal way of things. Just unlucky to get them from dry plantation.

I`m not an expert but this is the only thing that comes to my mind


Regards

 

[flyhawk]

i decided to go with root tabs because ive heard there the best for swords
i have raised my light to 2.6 wpg
i just set up a diy co2 fermentation system
i have 3.86 liters for co2
but my tank is a 55 will it help?

 

[gzylo]

i decided to go with root tabs because ive heard there the best for swords
i have raised my light to 2.6 wpg
i just set up a diy co2 fermentation system
i have 3.86 liters for co2
but my tank is a 55 will it help?

how are your other swords doing?

what is your substrate? - your plants will need iron and other minerals to produce cells/grow - tabs are ok but i would recommend adding fluid fertilizer too - read the instructions on the bottle and do not over feed plants as you will get algie - best thing before adding fluid food for plants is to iron test your water and see weather it leaks iron in the first place if it does add food. can you tell us stats about your iron?

Have you used liquid fertilizer before? - if you - have you added as instruction says? - you might have too much phosphate in your water.


i would be carefull with lighting time now as you do not wish to get algie
co2 certanly will not do too mutch of a harm. Make sure your fishes are not gasping over the night as you cannot really control fermentation co2 system as you do with pressurised injection, if they are deliver some oxygen to you tank. you can have it on just for night.


Regards

 

[flyhawk]

well my new sword is doing ok
its my 3 month old ones that are terrible
i used a liquid fert but im afraid it will
cloud my water

 

[Amunet]

My sword plants always get new leaves whenever I add in Flourish Potassium.
That may not be your problem, but doesn't hurt to try it out
Could be due to lack of using liquid fert though. *shrugs*

 

[flyhawk]

i thought swords could get all nutrients from roots though

 

[RadaR]

i thought swords could get all nutrients from roots though

They can do if they have to. But if your substrate doesn't have CEC cation exchange capacity (google it) then it is hard for the roots to obtain the required NPK. Normal root tabs don't contain NPK, just trace elements.
This may not be a fert issue though. It could well be carbon deficiency. Opt for dosing EasyCarbo to help out the sword.

 

[flyhawk]

so i guess i cant get out of dosing
liquid ferts

 

[RadaR]

Depends on how stocked you are. Fish waste will breakdown to produce nitrates and phosphates which the plants will use via their roots. High fish loads in high-light tanks are risky because the added fish produce more ammonia which combined with the high lighting causes algae. Fortunately you don't have very high lighting.
Liquid dosing doesn't take long anyway. Every other day or so just dose 1ml of Tropica Plant Nutrition + for every 20litres.