Ludwigia Arcuata and Amazon Sword

[Masha]

I've got a low-light tank (24 gallon) with no CO2
Java fern, java moss and anubia have been growing very well. I recently started adding Seachem flourish.

In my ignorance I bought some Ludwigia Arcuata and to my surprise it seems to be doing quite well. It's getting quite tall - would it work to trim the tips to make it branch more? Should the roots be inserted under the gravel? At the moment quite a few stems are pretty much floating with roots barely touching gravel as I don't know how to root them properly.

I also got myself a tiny Amazon Sword - I've read they do okay in low-light tanks, but need root fertilisers?

I'm a bit stuck with adding fertilisers as it seems I cannot get root tabs around here.

 

[Krissycakes]

I've got a low-light tank (24 gallon) with no CO2
Java fern, java moss and anubia have been growing very well. I recently started adding Seachem flourish.

In my ignorance I bought some Ludwigia Arcuata and to my surprise it seems to be doing quite well. It's getting quite tall - would it work to trim the tips to make it branch more? Should the roots be inserted under the gravel? At the moment quite a few stems are pretty much floating with roots barely touching gravel as I don't know how to root them properly.

I also got myself a tiny Amazon Sword - I've read they do okay in low-light tanks, but need root fertilisers?

I'm a bit stuck with adding fertilisers as it seems I cannot get root tabs around here.

I don't have ludwigia arcuata, but the Amazon sword may need those root tabs. Where are you from?

I don't have

 

[Masha]

I'm in Cape Town, South Africa. I've not looked very hard, but none of the aquarium shops I've been in seem to have them. None of them are particularly good on plant things in general.

 

[TankMan7]

The sword will need root tabs of some sort. They are root feeders. The Ludwigia - just shove the stem into your substrate down to a point where the leaves are growing out - that is where the roots originate and it will root itself in. You can trim just above one of these nodes and plant your trimmings if you want more in your tank. This will also get the plant to grow additional stems from the node and cause it to become more bushy.

 

[Masha]

Thanks Tankman, I'll do that.

I've found a place that claims to sell things for the planted aquarium, but as far as I can tell they do only liquid fertilisers.

Is there a non aquarium fertilising stick that I can safely use? Like the ones they use for potplants?

 

[Darkseid76]

Thanks Tankman, I'll do that. I've found a place that claims to sell things for the planted aquarium, but as far as I can tell they do only liquid fertilisers. Is there a non aquarium fertilising stick that I can safely use? Like the ones they use for potplants?

You can make your own tabs using gel caps and terrestrial garden slow release fertilizers. Check you tube for some vids.

It's what I do and it works very well.

 

[TankMan7]

Stay away from sticks as they tend to cause pretty big ammonia spikes. Grab a slow release garden fertilizer (Dynamite or some other slow release - must be slow release) and pack some into 00 gel caps and push deep into the substrate. Google DIY Root Tabs and you will find a lot of options. Good luck!

 

[Masha]

Thanks! Ive had a look at the YouTube videos. The gelcap is really only a delivery mechanism, right? I mean, it disolves pretty quickly?

 

[TankMan7]

Yes. It just keeps everything together so you can get it under the substrate.

 

[Masha]

Fantastic. I actually just found a South African planted tank forum, and apparently you can buy Osmocote from some nurseries here. I'm going to give it a go

 

[TankMan7]

Osmocote + has been used for a long time, but is is hard to find now. The regulator Osmocote is used by a lot of people.

 

[Krissycakes]

I bought 150 osmocote plus online for $10.50, with free shipping. Waiting for them to come in the mail.

 

[TankMan7]

Those will be great! Your plants will love them!

 

[Krissycakes]

Those will be great! Your plants will love them!

I hope so, I have been starving them because a 10pack at petco is $9.99