Micro sword?

[Bearchumjs]

I've had a small micro sword since the beginning of April and it refuses to grow. I use API root tabs and API Leaf Zone liquid fert. My other plants (2 melon swords, lemon bacopa, 2 anubias, water wisteria, crypt lucens, hornwort, java moss) seem to grow no problem.

I have the micro sword planted in the tank. My substrate is PFS. It looks healthy. It just won't grow. *sigh* live aquaria said it's supposed to grow quickly.

 

[aqua_chem]

It will only grow well when supplied with good light and CO2.

 

[Bearchumjs]

Ok. I've been trying to avoid having co2 cause I don't want to mess with it. So now I get to decide if I want it to grow or if I'm ok with it staying small.

What if I get the fertilizer with the co2 in it? Like flourish excel or the API equivalent? Would that possibly help it?

 

[aqua_chem]

Those products don't actually have CO2, but rather another carbon supplement chemical. They will help, yes, but it's still not as good as actual CO2. It will still depend on light too.

Microsword is a slow grower even under ideal conditions. It's definitely one of the slower foregrounds.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Agree, I have micro sword in my 100G tank, never did too good until I added CO2 (gas). Then really took off, more runners and the leaves started to grow fast.

 

[Bearchumjs]

What's a good foreground that doesn't require co2?

 

[aqua_chem]

In order to get a carpeting effect, pretty much all of them will need co2.

 

[maxwellag]

I had some micro sword in my 10g tank under 2 13w spiral CFLs (~medium lighting) with no co2. I had forgotten about it for 6 months. When I took it out recently, it had grown very compactly. It was in bunches about 1" tall. My point is, I had it under medium light with no co2 and it grew ok. It was extremely slow, though.

 

[MickeyA]

I have tons of microsword in my 30 they are short compact and havent sent many runners in my 1.5g very tall with lots of runners both have the same conditions no co2 dirt and sand now what is different is the light the 1.5 has a 13watt 6500k cfl the 30 has 2 t5ho 1 10000k daylight 1 6500k plant bulb i figure the lack of light makes the grow a little taller and the more light makes them compact.

 

[maxwellag]

I recommend marsilea minuta. It grows slowly, but doesn't require dosing co2.

 

[Bearchumjs]

I recommend marsilea minuta. It grows slowly, but doesn't require dosing co2.

I just googled it and it looks awesome! Is there a more common name for it?

 

[maxwellag]

I just googled it and it looks awesome! Is there a more common name for it?

Not really, sometimes it is called dwarf clover but its scientific name is more common.