Micro Sword?

[Rxblade123]

I went to a LFS which I didn't go to often because my parents didn't like the smell (I don't notice anything when I go in there), but on Sunday I went to the LFS and walked around and stumbled into the plant section. I never knew it had one! I walked around and found many plants that I had been looking for. I saw this plant called Micro Sword and remebered reading about it that it could be grow to be like a "carpet" and since it was about 3.99 and I had some extra money I decided to buy it. When I looked online i looked at the pictures and they differed from the looks of my plants, probably because my leaves weren't over a 1 and 1/2 yet and I saw lots of "white roots" maybe? Well I'm not sure how to plant. Put the white "roots" under the gravel or what? Currently I have in the gravel except Everytime I put them in I will see some white and other piece won't stay in the gravel. How do you get them in the gravel and get them to look so great? Oh and would it be ok to cover the entire surface of gravel with the plants, but have some places not covered where other plants grow? I think that would look so cool , but then the plants would need lots of nutrients from the gravel and I don't have any tabs as the prices for some reason have gotten to 6.99 for the cheaper ones and 8.99 for the flourish tabs. Any idea's I can put enough nutrients into the gravel?

 

[malkore]

Well first off, welcome to the complex world of planted tanks!

There's several different plants that can have a common name of microsword.
http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_viewer.php?id=144 Lilaeopsis brasiliensis is true microsword. In order to successfully gro it, you'll need at least 2watts per gallon, although 2.5wpg is a better minimum, injected CO2, and some kind of substrate fertilization.
Without enough light, the plants will either fail, or they'll grow very tall and leggy as they reach up towards the light source.

Flourish tabs are pretty decent, but I prefer to get homemade root tabs from the owner of plantgeek.net - though I have my own root tab kit now, and will soon make a batch, which I'll share instructions and photos on the process.

To plant, bury all of the white roots...only the green leaf blades need to be above the gravel. One easy way is to plant it deeper than necessary, then lightly pull up on the plant until it's just right...then tamp down the gravel around the base. But, do be ready to keep replanting a few floaters until they put down more solid roots.

 

[Rxblade123]

Oh ok thanks. Is there a easier DIY root tabs?

 

[Rxblade123]

Oh and where do you get peat moss?

 

[malkore]

DIY root tabs are simply clay powder and plantex CSM. try www.plantguild.com under their Chemicals section. They also sell a kit for $30 I think..same one I've got.

Peat moss...I think any garden center should have this. Not real sure because I don't use any peat in my setups.
You've got to make sure you get the right kind though...I think you want the organic stuff so there's no other fertilizers in it.

 

[Rxblade123]

Oh ok. If you read the post about the white stuff in my tank, it's back again........ any idea of wat it is? and how to get rid of it?

 

[Rxblade123]

I tried planting the Micro Swords again..... very frustrating the plant with long runners wouldn't stay in the gravel. When one part was in the gravel the other part of it came out. I did this for about 1 hour and only a few strands of Micro Sword was in the gravel..... The rest I left floating.........Took too long. Can I cut the runners into smaller sections to plant them easier. I want to plant each of them like 1 inch away from each other would this be good? The gravel would probably be covered with them and I would still have some remaining XD. I need to move my plants around....Should I move my swords? I have root tabs under them. Plus I don't want to disturb the gravel since if I mess with it the fish tank gets all cloudy. TIA

 

[Rxblade123]

Can anybody recommend a good algae eater beside the Siamese one? I'm starting to have some more algae again. I stopped dosing the the Seachem flourish stuff and the algae has slowed down, but there's some green algae on the leaves of some of my plants and I can't really get it off.

 

[malkore]

You're going to have to remind me the light level, tank size, adn whether you're injecting CO2 - before I can suggest fertilizing.
Also, since you have algae growth, what are your nitrate and phosphate levels?

 

[Rxblade123]

I'm not sure about my nitrate and phosphate levels. I have 2 watts per gallon. It a 10 gallon and I use some CO2 cept I don't know how much I have. I probably don't need the CO2 but just in case.

 

[Guest]

I got rid of my microsword for the same reason, couldn't keep it planted properly. Besides that, they collected too much dirt (and algae at the time, I was going through the new tank algae battle). I have Fluorite in that tank, may try microsword again someday in a tank with sand substrate, or at least something finer-grained than fluorite.