Amazon Sword and Jave Fern Help!

[maxiwilliams]

Hi guys,
I own one Amazon Sword and two Java Fern. I've owned each for about a month and a half and they are all relatively healthy. I've noticed however each of my plants are starting to get brown patches on their leaves, I was wondering what is the cause of this (to prevent it happening in the future) and what I can do to stop it in the meantime?!? Help would be much appreciated! thanks guys

attached are a few pictures of the plants! mind the cherry shrimp and sterbai cory hehe






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[brennae]

Amazon swords need root tabs. I also use liquid fertilizers. I use Seachem products but others on here use dry ferts and metricide. Root tabs can be purchased or made at home. you just stick your finger in the substrate and push the tab down in there.

[maxiwilliams]

oh okay sounds good! how do you make a homemade one?!


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[maxiwilliams]

oh and thankyou 😊


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[brennae]

I forgot what kind of dry fertilizers are used for dry ferts but you make them in gel capsules and some people in ice cube trays. I really don't know much about it. How large of a tank are we talking about? If its smaller then the liquid ferts would be affordable but if its large or you have many tanks then hopefully someone chimes in about how to DIY the dry ferts. Sorry I am not more help.

[maxiwilliams]

no don't be sorry that's great advice I was planning on buying some fertilisers anyway so that's great 👍 I'm also looking into some seachem flourish I've heard some great reviews about it!


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[brennae]

Yes the Seachem line is great. Flourish is a good product as is Trace. I notice you are in Australia, are the liquid ferts easy to get there? I know others on here tell about the high shipping costs to get some equipment shipped in.

[maxiwilliams]

yes I am it's relatively cheap! on eBay the seachem flourish 500ml only costs $15 with free shipping!


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[brennae]

Oh ok good!

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[jetajockey]

One other thing to consider is that the leaves of the amazon sword (the one that the shrimp is on in particular) are emersed form leaves that will likely eventually die back. Notice how the leaf to the right of it looks nice and healthy? That's a submersed form leaf.

[Hobbiest]

What size tank do you have? I use dry ferts. anymore with CO2 for plants. When I first started though I had the same problems you are having. Starting a planted aquarium can be very frustrating and expensive depending on how far you want to go with it. I found that using root tabs in combination with Leaf Zone by API will help quite a bit plus weekly water changes the sword will do well. As healthy leaves grow just cut unhealthy ones off until entire plant is healthy.