how am i gonna keep this alive?

[gobluewolverines4]

Hey guys! Got a great deal today on a huge amazon sword (so I think it is) and I'm working how I can keep it alive... Its massive so I don't wanna lose it? Any suggestions? I'm dosing 5ml of seachem flourish on Sundays, and dosing api leave zone twice a week. Also I used 2 root tabs right at the base.. Anything else I could do?

 

[molly100a]

With my swords I use hardened red clay spikes under each plant, I heard that swords love iron especially at the roots. Hope this helps.

 

[gobluewolverines4]

What is a spike? Could I just put some clay into my sand substrate?

 

[Cichlid Kid]

You said you were dosing seachem flourish? Which flourish product? Excel, comprehensive etc...?

 

[nereksnad]

greetings.

how much light do you have on whatever size tank you have?

also you said you purchased the amazon sword today, was it in that bad condition?

 

[gobluewolverines4]

You said you were dosing seachem flourish? Which flourish product? Excel, comprehensive etc...?

I'm using the one shown here

http://www.marinedepot.com/Seachem_...uid_Supplements-Seachem-SC5273-FWPCLF-vi.html

Its just called flourish so that's why I was kinda unspecific.
I'm hoping to get more excel today.

 

[gobluewolverines4]

greetings.

how much light do you have on whatever size tank you have?

also you said you purchased the amazon sword today, was it in that bad condition?

I have two t8's somewhere around 5500k. (Its a 55 gallon aquarium)
Also its not in that bad of condition. Some of the leaves are thinning but I figured I could help bring them back with yall's help.

 

[nereksnad]

that is one bad looking sword plant imo.

if the T5s are 39W (which i am going to assume) then you have sufficient light, fertilization appears to be ok. i'd say give it a weeks time and observe if it recovers.

 

[jcolon]

I'm using the one shown here

Seachem Laboratories Flourish - 250mL

Its just called flourish so that's why I was kinda unspecific.
I'm hoping to get more excel today.

It's not going to do much unfortunately. Swords are heavy root feeders so your best bet is to go with either root tabs (sachem sells them) or I believe it or not ... Osmocote (Osmocote Plus formula is even better). I use the indoor outdoor formula. I put 6-7 pellets in a dedicated ice tray and freeze those pellets into cubes which I then embed into the substrate.

Either way, stick them in and around your swords.

 

[gobluewolverines4]

It's not going to do much unfortunately. Swords are heavy root feeders so your best bet is to go with either root tabs (sachem sells them) or I believe it or not ... Osmocote (Osmocote Plus formula is even better). I use the indoor outdoor formula. I put 6-7 pellets in a dedicated ice tray and freeze those pellets into cubes which I then embed into the substrate.

Either way, stick them in and around your swords.

I was actually hoping on trying the osmocote route soon!

 

[jcolon]

I was actually hoping on trying the osmocote route soon!

I'm convinced it's helped my swords grow since I went that route beginning of summer. A few members have gone this route with no ill effects. Try to go with the + formula if you can find it (none in my area?!) carries some more micronutrients and doesn't harm inverts.

 

[gobluewolverines4]

I'm convinced it's helped my swords grow since I went that route beginning of summer. A few members have gone this route with no ill effects. Try to go with the + formula if you can find it (none in my area?!) carries some more micronutrients and doesn't harm inverts.

I'm just curious if they're pellets why do you freeze them?

 

[marsh]

Just remember that yellow leaves never turn back to green, trim anything less than beautiful so the sword will have energy to replace old leaves with new ones

 

[molly100a]

Try dosing with sechem iron, I do twice a week with sechem comprehensive ferts. If you are going to use red clay make sure is the mexican clay, just roll into small balls or spikes, you could just jam them into your substrate or let them dry out over night. Swords need iron.

 

[molly100a]

Here's my tanks, a 75 gallon and 56 gallon

 

[jcolon]

I'm just curious if they're pellets why do you freeze them?

Just so you can push the ice cube with the pellets into the substrate. Trying to push each pellet would be a nightmare... Probably make a mess.