Okay. I'm finally going to do something about these plants...

[enrgizerbunny]

~Plant(s) affected- Amazon swords
~Tank size/volume- 55 gallons
~Lighting/wpg 2- 48" 32W 6500k about 1 year old
~Do you inject CO2? Do not inject.
~What do pH, KH, PO4, NH3 and/or NO3 test kits say? Last NO3 tray was 20ppm before a 50% change.
~Dosing? Nothing.
~Heavily, moderately, or lightly planted? Lightly?
~Fish stock? 4 angels about 1yr old and all 1.5-2 times the size of a half dollar
~Tank Location- near covered window, but was exposed to sunlight through December
~How long has tank been set up? 2 years

My anubias seems to be doing fine, but my swords seen to be doing nothing. They get green, then melt, then get green, but don't seem to grow any. They've been in the tank for about 5-6 months almost the same as the angels. I wanted them to grow tall and give the angels some plants in the mid tank region.


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[enrgizerbunny]

Forgot my pictures

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[Caliban07]

Sounds like lack of co2. To prove this you should consider buying some seachem excel.

You can't really use Anubias to gauge anything because they pretty much survive on next to nothing.

You should start seeing new leaves appear on the swords once the excel goes in.


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[enrgizerbunny]

Sounds like lack of co2. To prove this you should consider buying some seachem excel.

You can't really use Anubias to gauge anything because they pretty much survive on next to nothing.

You should start seeing new leaves appear on the swords once the excel goes in.


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Does excel provide any other nutrients or could I use something like the API CO2 booster (what's available locally to me).

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[Caliban07]

Does excel provide any other nutrients or could I use something like the API CO2 booster (what's available locally to me).

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They are one and the same really. Go for co2 booster.


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[enrgizerbunny]

They are one and the same really. Go for co2 booster.


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Okay. Got a bottle this evening and dosed. Also started adding trace since I have a bottle of it, so why not?

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[Caliban07]

Okay. Got a bottle this evening and dosed. Also started adding trace since I have a bottle of it, so why not?

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Good stuff. Don't put too much trace in. You don't have enough plant mass yet to compete with the algae.

Instead. Keep nutrients away from algae by feeding at the roots. Alternatively, now you have a carbon source, you should be able to add more plants.

Pull the sword up and tear the defective leaves off. The plant has given up on them anyway.


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[DaleV87]

Swords will feed from the roots and therefore root tabs would be highly beneficial as well.


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[enrgizerbunny]

CO2 seems to be helping. Haven't left the house on account of the snow, but I'll pick up some root tabs today when I go out.

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[Sk3lly]

Amazon swords can grow very healthily without a carbon source.

Nutrients to the roots is of greater importance. This is key if youve planted into sand. Sand has ZERO nutritional benefit to a plant. Especially a plant as root feeding mad as an amazon sword

Pulling an Amazon sword will ruin its root structure and may make the issue worse. I agree with cutting off dead leaves


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[Coursair]

You can get DIY Osmocote Plus root tabs from here ( I think some members make these) or TPT or EBay.
I got 100 shipped for $8


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[Caliban07]

CO2 seems to be helping. Haven't left the house on account of the snow, but I'll pick up some root tabs today when I go out.

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Great stuff. New leaves sprouting? The grow pretty quickly with adequate co2.

I've had them growing like beasts in a non co2 tank with roots as long as my forearm. In this tank (19 litres) the swords took up probably two thirds of the tank. The were taking in the majority of co2 in the tank and absorbing most of the light. Needless to say the other plants in there paid a heavy price.

When I moved the swords to the 46 bow front their leaves began to wither and new growth was translucent and brown. Both tanks have a soil substrate. I concluded that the swords could not compete as well for carbon in the 46 and began with liquid co2. The plant is thriving as well as the others in there. Problem is, I have good light and a decent co2 source but I now have no nitrate or phosphate in the 46.


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[enrgizerbunny]

Added root tabs and been dosing CO2. The two that were potted and have the best roots are looking greener. I'm not giving up hope on the others, but I don't have much confidence in their recovery. I'll be getting some java fern and more anubias to attach to my driftwood that runs diagonally up the tank so that it can act as a divider.

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[enrgizerbunny]

Also.. any thoughts on having one 10000K bulb with one 6500K bulb? Both 32W. I've got two 10000K bulbs that have been sitting behind my water heater for some time that I got cheap. Also, should I upgrade my fixture to a 4 bulb unit? I'd be closer to 2 watts/gal than just over 1watt/gal right now.

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[Sk3lly]

Upping lighting brings greater demands on plants. Your struggling to keep alive a basic plant as it is. Id wait until you master the basics first


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[Caliban07]

I would agree. I would only be concerned if the plants were showing no signs of growth as this could indicate that the plant has reached its light compensation point.

If the new plants you add grow fine then you have enough light. You could always add reflectors before a new fixture to see if that helps.

Most importantly, don't feel disheartened. High light doesn't mean expert level. Quite the opposite actually. It's easy to grow plants when you give them a ton of everything they need. The skill in high light tanks in my opinion comes down to aquascape, husbandry and maintenance.

Finding the balance in lower light/lower co2 scenarios is much more difficult in my opinion as you are finding out now. In your case, and in most cases, I would argue that a lack of co2 is the probable cause although I do feel that a little bit of extra light for the swords at their current depth would probably do them no harm now you are supplying co2 but I would not say it is imperative.


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[enrgizerbunny]

New growth on one of my small plants! The two in the back haven't really done anything. My second best looking one doesn't seem to have made progress either, but my largest plant seems to be doing well.

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[Sk3lly]

Try giving the plants some root nourishment through the use of root tabs. This is your solution


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[enrgizerbunny]

Yeah I added root tabs on the 27th

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[Caliban07]

It looks like a pretty harsh environment down there for the smaller plant. With the lack of light and inconsistent source of carbon it's no wonder they are struggling. Can you put reflectors on your lights?

Are you dosing the recommended level of carbon?

Do you have enough flow to help circulate the liquid carbon?


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