Microswords - does excel melt them?

[sallyjano]

Does excel melt microswords?

I initially made the mistake of putting the crowns of my microswords too deep. Oops. Figured that out and pulled them up. For most it was too late. I have just a couple left. They seemed to be starting to shoot but then I started adding excel daily and now they are looking a bit melted and have not grown at all.

Is it the excel?

 

[Coyne]

I have micro-swords in one of my tanks and I dose Exel daily. It does not appear to have any negative effects on them.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Brookster123]

I have micro-swords in one of my tanks and I dose Exel daily. It does not appear to have any negative effects on them.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

+1

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[sallyjano]

Weird. I am only doing the recommended dose (6ml a day on a 60g) so I wonder why they melted for me.

Though maybe I should clarify what people mean when they talk about melted plants. The leaves go kind of opaque and have little lines all over them which look a bit like shattered glass. (Same on my vals....)

 

[Brookster123]

New plants will.melt all on their own sometimes, especially if they were grown emmersed or out of water.. usually if you give them a couple weeks they come back strong..melting in my experience is leaves turning translucent and literally melting away a little at a time down the leaf..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[sallyjano]

New plants will.melt all on their own sometimes, especially if they were grown emmersed or out of water.. usually if you give them a couple weeks they come back strong..melting in my experience is leaves turning translucent and literally melting away a little at a time down the leaf..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Hmm.....well it's been more than a couple of weeks. Probably closer to 4, but maybe I need to be more patient. I also wonder if maybe I don't have enough light? 2.3wpg but 24" high tank.

So what's going on when I see my leaves with the broken glass effect? I will try and get a pic but not sure the zoom will get close enough.

 

[sallyjano]

Hmm.....well it's been more than a couple of weeks. Probably closer to 4, but maybe I need to be more patient. I also wonder if maybe I don't have enough light? 2.3wpg but 24" high tank.

So what's going on when I see my leaves with the broken glass effect? I will try and get a pic but not sure the zoom will get close enough.

Here.....

 

[Mama Karoti]

What are your nitrate and phosphate levels? Do you dose any Ferts? Could be a nutrient deficiency. I'm just not experienced enough to tell you what type. My new leaves on my plants were nice and healthy but they would quickly become yellowish brown toward the edges. I did some research and started to suspect a macro deficiency. Sure enough, my nitrates were only 5 and my phosphates were non-existent. Since I've been keeping an eye on it, they are much better.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[sallyjano]

What are your nitrate and phosphate levels? Do you dose any Ferts? Could be a nutrient deficiency. I'm just not experienced enough to tell you what type. My new leaves on my plants were nice and healthy but they would quickly become yellowish brown toward the edges. I did some research and started to suspect a macro deficiency. Sure enough, my nitrates were only 5 and my phosphates were non-existent. Since I've been keeping an eye on it, they are much better.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Phosphate no clue I am afraid as I don't have a kit but I read if you have hard water you should have plenty. Nitrates low - 5 to 10. Is that too low?

 

[Mebbid]

Are these micro chain swords?

In my experience with them they melt like CRAZY when you move them or first plant them. I almost threw away the original plant because it was soo bad. They are however very quick to regrow after they finish melting.

It took about a month for my most recent moving of them to regrow

 

[sallyjano]

Are these micro chain swords?

In my experience with them they melt like CRAZY when you move them or first plant them. I almost threw away the original plant because it was soo bad. They are however very quick to regrow after they finish melting.

It took about a month for my most recent moving of them to regrow

Not sure what kind. How long did it take? It's been 4 weeks already.

All my plants have one problem or another. I am only dosing excel and flourish comp so no macros. I have hard water so thought I don't need phosphorous and I have 5ppm nitrates. I did buy potassium but stopped using it as didn't seem to be helping. 2.3 wpg but tank is 24" high.

Do you think I need to start doing pps pro?

I just hesitate since I also have algae issues and don't want too many nutrients.

 

[Mebbid]

Not sure what kind. How long did it take? It's been 4 weeks already.

All my plants have one problem or another. I am only dosing excel and flourish comp so no macros. I have hard water so thought I don't need phosphorous and I have 5ppm nitrates. I did buy potassium but stopped using it as didn't seem to be helping. 2.3 wpg but tank is 24" high.

Do you think I need to start doing pps pro?

I just hesitate since I also have algae issues and don't want too many nutrients.

Algae isn't necessarily cause by too many nutrients. In fact, EI dosing of ferts is based solely on flooding the tank with nutrients.

As for that you need, it's hard to say. The swords seem to feed from both the roots and the water column so some root tabs might possibly help.

What lights do you have again? I have a hard time keeping track of peoples set up

 

[sallyjano]

Algae isn't necessarily cause by too many nutrients. In fact, EI dosing of ferts is based solely on flooding the tank with nutrients.

As for that you need, it's hard to say. The swords seem to feed from both the roots and the water column so some root tabs might possibly help.

What lights do you have again? I have a hard time keeping track of peoples set up

I have a 60g long. 2x54w t5ho bulbs and 2x15w plant growth aqua glo bulbs.

Anubias. Crypts. Java fern. Hygros. Vals. Micro swords. Star grass. Egeria.

Excel daily. Fl comp once a week.

What would you do fert wise?

 

[sallyjano]

Oh and I did root tabs already

 

[Mebbid]

Sadly, flourish is junk for anything but low light tanks. I would switch over to either PPS Pro or EI and then go from there.

 

[Mama Karoti]

Sounds like we have the same setup, minus the 2x15 watt bulbs. Mine is 60 gal with 2x54 t5ho. Dosing excel and Flourish and fighting algae. I'm thinking of giving the split lighting period a go to see if that helps. I don't have any micro swords, though. Just Amazon swords.

I have really hard well water--I mix it 50/50 with RO to get a moderate hardness. I don't know why I don't have phosphates naturally.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Mebbid]

Sounds like we have the same setup, minus the 2x15 watt bulbs. Mine is 60 gal with 2x54 t5ho. Dosing excel and Flourish and fighting algae. I'm thinking of giving the split lighting period a go to see if that helps. I don't have any micro swords, though. Just Amazon swords.

I have really hard well water--I mix it 50/50 with RO to get a moderate hardness. I don't know why I don't have phosphates naturally.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Again, flourish is junk for anything beyond low light. Your algae issues are very likely due to a lack of ferts. Try out PPS Pro or EI dosing schedules for dry ferts.

 

[Mama Karoti]

Again, flourish is junk for anything beyond low light. Your algae issues are very likely due to a lack of ferts. Try out PPS Pro or EI dosing schedules for dry ferts.

So you are saying Flourish does not provide enough micronutrients in this situation? I have been dosing dry ferts to maintain phosphate and nitrate levels. So you think I should focus on lack of micronutrients as well? I will look into that. Thank you.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Mebbid]

So you are saying Flourish does not provide enough micronutrients in this situation? I have been dosing dry ferts to maintain phosphate and nitrate levels. So you think I should focus on lack of micronutrients as well? I will look into that. Thank you.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

It doesn't have enough of any nutrients really, micros or macros. Don't forget potassium as a macro

 

[sallyjano]

Again, flourish is junk for anything beyond low light. Your algae issues are very likely due to a lack of ferts. Try out PPS Pro or EI dosing schedules for dry ferts.

Ok thanks, I will. I was doing some searches on the two different methods to get the pros and cons of each. All the threads I found were all a bit technical and over my head!!

From your comment seems like you think either would work for my set up? I only ask because I saw somewhere that EI was for higher light tanks and I believe mine is barely medium light (because of the tank height at 24")?