My Plant Questions!

[alia258]

Well fish crap works just fine for me! You'd be surprised at how fast my plants grow! I don't need CO2 tablets, fertilizer, or any other chemical to make my plants grow. Turns out, fish do all that stuff for the plants on their own.

 

[zach_1_6]

if you use some sort of root fertilizer, your sword plants will greatly benefit from them. Swords are heavy root feeders, and if you want them to thrive, a good amount of available fertilizer will help them. fish crap is good, but there isnt to much of it actually reaching the roots. im not saying you have to use root ferts, but it will help the swords greatly.

 

[alia258]

If you really think so I will look into it when I'm at the pet store today

 

[zach_1_6]

i had 2 "dormant" swords who didnt grow at all, just sat there, and as soon as i put root tabs at at their roots, they instantly started growing again, all you need is 1 or 2 per plant and they will last a couple of monthes

 

[meegosh]

I'd suggest adding some tabs. You can tell in the pictures you are experiencing some nutrient deficiencies. Trim the brown/dead leaves off the mother plant all the way down to the rhizome (base/bulb). Also, any stems that don't have leaves, trim those down too. The plant should sprout new leaves once the dead ones are removed.

Adding root tabs, like suggested, will probably make your mother plant shoot out some runners. Good luck!

 

[alia258]

Thank you! I'll do that!!! ^^

 

[alia258]

I got these root tabs:


View attachment 79457

I think I'll put 4 into the tank for now ^^

 

[alia258]

I got some anahydras! But some aren't sticking in the gravel. Can I let them float around until they grow roots?

 

[alia258]

I was wrong! They're called anacharis! NOT anahydras!

 

[meegosh]

You can float them but I would suggest planting them. Usually in bunches along the sides or back is the most common. I've used those root tabs before, worked good for me.

 

[savage]

'Spider Plant' is a pretty good comparison. It just looks like a long stem when it starts, and then you can see it happening. I finally have one doing it. The stem seems to shoot up fast when it's starting. Then I think you just wait for the new structure.it's pretty cool.

 

[alia258]

They are very cool plants. Some are floating and I'll have to put them back when I get home from school ^^

 

[Starka]

In my 10gal I moved one of my swords and its roots where all the way to back and middle of the tank! Its a little bushy plant not very tall yet.
Can't wait for the little swordlings

 

[skywhitney]

One of my swords sent up a stalk with a bulb forming almost right away but nothing has come from the bulb as of yet so here is hoping lol.

The root structure that they have formed in my tank is rather amazing. I'd be afraid to try to move them cause i don't know what they might have grabbed on to.

 

[alia258]

Just wondering, but can't you cut the roots a little as long as you leave enough left?

 

[skywhitney]

Just wondering, but can't you cut the roots a little as long as you leave enough left?

You could, but the plant will probably die. Be patient if you cant wait, make a trip to the lfs.

 

[Starka]

You could, but the plant will probably die. Be patient if you cant wait, make a trip to the lfs.

I know at petsmart you can get three or four plants with them. I just got one that is 50% off and trying to bring it back to life

 

[skywhitney]

I know at petsmart you can get three or four plants with them. I just got one that is 50% off and trying to bring it back to life

Thats what i'd recommend but make sure the is put in QT. i've seen some very weird and bad nastys come from store plants!

 

[alia258]

I don't actually have an ifs, more of a setbcaps (sad effort to be called a pet store) so, my fish usually come home with diseases (Parasites, ick, velvet, etc.) so I have to buy medicine

 

[alia258]

I bought a half dead anacharis from them! I'm bringing it back to life ^^ but you am ready knew that ^^