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Amazon Sword Issue

4K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  thedood 
#1 ·
My amazon sword leaves are getting a 'netted' appearance. I dont dose ferts at this time. Low tech tank with a standard two bulb shop light. No co2 but I do dose excel to combat bba. I had put o+ tabs in when I rescaped 2 months ago, one near each heavy root feeder.

Everything else is growing like gang busters. My crypts are doing great. One of the Amazon swords has even put out two runners and the plantlets are doing very well. Any suggestions?

 
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#3 ·
Thanks mredman. These have been growing fine and like I said I have one that has sent two runners out. Any other ideas?
 
#4 ·
I don't buy the "not having CO2 eliminates 90% of your aquarium plants". That sounds like someone who wants to sell expensive CO2 systems.

There are quite a few tanks I've personally seen with soil capped with gravel, or substrate w/ Laterite heating, and really small amount of CO2 injection to none that have done great. You may have a bit slower growth, But not necessarily.

What I'm seeing looks either like a lack of Potassium and (or) a Pleco or Oto, or snail eating a leaf that is in less than healthy shape.

Two experiments you might give a try is picking up some Morton No Salt substitute which is KCl Potassium Chloride, a common Potassium amendment. Or if your feeling a bit more adventurous, check out the Vitamin aisle at your local store for some Potassium supplement, usually will be about 99 milligrams elemental K, in a Gluconate base with a little gelatin encapsulation. There might be a little Magnesium Stearate in the mix, all of which shouldn't hurt your tanks chemistry.

There's online calculators to figure out the tanks water volume to mix the KCl with. Consider that with elemental Potassium, you really can't over dose with. But should exercise restraint if the additional Chlorides change the water's chemistry too much.

With Potassium Gluconate you should know that Seachem's Flourish uses Iron Gluconate, and with any Gluconate, you will have the effect of adding bio-available carbon, and would boost your plant growth like adding CO2. You would have to add a lot of supplemental Potassium Gluconate to equal the same amount of KCl, almost 4 times as much. This might add too much Gluconate, I'm not sure it's a great idea, but Gluconate has the added advantage of degrading rapidly in water under biological influences. It's basically a form of blood sugar.

The key word in either case here is exercise restraint.
 
#6 ·
I have a sword similar to that, might even be the same one. When I first planted it I knew nothing about them and had it planted directly in the substrate. It gained the same appearance, a "melty" look. After I moved it to the top of my aquarium decoration it immediately perked up. I do not use any CO2 and it's growing great.

Maybe it just needs a change of scenery, could also be the water parameters. I'm no expert (obviously) but sometimes trying the easiest things first are the most effective :)
 
#7 ·
@GrampsGrunge I think I may have some dry ferts with potassium and I do have a bottle of Flourish comp. I also have some O+ root tabs as well.
@cininohio Thanks for the reply. No pleco but I do have 9 oto and the do hang out and the A.S. alot. Maybe that is the answer?
@Goomie Thanks for the reply. These swords, one of them anyway (I have four along the back wall of my tank), is almost growing out of the top and I have one with two long runners, I hate to risk those runners. I cant really move it any higher plus as big as it is trying to move it is going to create a mess as the tank is dirted with a bdbs cap. Moving it isnt an option.

I tend to think that it is a deficiency or the oto have been having a buffet, or both. Ive been dosing glut so maybe I need to toss another root tab near each of these swords. @GrampsGrunge Do you think crypts are a less nute hungry plant than the swords? The crypts are growing like gangbusters and no sign of an issue. Of course the swords are growing as well these leaf issues just started showing up.
 
#8 ·
@GrampsGrunge I think I may have some dry ferts with potassium and I do have a bottle of Flourish comp. I also have some O+ root tabs as well. (snippy...) @GrampsGrunge Do you think crypts are a less nute hungry plant than the swords? The crypts are growing like gangbusters and no sign of an issue. Of course the swords are growing as well these leaf issues just started showing up.
My experience with Crypts is that they really like their substrate full of old mulm and having bio-available iron. New tanks don't always grow Crypts very well. I'm experiencing that with my stream-bed clay, 3.8 gallon tank.

Swords are not so fussy, but seem to like a bit more carbonate hardness and a bit higher light levels

I like keeping Java Fern as it plays the part of a 'canary in the coal mine' as a good indicator of the overall chemical health of your tanks. In this image below, look at the growing tips of the Java Fern. Notice the little clearish-green triangle on the leaf tips? If your Java Fern is doing this, you've got a good balance of nutrients in your tank(s). The longer the triangle, the better your tank is doing.

Oops, attachment of images seems broken..

 

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