Amazon sword help
Hello, I’m having some trouble with my swords. They are like a transparent yellow and I’m not really sure why. I knew they were a heavy rooter so I put ADA root tabs in there and with a little looking I feel like it just their soil in a stick so I got some API root tabs last week to try instead. Here is a picture of what they look like:
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Thanks for sending that! From reading that it looks like low nitrogen maybe
How long have you had them? If you just got them within the last couple of weeks then they are probably just going from out of water to submerged growth. I would give them a while if that is the case. Amazon swords are practically indestructible in my experience.
I’ve had them since about the end of May or the the beginning of June, that’s what I’ve heard haha
When I add a new plant to my tank I expect ALL of the original leaves to wilt and die off. The leaves on all the plants in my tank are leaves that were grown in my tank.
Do you see any signs of new growth? After a couple of months I would expect some new leaves to be emerging.
Do you see any signs of new growth? After a couple of months I would expect some new leaves to be emerging.
I would start by trimming off and removing all of the dead and dying leaves. These will not recover, and rather further deteriorate and negatively effect your water quality. Most of them look like they were emersed growth with their wider rounded leaves. They were going to die no matter what you did. When they transition from emersed to submersed, usually after a few weeks, they will start growing narrower more sword-like leaves. I think you'll have better luck once you perform the trimming maintenance and let the plant focus on growing healthy leaves.
Have you had luck growing any other plants and are you checking water parameters? Also are you injecting CO2? Growth is slower without it.
Have you had luck growing any other plants and are you checking water parameters? Also are you injecting CO2? Growth is slower without it.
I haven’t really seen any new growth yet but I’ll go in and trim them. I have 5 other planted tanks and they are all doing good (my carpet is a little slow) but I have CO2 going in them I don’t have it in my 55 which is where the swords are. I’ve been playing around with the idea of running a T on my CO2 tank and having it go into the 55. I don’t really test that often, I normally check the ph once in awhile for my CO2 systems but that’s normally it.
Given your substrate type and roots I don't think the issue is macro nutrient. If anything what you have is overkill. I grow those plants and with co2 they quickly grow to 18 - 20 inches or so without any love and care (my tank has eco-complete and i haven't given them any root tabs in a year+; even the baby plants are more than 12 inches high. It might be a light issue - are the plants shaded or otherwise hindered. It could also be water hardness - my water is kh 3 gh 7 ph 7.1; not sure how hardness would impact them as I've never tried them in hard water but they come from a soft water region. The plants i put in a low tech tank doesn't grow very high - maybe 5 inches but after 8 months of true abuse (long story); it has put out 6-8 new leaves the past 3 months (short version the old substrate was loaded with sulfurish whatever from leaching anaerobic substrate that was causing a lot of issues so i replaced it; and the sword dropped all its old leaves but started to regrow).
Anyway it could be micro nutrients but i really don't give it any love in my tank though i do have a heavy fish load so it gets fish poop galore.
Anyway it could be micro nutrients but i really don't give it any love in my tank though i do have a heavy fish load so it gets fish poop galore.
I’m not a huge fan of these API testing strips but it say my nitrates are between 0 and 20 and it says my GH and KH are both 0 and my TDS meter is reading between 84 and 82. So would adding Bee Shrimp mineral GH+ help (I’m assuming seeing that my GH and KH are both reading 0)
Also I have two 72w hygger lights but I only have one of them on the tank, I can adjust the brightness if I need to.
Also I have two 72w hygger lights but I only have one of them on the tank, I can adjust the brightness if I need to.
Wow, TDS 80? Are you using RO water?I’m not a huge fan of these API testing strips but it say my nitrates are between 0 and 20 and it says my GH and KH are both 0 and my TDS meter is reading between 84 and 82. So would adding Bee Shrimp mineral GH+ help (I’m assuming seeing that my GH and KH are both reading 0)
I use RO for everything, I also have a saltwater tank too.
My TDS is 110 out of the faucet (kh 3 gh 7)Wow, TDS 80? Are you using RO water?
How tall is the tank? I use a fluval 3.0 (well two) on my 120 which is 4 feet long 2 feet wide and 2 feet high. I had problems with one of the baby swords when the substrate formed anaerobic pockets but the plant quickly recovered when i replaced the substrate. I'm just guessing I'm really quite lousy at figuring out why things don't work I just haven't found this type of plant to be picky.
I’m not a huge fan of these API testing strips but it say my nitrates are between 0 and 20 and it says my GH and KH are both 0 and my TDS meter is reading between 84 and 82. So would adding Bee Shrimp mineral GH+ help (I’m assuming seeing that my GH and KH are both reading 0)
Also I have two 72w hygger lights but I only have one of them on the tank, I can adjust the brightness if I need to.
The tank is 21” tall. Do you think I’m not getting enough light or to much light?
Probably not too much; hard to imagine these getting too much. 72 watt is pretty decent so maybe just turn them up a bit. It might not be light related as i said i suck at diagnosis. Hopefully one of the more knowledgeable folks will chine in. I just don't fine mine to be picky but i have a decent fish load and an established tank (lots of poop in the substrate) which might help.The tank is 21” tall. Do you think I’m not getting enough light or to much light?
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I had another thought looking at your plant again. You might just need to be patience. It look like some of the older leaves died off and some decent healthy ones are growing in. colour balance is tough and they might be a little pale - perhaps a bit of iron might help. With your substrate i find it difficult to think they need nitrogen but if it is a new tank it might be lacking nitrate even with the root tab. some liquid fertilizer might help. All my tanks have a heavy fish load and that might help make up for my lack of use of fertlizer.
I trimmed all of the dead leaves off and added some Bee Shrimp mineral GH+ and brought my tds to 111
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