# Amazon Swords are dying



## kilfrg7864 (Sep 22, 2009)

HI everyone this is actually my first planted tank so bare with me!

my amazon swords have been in my tank for a little bit, and it seems like they arnt doing very well. My tank is a 6gal with 5wg over it. I dont have any co2 running in it. but i do two doses of flourish weekly, and 1 dose of NPK nurtafin plantgro every week.

THey have what looks like burnt tips, and they begin to have yellow spots on the leaves, which turn brownish then clear then will just eventually die. some of the new growth also looks like it has a little brown/burnt in the leaves. why is this?

here are some pictures

 

and

 

any help would be great!


----------



## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

5wg is a bit over kill any way, you need K.


----------



## kilfrg7864 (Sep 22, 2009)

haha yea i know, but i wanted to use 2 CFL spirals that went the length of the tank, and 15w were the smallest i could find at the time that had 6500k.

Should i be dosing more than the recommended amount of the NPK plantgro stuff? or should i be doing it more often?


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Swords are heavy root feeders and they dont like to be buried too deep in the substrate. Make sure the root line is just visible above the substrate. They would benefit from Flourish Root Tabs. Do this after you figure out if your NP&K is high enough and those levels are satisfied.Just dont use a whole one - about 1/4 of a tab is sufficient. See attached sheets for nutrient deficiencies. Flourish doesnt have much in the way of macros (NP&K) but it is great stuff.
Potassium (K) deficiency is indicated by pinholes in older leafs. This does not appear to be the case here. At least from what I could see in the pictures.


----------



## kilfrg7864 (Sep 22, 2009)

hrm, so you think its that i have them planted too deep? also like i said along with Flourish i use NPK plantgro made by nutrafin. 

Also unfortunately i do not have a kit to check my plants, and i dont really plan on one either. Partly because i was using low maintenance plants in the tank that didnt require much attention. and im very tight on a budget atm


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

My guess would be nitrogen deficiency. Dose more of your Nutrafin Plantgro and see if it helps.
API makes some inexpensive test kits that are reliable. Pick up a Nitrate and Phosphate kit when you can. Dont worry about a potassium test kit. Get some dry ferts at some point: KNO3 (1 or 2 lbs)and KH2PO4 (1/2 lb) - Greenleafaquariums sells it and can tell you how to dose it or you can use the online Fertilator. Its way cheaper than liquids.
There is enough potassium in each to establish an adequate level in you tank.
A little iron additive couldnt hurt. Flousish Iron is very good.


----------



## kilfrg7864 (Sep 22, 2009)

if iw ere to get dry ferts would i have to replace the gravel thats in my tank right now? and would i have to empty out my tank to put it in? If thats the case i would really like to avoid doing that.

I will try adding iron as soon as i can.


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

There is no need to replace your gravel/substrate.
You need to add nitrogen more than anything.


----------



## alan j t (Oct 22, 2008)

root tabs are the way to go.i tried plants jobes and still have great results.you get like 50 jobes for a dollar at walmart.
whenever my plants are not growing like crazy i break off some jobes for there root system.any of my echinoridus sp. or crypts sp.ecpecially


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

You need to be really careful with Jobes and MiracleGro plant spikes as the nitrogen is derived from Urea which is toxic to fish.
Besides, roots tabs should be added after the water column is corrected.


----------



## kilfrg7864 (Sep 22, 2009)

is the jobes plant spikes different than the flourish root tabs?


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Yes. The Jobes are made for house plants and the Flourish Tabs are made for aquatic plants.


----------



## alan j t (Oct 22, 2008)

i've been using plant jobes in my discus tank for over two years now. and im happy with it


----------



## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

Newt said:


> You need to be really careful with Jobes and MiracleGro plant spikes as the nitrogen is derived from Urea which is toxic to fish.
> Besides, roots tabs should be added after the water column is corrected.


Also high in phosphate as most of the none aquatic plants need phosphate and if that touchs water you would easily get BBA in a very short time.


----------

