# Planting oriental sword



## DavidZ (Jan 22, 2009)

What is the proper way to plant the oriental sword.
I had it in the substrate and it look like the roots are rutting.


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## ryan10517 (Apr 28, 2010)

The easiest way to plant swords is to hold it with one hand and make a small hole in the substrate with your index and middle fingers of the same hand. Place the sword deep enough that the roots are completely covered, but the crown of the plant is above the substrate and exposed to water. What substrate are you using? Rotting roots sounds like a lack of nutrients in your substrate not necessarily improper planting.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Is this a new plant? Sometimes the roots that came with the plant will die off, to be replaced by new roots. Also if you cut the roots way back, those will die off, but still new roots will develop. Is that the case here?


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

DavidZ said:


> Oriental sword. I had it planted in the substate and it looks like the roots are rutting.


here's a brainstorm from my limited experience; people tend to use large gravel substrates in low light tanks. too much mulm, air and open water accumulates between the gravel stones, weakening roots and leaving them vulnerable to rot. roots thrive best while jacketed in substrate with minimal gaps, so in general; the finer the roots, the finer the substrate. I would consider a different <5mm substrate (not layer or mix them), or vacuum your gravel more often and dramatically underfeed the fish in your tank (thus decreasing the excess mulm attacking your roots*). I suspect you may be over feeding your fish or your tank is over crowded, since a low light tank should not require so much water changing, or even ferts - beyond maybe trace elements. the weight of the gravel is important to a low light tank where plants tend to be leafier and more massive, so they need heavier gravel to weigh them down, or higher amounts of gravel so the roots can go deeper. I would select a small grain quartz or slate gravel instead of a small light weight clay or volcanic rock gravel - more popular with high light planted tank keepers. don't use a calcium gravel popular with brackish water tank keepers if plants are your priority. if the rotting roots are turning red, this is a disease, so the plant in question should be discarded completely since dipping or even cutting away the rotted parts won't cure it. (*some mulm is good since that helps feed the roots, while excess mulm can kill them. think of it this way - you eating a bowl of pudding is fine, but eating pudding while immersed in a huge tub of pudding may not be so healthy)


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## DavidZ (Jan 22, 2009)

wow, nice analysis, I see your point and agree that I do over feed and do have mulm, but I have a variety of plants in the tank and none have the same problem, in fact my other swords are growing like crazy, in fact over which ft tall now. Also, the crypts which have massive roots are doing great.
From what I read if is not easy to keep oriental swords, they require more care and additional nutrients.
Dave had the plant for 3 weeks, trimmed the root when first planted, as I always do.
I do not think it is stress related.


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