# Brown veins, what's up?



## Dustymac (Apr 26, 2008)

I was just looking at the plants in NPT #4 (about seven weeks old) and I see that three of the new leaves on three Amazon Swords are sporting brown veins. On two of them there is still plenty of green in between, but one is almost completely brown, or perhaps bronze is a more accurate description. Otherwise the leaves appear healthy. I suspect some sort of deficiency. Anyone got a clue? 

TIA,
Jim


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Interesting. You might have to go to another forum to get this question answered.

That said, if the plants look healthy, brown veins could be leading to an overall color change. That would be especially true if these swords are one of the red/brown varieties (e.g., Red Rubin swordplant). Browning and red coloration in these varieties are often due to increased light intensity or increased iron.

However, if these are "straight-up" _E. majors_, I don't know.

P.S. A picture would help.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

It's hard to say without seeing it, but the new leaves on my swords always have coloration in the veins (more of a reddish color) that fades back to green as the leaf ages. I only recently started dosing a full range of fertilizers, so I don't know if this is potassium defficiency or normal leaf development. I don't think it's fertilizer though, because I have always had root tabs beneath the swords.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

That is not a deficiency, at all. It is a sign of health. The old "amazon" swords and some of the newer varieties show reddish veins in their new leaves. They later turn green, but look brownish while turning.


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## Dustymac (Apr 26, 2008)

Thanks for the input! Here's some more information:

I made a mistake - this is NPT #3, 55 gallons with 4 mature Angels, 4 mature Guppies and lots of Pond Snails. It received about an hour of direct sunlight every day but I had to cover the back 'cause algae was starting to develop.

One of the affected swords is around a year old and has always put forth green leaves. I transplanted it from NPT #2 (what a mess that was). The other two are mature swords recently purchased for this setup and the rest of their leaves are bright green. Now a fourth is displaying the same symptoms. It spawned from a runner off one of the other two and it's first 4 or 5 leaves came out all green.

I'm thinking this must be a deficiency (or overdose) of nutrients in the water column since the signs showed up all at once and the substrate is identical to my other previous NPTs. My tap water is ultra soft and I dose Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride and Magnesium Sulphate. What other minerals should I add? How about some Sodium Bicarbonate - that sometimes helps me when I'm feeling blue... or should I say brown. 

I took some pictures. I'll try to get them uploaded this evening.

Thanks!
Jim


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## Dustymac (Apr 26, 2008)

Here's a pic just so you know I'm not completely bonkers.


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## Logan's Daddy (May 3, 2008)

Looks perfect to me, my sword always gets lots of compliments and is well over two years old, the new leaves always look exactly like that.

(keep doing what you're doing...)


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Yup. Looks like a healthy new leaf.


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## Dustymac (Apr 26, 2008)

OK, let's assume you guys aren't pulling my leg and my new, variegated foliage is normal, can someone explain to me how I've watched hundreds of Sword leaves come in on over a dozen plants in four tanks, and they have all been bright green? Am I in an episode of the Twilight Zone?

Hmmmm... but there is one difference - the Swords in NPT 3 did get some direct sunlight. Is that's what's going on? I need to sit down. Oh yeah, I already am sitting down. 

Jim


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## newbie314 (Mar 2, 2007)

I have a sword in the back of my 20g long and the new leaves look like that.

Just might be the sunlight that falls on it.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Dustymac said:


> Here's a pic just so you know I'm not completely bonkers.


Thanks for photo. Worry no more; the plant is fine.


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