# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Sword plant fertilization



## For100 (Oct 29, 2004)

Guys,

My plants were growing fast. But now I have problems with some plants. And I wonder if this could be related to the fact that I don't use substrate fertilization. The curious part is some are doing OK (slow grow in comparision from before), but my main concern are E. Blehri and A. Ulvaceus for which leaves smaller and tend to melt right after a new one comes out and for the A. Ulvaceus the leaves are laying on the bottom of the tank instead of being pointing to the sufarce. 

My conditions are as follow:

50% Florite & 50% gravel
kH 4
gH 8
No3 10 ppm
PO4 0.2 ppm
NH4/NH3+ 0.1 ppm
NO2 0 ppm
Co2 15 - 20 ppm (CO2 injection system)
pH 6.4 - 6.6
Light 1.5 W/G

I am not sure if the liquid fertilizer is enough for those heavy feeder plants or not, or you would recommend to actually use both: liquid and substrate. what do you do?

BTW, the set up has about a year old...

Thanks


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## For100 (Oct 29, 2004)

Guys,

My plants were growing fast. But now I have problems with some plants. And I wonder if this could be related to the fact that I don't use substrate fertilization. The curious part is some are doing OK (slow grow in comparision from before), but my main concern are E. Blehri and A. Ulvaceus for which leaves smaller and tend to melt right after a new one comes out and for the A. Ulvaceus the leaves are laying on the bottom of the tank instead of being pointing to the sufarce. 

My conditions are as follow:

50% Florite & 50% gravel
kH 4
gH 8
No3 10 ppm
PO4 0.2 ppm
NH4/NH3+ 0.1 ppm
NO2 0 ppm
Co2 15 - 20 ppm (CO2 injection system)
pH 6.4 - 6.6
Light 1.5 W/G

I am not sure if the liquid fertilizer is enough for those heavy feeder plants or not, or you would recommend to actually use both: liquid and substrate. what do you do?

BTW, the set up has about a year old...

Thanks


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Both the plants you mentioned like iron, so make sure they are getting enough. Yes, any plant that feeds mainly through the roots need root tabs; using both liguid ferts and root tabs together is a good idea.


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## For100 (Oct 29, 2004)

What root fertilizer do you recommend?


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## Avalon (Mar 7, 2005)

I noticed you have 1.5 wpg. Sword plants are very light hungry, contrary to popular belief. You can grow swords under lower light, but they will never achieve their full potential when limited by light. My best swords have had at least 3wpg of intense lighting. And yes, substrate fertilization helps greatly under any type of light!

I happen to have a mother plant growing under 3.46 wpg with Jobes plant spikes in Flourite substrate with 3 runners filled with baby swords. I would definitely attribute its' success to the root fertilization! I sometimes forget to add liquid fertilizers to this tank, as it's my low maintenance tank. There is no CO2 added either.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

For100, I use Seachem root tabs.

I have also found that my Amazon sword did not do so well with a little over 2WPG in my 55G tank but when I moved it to my 20G high tank with over 3WPG the growth was amazing.


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## For100 (Oct 29, 2004)

Guys,

My problems are still going on, when I thought were gone.... Both of my Bleheri swords have new leave that are smaller and curly than the other ones. In fact, some leaves developed small holes in between nerves. All my other plants are doing OK, I am affraid it will happen to all plant, but it is these 2 first because they are fast growing plants.

Any idea of what macro or micro nutrient deficiency is missing in my tank?. 

BTW, I still have the same conditions as above, except GH 5 and KH 3, with pH of 6.7


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## For100 (Oct 29, 2004)

One thing that I forgot to mention...

New leaves have sudden bends or twisting and as I mention the are reduced in size.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Sounds like a combo of calcium/potassium deficiancy. Check out this link...
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_nutrient.htm


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Trenac is right I think.
Are you dosing any K? (potassium) Plus your lights are bit on the weak side. I never had really good growth with sword plants until I got my light up to 2w/gal and higher. With swords being a heavy root feeder you have to give the roots more then just iron. The best root ferts I have used for swords is 13-4-5 plant tabs. There all so sold a Jobe sticks. I cut them in thirds and place them under the swords as far into the substrate as you can. If you get them into your water column it can cause algae out breaks.

Hawk


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## For100 (Oct 29, 2004)

Guys,

I dose 13 ml of flourish K every other day, it is a 180 gallon tank. So, that should keep it stable I think. What about other micro nutrients as Boro? I know that it has similar effect than Ca?. Wouldn't it be enough to have GH of 5?. That is about 5 X 17.5 ppm of Mg and Ca.

So, if I want to meause Ca, how can I do it, Gh is Ca and Mg?. What can I use to dose Ca?.

I am about to give up on those two plants....

Thanks,


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## bobo31 (May 8, 2004)

Try adding a little more phosphate, .2ppm is pretty low. You should maintain between .7ppm and 1.5ppm. I would also increase your CO2 as well. Try to keep it between 20 and 30ppm.

The fluorite is all you need to have in the substrate as far as substrate fertilization goes. All plants will take there nutrients from the water column first. Since your substrate is aged it should be just fine without root tabs or what ever. liquid ferts is all you should need if you have sufficient water column fertilization.

The other thing that concerns me is the NH4/NH3+ you shouldn't be seeing any of these. Especially in a year old tank.

HTH,
Robert.


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## For100 (Oct 29, 2004)

Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it. I was able to get a digital camera to take some pictures. I hope these 2 help you to tell me what I need to do exactly to improve the situation....

Can someone help me to clarify my questions about Ca?. I have 5 GH and 3 KH, shouldn't it be enough Ca in that general hardness? Or better yet, how can I measure Ca and what are the acceptable levels?


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## For100 (Oct 29, 2004)

One more....


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

A little information that may help get the right answer:

What fish are you keeping in the tank?

Are you using straight tap water, or are you diluting or treating water to get the water you use in the tank?


Roger Miller


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## For100 (Oct 29, 2004)

I keep Discus. I know that I am diluting the water with RO water, but my GH is 5. Shouldn't that be sufficient?.

It is the first time that I am running into this problem... I set up this tank a year ago....

BTW, thanks for your prompt response.


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