Echinodorus tennelus

V

Vision

AC Members
Jul 23, 2001
19
0
0
48
Thessaloniki, Greece
I have a big difficulty trying to keep alive the pygmy swordplant (echinodorus tennelus). In fact two times I have bought this plant and it died on me. The leaves turned and transparent and then faded away. Not that my other plants are thriving but they are doing quite good and there are some that even propagate. My setup is a 20 galon long with 36 watt of fluorescent lighting. The tank is short and long and I always put the Echinodorus under direct light. I don't use C02 and I add a Fe fertilizer once a week when I change the water. The water is hard and alkaline. If you have any experience with this plant please post because I realy like it and I would like to succesfully keep it one day.
regards Vision
 
Well...what is your substrate?
Also, e. tellenus, as well as most carpet forming grasses, need higher light than you have. You've got less than 2wpg at 1.8 - and thats assuming that you have a good reflector that is giving you your full wattage.
You could also be lacking in trace minerals and the other macronutrients besides iron.


Co2 would probably help, but with your light levels injecting it would be a waste of your time.

It may just be a little too need-intensive for your tank:(
 
I respectively, have to disagree with Leopardess on this in some respects.
CO2 will aid the growth of plants in any lighting situation.
You have a very short area between surface and substrate so I don't see any problem growing E. Tenellus in your lighting, especially if it's CF. But I've grown it in a 55 with 80 watts of NO lighting over it(w/CO2) and it's done well, although growth is slow in that lighting.
From what I can see from your post, you need to balance your fertilization program. You need to pick up some N,P,K and Traces.
Fe is ok, but inadequate by itself.
See the sticky at the top of the plant page on fertilization for places/ways to pick up the needed nutrients.

Len
 
Ok people thanks for the information. I will think about it all but I doudt I will invest in CO2 because the tank is overcrowded and I fear too much CO2 will put pressure on my fish. During the summer months when it is hot they breath heavily without CO2 I think if the tank was getting CO2 they might die. As for the lighting there is not much I can do either the tank hood has room for only two fluoerescent tubes. I will propably try to keep echinodorus in another setup that the conditions would be better.
Vision
 
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