Broad Leaf Low Light Plant?

[abcdefghi]

Are there any broad leafed low light (2WPG) plants? I have an Amazon Sword but its not growing very well, looking for something that will grow pretty large in a 55G.

Thanks.

[fishorama]

There a few types of anubias with big leaves

[jmhart]

Hydrocoytle is fairly boad leafed, but it's much more like a lily than a sword, as in it has a soft stem that won't support a fish.

Many crypts are fairly broad leafed. C. Ponterdifolia comes to mind.

Anubias barteria and gracillis. Java Fern is decently broad leafed, not quite a sword, but not tiny either.


All are low light.

[peanutbowl]

under 2 wpg, an amazon sword should get pretty big if all of it's needs are met. Besides lighting, what else are you supplying the sword? (Carbon, ferts?)

[Turbosaurus]

I'm gonna say that if you can't get the sword to flourish, nothing else will do much better. If you've got 2wpg- that's 100W on a 55, your sword should be floruishing. Can you tell us more about the conditions? Lighting (wattage and type and how many hours a day they are on?) bioload?

[jmhart]

I suppose I didn't read that very well. I agree with Turbosaurus.

Amazon Swords are heavy nutrient feeders. What kind of substrate is it in?

[abcdefghi]

I am using CFL's for lighting, turface for substrate, just recently started dosing excel and put in some root tabs a couple days ago. I have DIY Co2 running as well.

The sword has been in there for a couple weeks, I moved it out of my 29G where nothing was really growing. Maybe its just taking a while to get established again?

[Turbosaurus]

With 110W over a 55 that sword should be rocking- within a couple days!
Looks like you don't have enough nutrients. Shove one or two root tabs under the plant and within a week you should notice a change.

[msjinkzd]

There are some broad leafed crypts as well as things like hygro (giant hygro) that would do fine in that tank. I think a 55 is too small for most swords as they get really huge.

[petluvr]

They do get HUGE. I got some off of Jinkzd a while back and two of them have started to grow out the top of a 55. I have only 80 watts over it so I would think as others have said you just need more nutrients.

[peanutbowl]

I would recommend a nice tall glass of patience. A couple of days into new routine is not nearly enough time to see substantial results, especially if the plant wasn't all that healthy to begin with.

I'll put it like this. The unhealthy sword was moved recently and undoubtedly took a pretty good shot to the root structure. Being a heavy root feeder, it will take some time to recover. But you have provided nutrients through root tabs. The tabs are designed to release nutrients over an extended period of time. Give them time to do their job. I believe that adding more tabs right now might disturb the substrate and release nutrients from the existing tabs into the water column, where they won't be of as much use to the sword. In a month or so, if you haven't seen better results, add another root tab directly under the crown of the sword.

In the meantime, don't be stingy with the excel. Depending on tank conditions, the excel your dosing may not be usable to the plant for more and a couple of days, if that.

Out of curiousity, how are you dissolving your DIY CO2? IMHO, efficiency is key considering the limited amount of CO2 produced with DIY.

Just my $.02 :)

[abcdefghi]

Out of curiousity, how are you dissolving your DIY CO2? IMHO, efficiency is key considering the limited amount of CO2 produced with DIY.


I have a glass diffuser, it sits beneath the intake to my filter, so bubbles come through the diffuser and either go up to the surface or into the filter and through that way.

Thanks for all of the replies, everything else in the tank is growing great. Crypts are taking over the tank, and so are vals, I removed most of the Hygro as it was getting on my nerves with how fast it grew. The sword in question has been through a fair amount, was originally in my 55G, growing well, I moved it with my pair of angels (they liked to lay eggs on it) to the 29G. For some reason (pretty sure the lights are no good) my 29G is unable to grow very much recently, so to save the sword I moved it back to my 55G. Eventually I plan to upgrade the lighting and replant the 29G, but may keep the amazon sword in the 55G.

Thanks again for all the replies!