I've seen recommendations for Aquariumplants.com and they seem like a good outfit. I was blown away by their mother/XXL plants they carry. They're monsters! Do you think they would look appropriate in my 37g tank? More importantly, what is required to keep and grow a plant like this? I'm assuming some fert tabs would be needed, but I'm not sure about CO2 or macro ferts. I only dose with Excel and Flourish right now, but I'm just getting started. Lighting is courtesy of a 55w bright kit from AH Supply retrofitted into my stock hood. I have a 9325K bulb available, but I didn't care for the pinkish glow. I'm using a cheap Philips PC bulb from Home Depot right now and I prefer its color over the GE.
Do I have what it takes to keep a mother sword plant?
- Thread starter beatle
- Start date
I had a amazon sword in a 20gal tall with 40 watts of lighting and a blue clay and peat substrate. My family's pond has a blue clay bottom with plants galore and there is a pile of it that my father set aside for himself and friends to use for modeling clay, so I thought why not.
Well I suppose a 20 gal was too small but a 37 gal might fit. If your happy with one plant in the center of the tank with leaves touching all 4 sides, it'll make a nice looking tank. I never used CO2 or even added fertilizers and it grew until it filled the tank and then sent out runners. The leaves will really completely shade the entire bottom of the tank, I got rid of mine because the tank was 75% sword plant. I've never had luck with growing any swords in a gravel substrate, they always rot at the base or put out pale leaves.
Well I suppose a 20 gal was too small but a 37 gal might fit. If your happy with one plant in the center of the tank with leaves touching all 4 sides, it'll make a nice looking tank. I never used CO2 or even added fertilizers and it grew until it filled the tank and then sent out runners. The leaves will really completely shade the entire bottom of the tank, I got rid of mine because the tank was 75% sword plant. I've never had luck with growing any swords in a gravel substrate, they always rot at the base or put out pale leaves.
I recently got one of the xxl mothers from them for my 125 g, so far it's doing great. I've got it in a mix substrate of schultz aquatic plant soil, med gravel and flourite. so far it's doing great, all of the baby plants that were on it when I got it have rooted and are growing great. it's even grown a few new runners. It's about 1.5' tall and 1.5' wide.
right now I'm running about 3wpg w/ diy co2 using the EI fert method (http://www.barrreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2062) I'll post some pics in a bit
right now I'm running about 3wpg w/ diy co2 using the EI fert method (http://www.barrreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2062) I'll post some pics in a bit
I have a mother Amazon Sword in gravel and it is growing like crazy. I have runners galore and it doubled in size in a month. I clip of the runners once they get some roots and plant then around in another tank I have (no co2 in the other tank so they are not growing out of control).
In a word - NO!
They tend to get very, very large and the root system..............forget about it.
I had two of them in a 55 years ago, when I didn't know any better and they dominated the entire tank. When I went to pull them, almost the entire substrate came up with them. What a mess!!!!!!!!!!
I have a 37 with 2X55 and must have CO2 injection in that tank but for a 55watt kit you don't need to inject, but it would be of great help for the plants.
Len
They tend to get very, very large and the root system..............forget about it.
I had two of them in a 55 years ago, when I didn't know any better and they dominated the entire tank. When I went to pull them, almost the entire substrate came up with them. What a mess!!!!!!!!!!
I have a 37 with 2X55 and must have CO2 injection in that tank but for a 55watt kit you don't need to inject, but it would be of great help for the plants.
Len
Wow, that's an overwhelming number of responses in favor of not getting one for the reason that it would take over the tank. I was expecting that my lack of CO2 or proper liquid fertilizer would have a bigger impact.
A few days ago I emailed aquariumplants.com and asked them about their "large" swords and what their opinion of the mother swords in a setup like mine is. They haven't replied yet. Does anyone have any knowledge of how big their large plants are?
A few days ago I emailed aquariumplants.com and asked them about their "large" swords and what their opinion of the mother swords in a setup like mine is. They haven't replied yet. Does anyone have any knowledge of how big their large plants are?
beatle said:
On their website they say they are 20-24". Also, do not hold your breath waiting for an answer. I asked them several questions via their email and have yet to get a single response. I have had the best luck calling their phone number. They are very helpful if you catch them. My best results are mid-week during the 9-12 hours in the morning.
I don't see anything about the potted swords sizes. They have 3 different links for Amazon swords of 3 different prices. Two of them are listed as LARGE, and one has no size listed. The mother swords are 20-24".