amazon sword dying

[crabguy]

i have an amazon sword in a 52 gal flat black. i've put a seachem flourish plant tab under the sword about a month ago and the plant seem to brigthen. then last week the leaves are starting to have little holes in them, seems to be disintergrating. my gravel bed is green with algae, but not the glass. please help.

[plah831]

oh, the root tabs. I've had mishaps with those and don't use them anymore.

It's common to get algae, even fungus in the substrate around the tab. All those excess nutrients make them very happy, especially if the plant is not able to use them all (which one sword would not).

I don't find a real need for root tabs. I just dose my water, and do regular water changes and my plants are happy and green. I keep Amazon swords, too, in gravel without special plant substrate and they're doing great! Nice, big bunches of new leaves.

The pinholes in the leaves sound like a potassium deficiency. Are you dosing your water with fertilizers?

[crabguy]

no, what should i us to dose the water?

[plah831]

check out the Fertilizer FAQ sticky at the top of this section.

For a medium-large tank like yours, the Seachem Flourish line of complete fertilizers (Nitrogen, Potassium, Phosphorus, traces) will be too expensive. Most folks with the big planted tanks go with dry ferts. Gregwatson.com is a great place to get those online :)