My planted aquarium 20G

[Adler]

Your underneath the substrate roots look OK to me. They may get even more robust with root feeding. I just uprooted a "half size" sword & it had more I think...even with some trimming.

Are the little white balls osmocote? Or just a different substrate?

I cannot say for sure if it is oscomote, long story short: I started this tank with anacharis, they withered very fast and in my desperation I went to a LFS and was told that substrate would help with the plant so I poured the bags of the ball thingies hoping it would help my anacharis, needless to say, it did NOT! and now I miss my all-black substrate.

 

[Adler]

I want to grow another sword how do I do that ?

 

[fishorama]

Most swords get too big (by a lot!) in a 20g. You might be ok with a "tropica" sword...or any java ferns or anubias on wood or rocks. You just don't have space for most "regular" swords, even 1 will take up the entire tank & all the substrate with no room for other plants. Please think & research some more

 

[Adler]

Most swords get too big (by a lot!) in a 20g. You might be ok with a "tropica" sword...or any java ferns or anubias on wood or rocks. You just don't have space for most "regular" swords, even 1 will take up the entire tank & all the substrate with no room for other plants. Please think & research some more

I want the second one for the new tank

 

[Adler]

I am done with salvinias

 

[Adler]

no matter what i do they just keep dying.. they also make make so much mess, I don't think i'll be adding salvinias to my tank

 

[dougall]

At a quick guess, the issue is your water level.

Water from your filter will force floating plants under water because of the height of the 'waterfall'.

This will submerge floating plants, keep them from the CO2 they need, and they die.

Having a barrier to keep them from this water may help, or just add water to the top of the tank

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Here is a sword for small tanks. I started mine in a 50 gal highlight about 18+ years ago. It made babies. I moved one to a 20L then upgraded the tanks to a 29. I still have it. The 50 was repurposed abput 9 or 10 years ago. I know nothing about this site, so you may want to search the plant on Google to find other places to get it.
https://aquariumplants.com/sword-amazon-compacta-echinodorus-bleheri-compacta/

 

[dougall]

As another sword alternative I would look at E. Aflame, I want to say its the smallest sword, and its quite good looking

Otherwise maybe look at chain swords, I'm a big fan of Vesuvius.

 

[NoodleCats]

Echinodorus parvilorus and Echinodorus hadi red pearl also stay small!