Confused Amazon Swords

A

Aries

"Umm...., what is that!!??"
Jan 19, 2003
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Ohio, Dayton
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I have a predicament. I just redid my 30G medium planted tank and my new Amazon Swords do not like it. They have yellow tipped ends, new leaves come in cupped (wrinkled) and I can see through some of the leaves as well. I just bought these three swords (2 or 3 weeks ago). Could it be just the old leaves are dying off? I have placed 1/3 a root tablet under each one because I know they are supposed to be heavy root feeders. I am wary of root tablets because of algae problems in past (these may or may not have contributed to my algae problem). Right now I have ZERO algae (except for maybe a little on the glass on the day I am to do a water change).

Other Plants:
Red Rubin swords – doing excellent – it seems it can not produce enough leaves and tries to out do itself. Looking great and a nice deep red.

Java moss – spreading quickly – just got to keep it attached – fishes like to chomp on it.

Anacharis – finally growing – new tank shocked them and they did not grow for long time – now they are shooting up like mad. Starting to show a deep green.

I fertilize every other day with Flourish Iron and Flourish Potassium. If i do not fertilize Iron, I will not get a reading with my test kit. I fertilize once a week after water change with NO3 and Potassium. I dose twice a week 8ml of Tropica Master Grow fertilizer.

Note – Plants minimally pearl.

Filter = Rena XP2 (half flow)
Substrate = fluorite
Light = 96W CF 6500K for 11 hours a day.
CO2 = Forced injection through external diffuser on output of XP2.
PH = 7.4 - 7.6 (depending on day or night) (tap water 8.2 – 8.4)
KH = 14 - 16
CO2 = 10 – 20 ppm (depending on day or night)
NH3,4 = 0
NO2 = 0
NO3 = 10-20ppm
FE = usually 0 unless after I dose it then ~1ppm

Any ideas or suggestions for what is wrong with my Amazon Swords????
 
Sword plants (Enchinodorus) get most of their food from the gravel, not the water. You may need some root tabs.

I have over 20 large swords in my 100gal.
 
what do the leaves look like that are turning yellow? If they have a stalk and a large oval leaf, it is the emersed leaf and will die when submersed. This is normal.
 
PO4 is about .25-.50 ppm. I use Fleet Enima to dose this and I know it should be about 1 ppm. I am afraid to dose more because the nutrient system seems balanced since there is no algae (well maybe just a wee bit on the glass at water change time) - a HUGE problem I had before. Plus other plants are growing.

I did put some root tabs in. I believe they were Seachem and each one recieved about 1/3 of the tab.

When I get home today, I will try to post some pictures. I have two Echinodorus 'Rubin' that LOVE the water situation and have never fed them root tabs. They are nice and red (minus the old leaves I have to trim). Plus they are growing MANY new leaves. Unfortunately they are not that big - cant wait until they get bigger. Maybe these types are 'special' and do not need root tabs??

These are newer Amazon Swords so maybe they are the emersed leafs. How long does it take them to die off??? I have had them for ~15 days. And when I purchased them at SuperPetz, it looked like it was a newer shipment.

Thanks for the replies. Greatly appreciated.
 
I would say that they are the emersed leaves dying off. It takes...oh, I don't know...about 15 days for them to start dying off IME. If I remember correctly, it was about a month before they were gone and had complete immersed growth leaves.
Most pics from growers show the emersed leaves, somewhat lobed looking. The immersed leaves are strap-like, more like your rubin swords. It should be fairly easy to see if you have pics to compare them to.
HTH
 
You didn't mention PO4 in your initial post. That's why I asked.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If you have a stable tank, I'd leave it be and continue your dosing as is.
I agree with the emersed theory above and it will probably throw a much improve leaf down the road as it adjusts.
I would also be very careful not to disturb the root tabs that are in place.

Len
 
I know, I forgot PO4. Trying to remember all the stats up front is difficult when you dont have your log in front of you.

I never had plants like this before so I will wait and see because it sounds most likely to be the emersed leaves that are dying off.

I am VERY careful NOT to disturb the root tabs - stupid algae!!

I will attempt to post pics later to confirm the theory.

Thanks for the help everyone!!!!!!
 
How much color does your rubin sword have and what is your lighting? I have an ozelot sword which I like but I want one with more red. I was debating between rubin, red melon, and that german kind... whats it called? :-)
 
I have the pictures. They are attached in this album.

I also see the new submerged leaves coming in as well which look like a sword leaf. Hopefully the pictures will confirm this.

Kissofthegorami - lighting is a 96W twin tube 6500K light which is on for 11 hours a day. Pictures are in the above album. They are from the top so you can see the color better and how it transfers from red to green (an effect I like).

Thanks!!!

Aries
 
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