My swords are doing very badly, and I think this is because they basically don't have any roots. Is it possible to float these plants until some roots sprout? If not, what can I do for them to develop roots?
Floating Swords?
- Thread starter maronov
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Swords need a medium amount of light, and most importantly, iron to form good leaves and roots. They don't do terribly well as floaters, as the roots and leaves grow in all directions, destroying the upright stature of the plant.
If you swords are doing badly, try dosing with a little iron flourish liquid plant fertilizer, and trim back any leaves that are turning clear, or decaying.
If you swords are doing badly, try dosing with a little iron flourish liquid plant fertilizer, and trim back any leaves that are turning clear, or decaying.
What do you mean "trim back"? Cut part of the leaf, or snip the entire leaf off? I have 14W for a 5.5G, on 10 hours a day, so I think I'm OK with light. I'm already dosing iron, guess I'll up the dosage.
When swords are grown commercially they are usually grown emersed, not submerged. When introduced to a tank (submerged) they generally start to fall apart. But this is simply the emersed leaves dying off and the plant starting to grow new submerged leaves. This can take awhile.
As was mentioned when the old leaves start to die just snip them off at the stem.
You actually have a rather low light supply as your tank is a 5 gallon and the watts per gallon rule doesn't work on small tanks. The sword will grow but will need some time. Also once a sword starts to take off it can easily over run a 55 gallon tank let alone a 5 gallon tank. So you will need to prune it occasionally. This is easy to do and I have done it with a sword for years in my 10 gallon tank.
As was mentioned when the old leaves start to die just snip them off at the stem.
You actually have a rather low light supply as your tank is a 5 gallon and the watts per gallon rule doesn't work on small tanks. The sword will grow but will need some time. Also once a sword starts to take off it can easily over run a 55 gallon tank let alone a 5 gallon tank. So you will need to prune it occasionally. This is easy to do and I have done it with a sword for years in my 10 gallon tank.
difficult to say how long.
I had a tall sword...I was going to use it in the back on my tank.
after about a month the tall leaves died back and shorter red leaves started growing..
it is now looking like an ozelot sword..but I'll reserve that until it grows out fully.
In my experience it can take swords a bit of time to establish..I'm guessing that the plant will start to take off after it gets the roots established.
I had a tall sword...I was going to use it in the back on my tank.
after about a month the tall leaves died back and shorter red leaves started growing..
it is now looking like an ozelot sword..but I'll reserve that until it grows out fully.
In my experience it can take swords a bit of time to establish..I'm guessing that the plant will start to take off after it gets the roots established.
This is great information! I've never heard about old leaves dying off because they weren't grown fully submerged. I'm going to cut the dying leaves off - should I leave the stems?
Break/snip the leaves off near the roots, at the base of the stem. I personally don't think you're going to have much luck growing swords under 14watts of light. Hopefully you'll prove me wrong.