# Amazon Swords won't grow



## sardesign (Sep 30, 2005)

Can anyone help?

-315 Watts of light
-100 gallon tank
-Hi pressurized CO2 (2 bubbles a second)
-About 25 fish (not going to list the species here)
-fertilize three times a week (1/2 teasp KNO3, 1/2 table K2SO4, normal doses of flourish, normal doess of flourish iron)
-substrate is 90% fluorite, 10% profile
-water parameters really can't help because I have high phosphates in water supply so KH is out of whack (not a true reading). GH is going to be high because i'm in AZ... very HARD water.
-I got an EHEIM 2080 and a maxi jet 1200 moving water around.

-my italian val are growing like crazy (highly competitive plant)
-my micros sword are doing better but not growing much at all
-my dwarf grass is finally turning green but not growing much at all
-my amazon swords are not really growing, just collecting algae. Some new leaves are just looking absolutely horrible.
-I forgot the name of the plant, but it is a stem plant with red leaves and they are doing VERY WELL. (i think another highly competitive plant)

-Do i need to add more nutrients to the water? 
-I do get a high level of GSA when I add phosphates, so I would assume my fish produce enough phosphate. 
-I do get a great deal of green/brown algae that covers the glass after about a week of not scraping it.
-There isn't much alge on the plants themselves except for the amazon swords
-I can't up the CO2 anymore because I almost had a disaster with the water being too acidic for the fish 

any suggestions would be great.


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## Momotaro (Feb 21, 2003)

How long has the plant been in the aquarium?

Mike


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## PeteyPob (Apr 26, 2004)

I have some amazon in my 56ga discus tank. This tank is the LOWEST of the low tech tanks. The only thing I supply them with is flourish root tabs. They are filling out great and sprouting new leaves constantly. I occasionaly dose some kent iron in there but not on a regular basis. This plant is a heavy root feeder. Try it out and bet you'll notice a difference.
HTH 
-Pete


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## Not Mister Green (Feb 15, 2005)

*root tabs...*

swords are high feeders so try using some root tabs.


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## JED (Nov 10, 2005)

Mister Green said:


> swords are high feeders so try using some root tabs.


I agree with others who recommend root tabs. I recently had a sililar experience as you. My sword was nothing but an algae collector. I put a couple root tabs under it, trimmed off the algae infested leaves (pretty much all of them), and it has really taken off. The longest leaves are now around 14"-16" and I notice growth every day. Hope this helps


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## Ultramouse (Feb 24, 2005)

Swords are heavy root feeders.


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## MoonFish (Feb 12, 2006)

I am really low tech but the only time I've had the two swords that are about 8 years old looking really good was when I didn't know any better and had them under two 30 watt refridgerator bulbs. They were dark green and lush. They dig red light for some reason.


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## fishwhisperer (Jan 8, 2006)

I'm having the same issue. I started CO2 and dosing a couple weeks ago and everything has taken off but the sword and lilly. The lilly is growing but slowly, however the sword just sits there with it's leaves curled under collecting algae. I almost pulled it out until I read this post. I just bought some Seachem flouritabs and put one under each of the above listed plants. Not to hijack the post, but should we use less ferts (micro or macro) with the tabs in there? I'm dosing EI the same as sardesgin (smaller amounts too)except I'm still using KH2P04.


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## putty (Nov 19, 2003)

Swords are heavy root feeders.


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## PeteyPob (Apr 26, 2004)

I dont think you should change your dosing. Root tabs wont effect your water params too much. Once you place the tabs near you sword try not to sift the substrate around too much. This sometimes stirs the ferts concentrated in the substrate with your water. Depending on how deep you plant them. I have read some people get green water becuase of the sudden burst of ferts. I ususally wait about a month before I do any heavy moving in the area where I set the tabs.
HTH
-Pete


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