Hello all,

An Amazon Sword plant of mine appears to be suffering from
nutrient deficiency, so a few weeks ago I picked up a pack of plant
fertilizer tablets. They only had tablets marked for use in ponds, but
after carefully reading what was in it, they had all the good stuff, so
I gave them a shot.

Two or three weeks has gone by now and I haven't noticed any
change since I started popping these near the crown of the sword plant.
The tablets are large, so I've been cutting them in half before I bury
them.

The tank is a 20 long with a twin-tube 40 watt fixture. No CO2.
I add less than half the recomended dosage of Kent Freshwater plant
supplement and half the dosage of Seachem Flourish Trace when I do a
water change (each week or two). Do I just need to order better plant
food or is it something else?


The analysis by weight from the back of the tablets' package:
Total Nitrogen 20%
Water Soluble 7%
Water Insoluble 13%
Phosphate 10%
Potash 5%
Calcium 0.5%
Magnesium 0.5%
Sulfur 2%
Boron 0.02%
Copper 0.05%
Iron 0.5%
Manganese 0.05%
Zinc 0.05%


--
Ross Vandegrift


A Pope has a Water Cannon. It is a Water Cannon.
He fires Holy-Water from it. It is a Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses it. It is a Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses the Hell out of it. It is a Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He has it pierced. It is a Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He makes it official. It is a Canon Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
Batman and Robin arrive. He shoots them.

The problem probably isn't your fertilizer - it's probably the Amazon's
themselves. You've probably had these plants for some months now, correct?
They were likely a healthy green when you planted them too...

Amazon's are just one example of plants that are not accustomed to being
submerged year-round. In their native habitat, they are used to being
flooded for months at a time, but not all year. As a result, they grow
yellow and weak and eventually die out completely when kept submerged.

You may want to try some true aquatic plants instead. I found this great
website that lists some of the species and gives good general info on plant
health: http://www.trueaquariumplants.com/info.asp

Remember, just because your LFS sells plants, it doesn't mean they are good
for keeping underwater! Don't feel too bad about it though - I've been
through the same thing myself! Putting Amazon's underwater is generally a
death sentence for them!


"Ross Vandegrift" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

An Amazon Sword plant of mine appears to be suffering from
nutrient deficiency, so a few weeks ago I picked up a pack of plant
fertilizer tablets. They only had tablets marked for use in ponds, but
after carefully reading what was in it, they had all the good stuff, so
I gave them a shot.

Two or three weeks has gone by now and I haven't noticed any
change since I started popping these near the crown of the sword plant.
The tablets are large, so I've been cutting them in half before I bury
them.

The tank is a 20 long with a twin-tube 40 watt fixture. No CO2.
I add less than half the recomended dosage of Kent Freshwater plant
supplement and half the dosage of Seachem Flourish Trace when I do a
water change (each week or two). Do I just need to order better plant
food or is it something else?


The analysis by weight from the back of the tablets' package:
Total Nitrogen 20%
Water Soluble 7%
Water Insoluble 13%
Phosphate 10%
Potash 5%
Calcium 0.5%
Magnesium 0.5%
Sulfur 2%
Boron 0.02%
Copper 0.05%
Iron 0.5%
Manganese 0.05%
Zinc 0.05%


--
Ross Vandegrift


A Pope has a Water Cannon. It is a Water
Cannon.
He fires Holy-Water from it. It is a Holy-Water
Cannon.
He Blesses it. It is a Holy Holy-Water
Cannon.
He Blesses the Hell out of it. It is a Wholly Holy Holy-Water
Cannon.
He has it pierced. It is a Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water
Cannon.
He makes it official. It is a Canon Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water
Cannon.
Batman and Robin arrive. He shoots
them.

"Yield" wrote in message
...
The problem probably isn't your fertilizer - it's probably the Amazon's
themselves. You've probably had these plants for some months now,
correct?
They were likely a healthy green when you planted them too...

Amazon's are just one example of plants that are not accustomed to being
submerged year-round. In their native habitat, they are used to being
flooded for months at a time, but not all year. As a result, they grow
yellow and weak and eventually die out completely when kept submerged.

You may want to try some true aquatic plants instead. I found this great
website that lists some of the species and gives good general info on
plant
health: http://www.trueaquariumplants.com/info.asp

Remember, just because your LFS sells plants, it doesn't mean they are
good
for keeping underwater! Don't feel too bad about it though - I've been
through the same thing myself! Putting Amazon's underwater is generally
a
death sentence for them!

Really? The web site you reference seems to think that they are just fine
in the aquarium.

http://www.trueaquariumplants.com/pl...Aquarium&id=45

I've never heard this before and my experience has been that I can grow
pretty huge swords, long term, in an aquarium if conditions are right.
Could you back up this claim that the Amazon Sword is unsuitable for the
aquarium?

Thanks,

Paul.

Amazon's are just one example of plants that are not accustomed to being
submerged year-round.

Maybe they aren't, but they do just fine submersed. I've had my Amazon swords
for over a year now, entirely submerged, and they are still growing like crazy,
not yellow or weak at all.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

I find that my swords get "tired" and need to be replaced after a two, maybe
three years maximum. However, during those few years they have propagated
so prolifically (in a submerged state, mind you) that there are plenty of
replacements.

kush

"You can't have everything - where would you put it?"

LeighMo wrote in message
...
Amazon's are just one example of plants that are not accustomed to being
submerged year-round.

Maybe they aren't, but they do just fine submersed. I've had my Amazon
swords
for over a year now, entirely submerged, and they are still growing like
crazy,
not yellow or weak at all.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

In article , kush wrote:
I find that my swords get "tired" and need to be replaced after a two, maybe
three years maximum. However, during those few years they have propagated
so prolifically (in a submerged state, mind you) that there are plenty of
replacements.

Hmmm, I have two sword plants in two tanks. The plant in question has
been around for only a year, maybe a year and a half. It's been growing
mediocrely due to it being my first planted tank - I had a lot to learn
about how to grow plants ::-)

Do you think it stands a reasonable chance of coming back if I keep
feeding it and keeping conditions well, or should I just be prepared to
replace it?


--
Ross Vandegrift


A Pope has a Water Cannon. It is a Water Cannon.
He fires Holy-Water from it. It is a Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses it. It is a Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He Blesses the Hell out of it. It is a Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He has it pierced. It is a Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
He makes it official. It is a Canon Holey Wholly Holy Holy-Water Cannon.
Batman and Robin arrive. He shoots them.

I have a sword the has produced a stem with baby swords. When and how do i
go about propagating these.
Currently there are no roots.
Secondly, Could someone please explain the differences between submerged and
submersed, etc in a planted tank?
Thanks.
"kush" wrote in message
...
I find that my swords get "tired" and need to be replaced after a two,
maybe
three years maximum. However, during those few years they have propagated
so prolifically (in a submerged state, mind you) that there are plenty of
replacements.

kush

"You can't have everything - where would you put it?"

LeighMo wrote in message
...
Amazon's are just one example of plants that are not accustomed to
being
submerged year-round.

Maybe they aren't, but they do just fine submersed. I've had my Amazon
swords
for over a year now, entirely submerged, and they are still growing like
crazy,
not yellow or weak at all.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Submerged plants are plants grown completely under water and are considered
true aquatic plants while emersed plants are grown just below the waterline
usually in high humidity/misty environment which can survive submerged for a
given period of time before flaking it. Submersed ones are probably ones
that grow emersed and end up being submerged during heavy rains/floods and
then grow emersed again I think.

"M Walczak" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
I have a sword the has produced a stem with baby swords. When and how do i
go about propagating these.
Currently there are no roots.
Secondly, Could someone please explain the differences between submerged
and
submersed, etc in a planted tank?
Thanks.
"kush" wrote in message
...
I find that my swords get "tired" and need to be replaced after a two,
maybe
three years maximum. However, during those few years they have
propagated
so prolifically (in a submerged state, mind you) that there are plenty
of
replacements.

kush

"You can't have everything - where would you put it?"

LeighMo wrote in message
...
Amazon's are just one example of plants that are not accustomed to
being
submerged year-round.

Maybe they aren't, but they do just fine submersed. I've had my
Amazon
swords
for over a year now, entirely submerged, and they are still growing
like
crazy,
not yellow or weak at all.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

oops didn't check my post, the emersed ones are grown below the waterline
but the stems/fronds whatever above the waterline or something like that.

"Tasslehoff" wrote in message
u...
Submerged plants are plants grown completely under water and are
considered
true aquatic plants while emersed plants are grown just below the
waterline
usually in high humidity/misty environment which can survive submerged for
a
given period of time before flaking it. Submersed ones are probably ones
that grow emersed and end up being submerged during heavy rains/floods and
then grow emersed again I think.

"M Walczak" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
I have a sword the has produced a stem with baby swords. When and how do
i
go about propagating these.
Currently there are no roots.
Secondly, Could someone please explain the differences between submerged
and
submersed, etc in a planted tank?
Thanks.
"kush" wrote in message
...
I find that my swords get "tired" and need to be replaced after a two,
maybe
three years maximum. However, during those few years they have
propagated
so prolifically (in a submerged state, mind you) that there are plenty
of
replacements.

kush

"You can't have everything - where would you put it?"

LeighMo wrote in message
...
Amazon's are just one example of plants that are not accustomed to
being
submerged year-round.

Maybe they aren't, but they do just fine submersed. I've had my
Amazon
swords
for over a year now, entirely submerged, and they are still growing
like
crazy,
not yellow or weak at all.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/