I have a very heavily planted 20 gallon high aquarium with deminsions
24Lx12Wx16H with 30 watts of lighting - a 15 watt Nutrigrow and a 15 watt
AquaGlow full spectrum bulbs. Plants include Amazon Swords, Green Foxtail,
Green Hygophila, Sunset Hygrophila, and Java Moss. All is well with the
plants except the amazon swords whose leaves are elongated, greenish-yellow
and are transparent in places. I am guessing this means they are needing a
nutrient added to the water. Any suggestions?

Martin

"Martin A. Gross" wrote in message
m...
I have a very heavily planted 20 gallon high aquarium with deminsions
24Lx12Wx16H with 30 watts of lighting - a 15 watt Nutrigrow and a 15 watt
AquaGlow full spectrum bulbs. Plants include Amazon Swords, Green
Foxtail,
Green Hygophila, Sunset Hygrophila, and Java Moss. All is well with the
plants except the amazon swords whose leaves are elongated,
greenish-yellow
and are transparent in places. I am guessing this means they are needing
a
nutrient added to the water. Any suggestions?


Just my 2c but root tabs/clay balls are also supposed to go a long way but I
can't use them till I rip out my UGF and gravel substrate. I'm fairly sure
amazon's need a bit of extra light. The Aqua Glo tubes are same as mine but
you've only got about 1.5W/Gallon. My 3 month amazon is doing okay with
2.3W/G with CO2 injection and added water column fertilisers(PMDD).

Don't give up on the UGF! Sword growing tip for people with UGF's: put them
in clay pots packed with your favourite substrate or peat moss mixed with
fine gravel, root tabs, and anything else you want. I have some of the most
beautiful red-spot ozelots you've never dreamed of growing this way. The
tops of the clay pots look nice sticking out of the gravel, too.

kush

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

Tasslehoff wrote in message
u...

"Martin A. Gross" wrote in message
m...
I have a very heavily planted 20 gallon high aquarium with deminsions
24Lx12Wx16H with 30 watts of lighting - a 15 watt Nutrigrow and a 15
watt
AquaGlow full spectrum bulbs. Plants include Amazon Swords, Green
Foxtail,
Green Hygophila, Sunset Hygrophila, and Java Moss. All is well with the
plants except the amazon swords whose leaves are elongated,
greenish-yellow
and are transparent in places. I am guessing this means they are
needing
a
nutrient added to the water. Any suggestions?


Just my 2c but root tabs/clay balls are also supposed to go a long way but
I
can't use them till I rip out my UGF and gravel substrate. I'm fairly
sure
amazon's need a bit of extra light. The Aqua Glo tubes are same as mine
but
you've only got about 1.5W/Gallon. My 3 month amazon is doing okay with
2.3W/G with CO2 injection and added water column fertilisers(PMDD).

Anyone know how to get a large amazon sword to put out runners? I
have one sword in my 55 gal with 3 watts per gallon. It has grown
from relatively small to now taking up about 1/2 the 55 gal tank.
Leaves are about 15 inches long and at least 3 inches thick. I put in
root tabs with iron periodically.

I tried uprooting another one and replanting. No runners.

Funny thing is that when I got it, about 4 inches tall, it had one
runner and put out a second. Now nothing in 6 months, but it has
grown huge. Leaves go to the top and lay on the top of the water.

Bob

Actually, "Amazon Swords" are not true aquatic plants in the first place.
While regiments of iron and fertilizer and good lighting will prolong their
life, they actually don't do well completely submerged. In their native
environment these plants are accustomed to being submerged during the flood
season, but this never lasts for more than a few months.

As a result, after a period of time (months usually) they will begin to look
unhealthy (yellowing, etc) and eventually die out completely. Remember,
just because your LFS sells them, it doesn't mean all plants are good for
aquarium use!

You would probably be better in the longrun to go with some true aquatic
plants. Check out the site here for more information:
http://www.trueaquariumplants.com/info.asp


"Martin A. Gross" wrote in message
m...
I have a very heavily planted 20 gallon high aquarium with deminsions
24Lx12Wx16H with 30 watts of lighting - a 15 watt Nutrigrow and a 15 watt
AquaGlow full spectrum bulbs. Plants include Amazon Swords, Green
Foxtail,
Green Hygophila, Sunset Hygrophila, and Java Moss. All is well with the
plants except the amazon swords whose leaves are elongated,
greenish-yellow
and are transparent in places. I am guessing this means they are needing
a
nutrient added to the water. Any suggestions?

Martin

Are the leaves that are dying on longish stems and oval shaped?

My melon sword did the same thing.. A set of it's leaves just melted away, I
thought it was dying. But it turns out that most aquatic stam plants will
grow a different set of leaves depending on if it is under water or out of
the water. The oval shaped leaves melted away and the melon started rapidly
growing long dark green leaves... The melon is growing too fast now!

--donovan

Try "Root Tabs with Iron" (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) - at LFS - or
Flourish Tabs - which is what I used most recently. (No I don't have a UGF)

My Amazon just flowered!!

Bob