My sword plant is in trouble. The leaves are melting/rotting, and the
crown of the plant looks questionable. I have recently started doing
more frequent water changes, I have read that changes in water quality
can cause this. However, I just realized that I misread the label on my
water treater, and I have been dosing at 10x the required amount.
Therefore, I could also be poisoning my plant. The fish and other
plants seem to be ok though.

Should I:
1) Change lots of water
2) Keep changing water at my current rate (10% 2x weekly)
3) Add charcoal to purify
4) Other

The problem with option 3 is that my filter broke a while ago. Since I
have lots of plants, I have just been running with a powerhead. I could
rig something up, but it would be non-trivial.

Thanks.

My vote is for the water change.. a good sized one... then, just stick
to the corrected dosage...

RAS

john wrote:
My sword plant is in trouble. The leaves are melting/rotting, and the
crown of the plant looks questionable. I have recently started doing
more frequent water changes, I have read that changes in water quality
can cause this. However, I just realized that I misread the label on my
water treater, and I have been dosing at 10x the required amount.
Therefore, I could also be poisoning my plant. The fish and other
plants seem to be ok though.

Should I:
1) Change lots of water
2) Keep changing water at my current rate (10% 2x weekly)
3) Add charcoal to purify
4) Other

The problem with option 3 is that my filter broke a while ago. Since I
have lots of plants, I have just been running with a powerhead. I could
rig something up, but it would be non-trivial.

Thanks.



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My Amazon swords grew and were plenty healthy for about 8months under
low light (30W for 55 gallon) without CO2, ~78F, 7.6pH and zero
nitrates & ammonia. I have several other types of swords now, but the
setup is completely different. Make sure you are giving the swords
substrate fertilizer. That's the best I can offer for you. Nutrients in
the substrate is one thing my swords had plenty of.

I'd forget about the carbon (ya don't need that stuff) change about 30%
water and change 25% once every two weeks with the correct dose
conditioner. Any more and you'd be changing the water chemistry
radically (that's bad if you have fish). Unless you have a problem with
the tank, water changes that often aren't required.

In a heavily planted tank, are filters really required except for
asthetic purposes?

my aquarium page, info and pics at:
www.geocities.com/spiral_72/Spirals_page.html

spiral_72 wrote:
I'd forget about the carbon (ya don't need that stuff) change about
30%
water and change 25% once every two weeks with the correct dose
conditioner. Any more and you'd be changing the water chemistry
radically (that's bad if you have fish). Unless you have a problem
with
the tank, water changes that often aren't required.

I agree with this advice. It doesn't sound like anything is seriously
wrong with the tank at this point and spiral's suggested schedule will
keep the tank running well.

In a heavily planted tank, are filters really required except for
asthetic purposes?

Sometimes yes. I have tried twice now to disconnect my HOT filter and
both times CO2 concentration has sky rocketed to the 40 to 50 ppm range
and O2 has fallen off dramatically enough for the fish to be gasping by
morning. Do I require the filtration it provides? Heck no. But I sure
need the bubbles and surface agitation. I'm still looking for an
alternate solution because I don't like the HOT filter but for now it
is the only thing maintaining the balance of O2 and CO2 in my tank.

But I suppose the root of your question was really about the filtration
filters provide and not about the bubbles. In that case no - filters
just trap valuable resources that could be better used by plants. But
who wants bits of stuff floating in their water? Aesthetics is what
aquariums are all about.

-Daniel

john wrote:
My sword plant is in trouble. The leaves are melting/rotting, and the
crown of the plant looks questionable. I have recently started doing
more frequent water changes, I have read that changes in water quality
can cause this. However, I just realized that I misread the label on my
water treater, and I have been dosing at 10x the required amount.
Therefore, I could also be poisoning my plant. The fish and other
plants seem to be ok though.

Should I:
1) Change lots of water
2) Keep changing water at my current rate (10% 2x weekly)
3) Add charcoal to purify
4) Other

The problem with option 3 is that my filter broke a while ago. Since I
have lots of plants, I have just been running with a powerhead. I could
rig something up, but it would be non-trivial.

Thanks.

I agree with Spiral. Add substrate fertilizer and make sure there is
enough N,K,P, and iron in the water. I've found swords generally more
sensitive to lack of nutrients than to changes in water quality.

I would also change lots of water to get rid of the extra water
treatment. If you have a spare airpump, you could carbon filter for a
few days with a cheap plastic box filter. They're good to have around
for quarantine tanks anyway.

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

On 2005-04-07, john wrote:

Should I:
4) Other


Are you sure it's a true aquatic plant?
http://plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.php?category=11

--
"I have to decide between two equally frightening options.
If I wanted to do that, I'd vote." --Duckman