Attack of the Amazonian Sword Plant!

[ChoclateBetta]

I use a few brand ferts.

[Shadyr]

I finally got the time to come by after hours to do the swordectomy on Chicory's too big for his 3G tank swordplant. I brought him a brand new baby one to replace the monster. Once all was said and done, he swam over to look at the new one, turned around and looked at me as if to say "What the blazes is this tiny thing and where did you put my jungle?"

For scale...old one, new one. The old one has been put into my 36G sorority tank. The old one started off about the size of the new one...

[aemaki09]

Wow!! LOL I wish mine grew like that! I've had mine for like 3-4 months in my 26 and havent noticed them getting much taller. One has a lot more leaves now though!

[registereduser]

Shadyr, do you know what the PH level is in your water? Do the plants get any direct sun?

[Shadyr]

RegisteredUser....for Chicory's tank, I don't know the stats.

He's quartered on my desk in my office, so my supplies for him consist of food, StressCoat+ for the water, and Leaf Zone for the plants. Because of this, he's the one on the strictest water change schedule. The plants get 0 natural light since our office area is completely interior (which made it a very popular spot with the tornado warnings last week!). I have his tanklight on a timer to make sure he and the plants get 8 hours of light a day even when I'm not in the office on the weekends.

That was about 7 months of growth.

I could bring in a test strip if there was any particular reason for wanting to know?

[Shadyr]

Originally Posted by aemaki09

Wow!! LOL I wish mine grew like that! I've had mine for like 3-4 months in my 26 and havent noticed them getting much taller. One has a lot more leaves now though!

I was surprised to read just within the last few days that plants actually don't do as well - or at least benefit from additional love/ferts - in filtered tanks because the filters suck out a lot of their nutrients.

I'm LeafZoning my big tank...I have seen impressive growth on my Water Wisteria (which IS one that supposedly likes moving water) and most of the other things haven't *died* so I'm just watching and hoping they do well.

[registereduser]

Originally Posted by Shadyr

I could bring in a test strip if there was any particular reason for wanting to know?

Attachment 76148

I have a black thumb with all plants The amazon sword I got from Petco in a tube was really fresh and healthy but it has slowly disentigrated despite the Leaf Zone I got for it. I just wonder if it's the off the carts high PH we have here.

[funkman262]

I've had swords grow out of the water in my 90g tank (20"+)

[Shadyr]

Originally Posted by registereduser

I have a black thumb with all plants The amazon sword I got from Petco in a tube was really fresh and healthy but it has slowly disentigrated despite the Leaf Zone I got for it. I just wonder if it's the off the carts high PH we have here.

I get the ones in the little "pots" that are in the store tanks. My tube plants have typically not fared as well, the exception being the unknown type of fern that is in...drum roll here....Chicory's tank. I think Chicory just has the perfect plant tank. Or maybe high quality fish poo? I read a lot about fish and the plants here and elsewhere...one thing I read is that even many of the full aquatic plants *can* be grown out of water, and often are. They can be submersed again, but may have a period of die off as they adjust back to being underwater.

I'll see if I can dig up my PH strips tonight. When I got the big 36G for Christmas, I bucked up and got the API master freshwater kit for the homefish, so they got squirreled away somewhere.

[Shadyr]

Originally Posted by funkman262

I've had swords grow out of the water in my 90g tank (20"+)

I'm hoping the big one adjusts to being moved! I'd love to see it get up toward the top of the tank it's in now. That kind gets up to 2 feet tall!