Shrinking Amazon Swords

[Gribbs01]

I have 4 large broad leave amazon sword plants along the back of my 120cm discus tank, when I bought the swords they where around 45cm high, after two months the plants are growing fantastically but the new leaves are only 25cm high, How can I encourage the swords to grow taller??

I have 2x 54W 6500K, 1x 54W 10000K and 1x actinic T5 lights and the tank height is 60cms. I use Seachem tabs in the substrate and use Excel every second day and flourish twice a week. I have been running the lights for 10 hours per day.

Stuart

[waterflash]

Hi Stuart
How are your iron levels. My swords respond really well to high light (which you seem to have an abundant of) and a steady dose of iron. What color are the leaves and how are your old leaves looking?

Cheers
Robin

[ILLUSN]

When you bought the plants were they emmerse grown or submerse grown? most large amazons are grown emmerse, they grow faster you dont need co2, you dont get algae, when planted submerse (ie in an aquarium) the emmerse leaves die off slowly and the new underwater leaves grow, such a plant usually shinks to half the size as you've discribed also you'll notice a change in leafe shape.

to get them big again FAST pump in the CO2 (20ppm works well) add some root ferts and get your light to around 3w/gal 12hrs/day (get rid of the actinic and add in a gorwlux or simiilar tube). under such contions your swords will be back up to bout 2 foot tall in 6-8 weeks and will stay that way.

[Gribbs01]

Thanks for both your comments, I think the iron is OK, I dose with flourish 2-3 per week. When I did first got the plants the old leaves did dye off and have been replaced by the new shorter leaves, so assume they were emersed grown. I have replaced the actinic globe with a grolux globe. I don't use CO2 because I have a wet/dry filter and assume the CO2 would be lost quickly but do you excel, for organic carbon. Assume this should privide the carbon needs, maybe not as good as the injected CO2!! I have added new Flourish tabs into the subrtae as its been a few months, so should get them back to 50cm soon.