Amazon Swords Not Growing

[J10OEC]

Hi All,
 
I have had 3 medium sized Amazon Swords in my tank for about 6-8 months now, and they just dont seem to be taking.
 
If anything it looks as if they have shrunk.  THey are way off of dying, but just cant think why they dont want to take over the tank like they are supposed to?
 
I provide 6 hours of light per day, and dont use any CO2.  I have been using ferts though recently and its put them in a bit better shape but they arent growing.

Does anyone have any experience in keeping this type of plant?  If anything, i have heard that Amazon swords can easily take over a tank.  Maybe i have too many for my 64 litre and they are fighting for nutrients?
 
Any ideas?

 

[Livewire88]

Swords are big feeders through their roots, try some root tabs placed around the roots and I bet they will take off 

 
What ferts are you dosing? are you dosing each day or once a week? and how much are you dosing?

 

[Zikofski]

+1 with livewire my tank is proof of the fact they are huge root feeders as i have two amazon swords one on the left and one on the right of my tank, but only half my tank has under sand ferts and thats on the right and OMG my amazon sword on the right is smothering my tank a new leaf from tiny to filly grown every 2 day's altho i do have my lights on for 11 hours, inject co2 and liquid co2 and dosing ferts, 
 
i would say be patient with them but 6 to 8 months you have been patient enough root tab's and maybe look into liquid or even injected co2 methods
 
and again with what livewire says what is your fert schedule 

 

[J10OEC]

Thanks guys,
 
I have heard that these a prolific root feeders too after doing a bit of research on growth.  I have sand substrate too.
 
I havnt tried root tabs yet, but next time im up the LFS i shall get some.
 
I have been using "Love FIsh" plant fertiliser, on a 1ml per 100L basis.  Ive been doing this once a week.
 
I do have a feeling that i am lacking sufficient levels of CO2, as i run an air stone 24/7.  Ive turned it off now so that its not on when the lights are on so it doenst drive off CO2 levels.
 
Recently too, i have removed one of the bulbs in the right hand side of the tank, and replaced with a moon light that is on between 10pm and 2am.  I can only have 2 bulbs in the hood at once, so i guessed it would give the fish a more shaded envronment on the right hand side, and vice versa when the moon lights are on.  Dont think this would make a difference as ive heard that Amazon swords arent really fussy on amount/power of lighting per day?

 

[Teephphah]

I'm no expert, but with regard to your lighting, I don't think 6 hours is probably a long enough photo period for the swords in the first place, then when you cut the amount of available light in half . . . that could be another issue.  What type of lights are these anyway?  I'm picturing a two-bulb incandecent hood, but I'd be happy to be wrong about that.  Might be worth while to know how many watts per gallon you're running.  That can be pertinent to your CO2 and fert needs too. 
 
I can say that I had a sword in a low tech 29 gallon with gravel substrate (and occasional root tabs and occasional liquid CO2) for a long time and it was thriving.  Then I moved it to a 55 gallon with better light, better flow and sand substrate (and occasional root tabs and occasoinal liquid CO2) and it died back to almost nothing and then went into a sort of "stasis" period, where it didn't die back any more, but it also didn't grow.  AT ALL.  Finally, I just let it be and focused on my other plants and eventually ended up making the move to CO2 injection.  Now I occasionally remember to add liquid ferts and haven't put any root tabs in there forever, but NOW the damned thing is exploding again. 
 
I doubt that's any help, because I know that *I* sure can't make much sense of it, but, well . . . there you go.