My 53 gallon

[hywaydave]

Mix of fake and live plants (anubias and java ferns). I can't keep Amazon swords alive in this tank for more than a few months, they just end up shrinking down to nothing. I don't fertilize them though as I'm worried this will increase algae growth. I keep the lights on for 8 hrs a day using a Fluval Aquasky. Any advise on keeping Amazon swords successfully is greatly appreciated.

 

[Stefan3289]

I haven’t kept Amazon swords but what is the GH of your water, how thick is your substrate, and also where do you plan to have them in your tank? I ask because of amount of light and how close they are to the filter

 

[hywaydave]

I haven’t kept Amazon swords but what is the GH of your water, how thick is your substrate, and also where do you plan to have them in your tank? I ask because of amount of light and how close they are to the filter

substrate is probably 1.5 inches deep. I have 60 lbs of gravel in my 53 gallon tank. I have a 307 canister for filtration and have the outlet pointed up toward the surface to agitate it. I've had them in the middle of the tank. They've all been removed because they dwindle down to nothing over time. I have one left toward the right side in front of the log. As you can see it's gotten a lot smaller. I do not know what my GH is, sorry.

 

[Aqua67]

If you do want to keep amazon sword (Echinodorus bleher) you just need to use root tabs or some other capsule-type fertilizer that you can press into the substrate and I would add more substrate until you have closer to 2-3 inches. That will give the sword plant a good place to put down roots. Then you want the crown (where the roots and the stalks meet) to be just above the substrate. What I do is stick the plant into the substrate and then pull up slightly until I see the beginning of the roots just barely showing above the substrate. In my opinion, that type of amazon is the easiest to grow, but there are many other types of amazon sword plants.

 

[Stefan3289]

substrate is probably 1.5 inches deep. I have 60 lbs of gravel in my 53 gallon tank. I have a 307 canister for filtration and have the outlet pointed up toward the surface to agitate it. I've had them in the middle of the tank. They've all been removed because they dwindle down to nothing over time. I have one left toward the right side in front of the log. As you can see it's gotten a lot smaller. I do not know what my GH is, sorry.

Aqua67 said exactly what I was going to say. You should add some more substrate as they have quite a lot of roots that like some depth. Reason I ask about GH, is if you have soft water like I do, then you’ll need to add root tabs about every month so they get the nutrients they need. What I think is since the other plants are a lot more established, they are getting most of the minerals in the water which doesn’t leave much for your Amazon swords to grow much and then they will eventually start to die.

 

[hywaydave]

My fear is root tabs causing excessive algae growth

 

[sharkweek178]

My fear is root tabs causing excessive algae growth

It's all about finding balance. Algae is a result of excess light and/or nutrients. You just have to hit that sweet spot of enough nutrients and light to sustain your plants. It's trial and error but it's not that hard to find. Maybe since the other plants are already well established, add a root tab under just the amazon sword.
I don't generally worry about root tabs causing algae since those nutrients mostly stay in the substrate where light can't get to it.

 

[hywaydave]

Recommendations on a root tabs to use? Do I put it underneath the Amazon or in the gravel next to it?

 

[sharkweek178]

Recommendations on a root tabs to use? Do I put it underneath the Amazon or in the gravel next to it?

I use Seachem Flourish Tabs. I try to get it underneath. When it dissolves, the nutrients will spread. So I try to put it where I know it will spread to the roots.