Amazon Sword - Cobweb-like Leaves But New Ones Sprouting

Sounds completely normal @fcmf and like things are progressing nicely. I would normally recommend removal of any dying pant material, however, the signs of yellowing in your floating plants could be a sign of nutrient deficiency. If this continues once the swords leave have disappeared, you may wish to add a micros only fertiliser which contains phosphorus (personal recommendation - JBL Ferropol though there are many others). This should keep them healthy.

Have you ever tried any truly aquatic plants?
https://forums.thinkfish.co.uk/aquascaping/truly-aquatic-plants-why-you-don't-need-co2/ these are likely to have less of an adjustment phase as they should be grown underwater in the nurseries. Cryot balansae is another option normally grown submerged in the nurseries and is a beautiful plant. Of course there is the "crypt melt" that can occur instead, though personally I've been fairly lucky on this front with most of those I've bought.

I'm attaching here photos of the two parts of the Amazon sword plant. When I got it, and removed the rock wool, it naturally divided into two. The healthier one/part with more leaves was more out in the open than the less healthier one which was shaded more by silk plants but I moved it forward in the tank ~10 days ago. Both have a root tab underneath. Neither is dead (and thus quite an achievement for me), but nor have they changed much in the past fortnight. Views/suggestions welcome; thanks.

If this continues once the swords leave have disappeared, you may wish to add a micros only fertiliser which contains phosphorus...

Hi @Matt

I'm confused. If it's a 'micros only' fertilizer, it will not contain phosphorus as this is a macro fert.

JPC

Quote from: Matt on October 26, 2019, 07:44:06 PM

If this continues once the swords leave have disappeared, you may wish to add a micros only fertiliser which contains phosphorus...

Hi @Matt

I'm confused. If it's a 'micros only' fertilizer, it will not contain phosphorus as this is a macro fert.

JPC

Many "non complete" ferts contain phosphorus alongside the micros... just need to make sure you at one that does. Theres a lost on my site. They won't contain nitrogen (present in water supply and added via the fish) and potassium (added in fish food) and therefore not required in a tank with low plant mass and decent fish stocking levels.

Thanks, @Matt - I'll try these.

The root tabs are Easylife's Root Sticks. These are 5.5 cm long each, and I'd been chopping off a section of only about 0.5 cm to use (mainly because of previous episodes of the entire tank water turning cloudy red if the root tabs were disturbed). Looking at the photo on the side of the tub, though, I think I ought to be using a whole stick underneath each plant... 

Quote from: jaypeecee on November 18, 2019, 09:58:38 PM

Quote from: Matt on October 26, 2019, 07:44:06 PM

If this continues once the swords leave have disappeared, you may wish to add a micros only fertiliser which contains phosphorus...

Hi @Matt

I'm confused. If it's a 'micros only' fertilizer, it will not contain phosphorus as this is a macro fert.

JPC

Many "non complete" ferts contain phosphorus alongside the micros... just need to make sure you at one that does. Theres a lost on my site. They won't contain nitrogen (present in water supply and added via the fish) and potassium (added in fish food) and therefore not required in a tank with low plant mass and decent fish stocking levels.

Hi @Matt,

I had a look on your web site but could not find the information to which you were referring. Could you please let me have a link?

JPC

Thanks, @JPC.

You're quite correct - I've just gone to have a look at the tub of Easy-Life Root Sticks, and checked the cupboard in case any other packaging originally came with it such as an outer cardboard box (answer is 'no'), and there is no ingredients list. (Nor is there for Easy-Life Voogle which I also have.) That's helpful that you've been able to establish one ingredient in it, though.

I'll take your advice and get some new root tabs - one of the two brands you suggest (probably whichever is least likely to contribute to the naturally high phosphate levels already in my tap water, or, that being equal, the Seachem ones due to the lack of breaking-up when inserted into the substrate).

Great; thanks, @JPC - I'll get the Seachem ones then.

I have an API home testing kit for phosphates, and, from that, discovered that the tank and tap water measures out at 5 ppm! The unit options are 0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0 and 10.0. The first time I tested, it looked closer to 2 but has been 5 (or almost 5) on the few occasions tested after that.

Thanks - I had read somewhere about partial shading and indeed tried to partially shade them by the silk plants. However, oddly, the better faring half of the plant (they naturally divided into two parts when out of the rock wool) was actually situated less in the shade, and hence why I manoeuvred the worse of the two halves towards the light. Not sure if this has anything to do with it but the only other possibilities accounting for the half that is doing better is that it is situated closer to the filter and the cardinal tetras seem to like hanging around it (so possibly their waste is acting as fertiliser). I could manoeuvre it under the floating plants but, as they are towards the side of the tank, I don't know that it will act as much of a shade. Perhaps the Seachem tabs will live up to their name and provide the flourishing effect I require...

[Edited to add: Sorry, @jaypeecee - I've been linking in a non-existent username instead of this one!]

No, not much algae. The anubias does have some black beard algae on it - at least the bits that aren't in "dark corner" (where all other live plants died in the past except the anubias). The silk plants, especially the leaves nearest the central part of the tank directly under the light, do develop some BBA weekly and less frequently brownish algae but that's about it, although I do take them out of the tank for a thorough weekly brush with the fishkeeping toothbrush. Very occasionally, I notice a few blobs of green spot algae on the glass. I have two nerite snails in the tank - one favours the glass (and sometimes attempts the silk plant leaves before falling off in acrobat style) and the other favours the wood, while both like the filter and heater; however, it's difficult to tell how much that keeps the situation under control than if they weren't there e.g. there are still a few spots of brown algae here and there on the glass that they don't touch, and so it seems more that the glass-grazing activity is habitual rather than purposeful.

No, not much algae. The anubias does have some black beard algae on it - at least the bits that aren't in "dark corner" (where all other live plants died in the past except the anubias). The silk plants, especially the leaves nearest the central part of the tank directly under the light, do develop some BBA weekly and less frequently brownish algae but that's about it, although I do take them out of the tank for a thorough weekly brush with the fishkeeping toothbrush.

Hi @fcmf

BBA is a tricky one. Currently, I have an area of BBA on the substrate. But, it's because I have a bare area awaiting plants. In shadowed areas with lower light, BBA is completely absent. You mention 'brownish algae' and that makes me think - diatoms. Otocinclus seem to be effective where diatoms are developing. I seem to remember that diatoms actually belong to the animal, not plant, kingdom. Of course, obtaining healthy Otocinclus is not easy. If you don't already keep them and you decide to buy some, go for those with plump(ish) abdomens.

JPC