# Maintaining planted tank



## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

In my planted tank, they are growing well, but I have two problems that need answers to. First, my taller plant grew its 5 leafs and has stopped growing since, why? It grew them all in like 2 weeks and now it hasnt grown in over a month. Second, my swords orginal leafs all died and all the new growth in the middle is whats left. Its doing well, but how do i maintain the old growth to keep it alive with the new growth? Or is that normal? Or is it because algae kills the leafs? Anyways, I spent some time today and cleaned them up and ripped off the dead parts.. Just curious, thanks.


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## roccov12345 (Sep 26, 2008)

Malawi- said:


> In my planted tank, they are growing well, but I have two problems that need answers to. First, my taller plant grew its 5 leafs and has stopped growing since, why? It grew them all in like 2 weeks and now it hasnt grown in over a month. Second, my swords orginal leafs all died and all the new growth in the middle is whats left. Its doing well, but how do i maintain the old growth to keep it alive with the new growth? Or is that normal? Or is it because algae kills the leafs? Anyways, I spent some time today and cleaned them up and ripped off the dead parts.. Just curious, thanks.


I had the same issue with my Amazon swords when I first got them. Almost all of the original leaves dies off, so I pruned them off and its been all good since then. I do notice that when I prune the swords they seem to multiply x 2. Mostly in all horticulture pruning = rapid new growth.


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## Ibanez247 (Nov 9, 2006)

Im always plucking off leafs on my swords. Any time a leaf gets torn or the stem part gets bent or broken I remove it. That way the plants always putting energy into growth and not repair. Ive had my swords for as long as my reds so over two years. Very harty plant. I do that twice a week and Im always removing a few leafs.


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

Thanks, I guess I will spend some more time in there and pluck and prune. Kinda scary messing with the plant at the bottom of the tank with a 5'' piranha in there.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Ya, regular pruning promotes new growth.

It's never a bad idea to get those ugly leaves off a plant.
Unless they are the only ones left hah


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

ha, where is the best way to prune? I used my fingers but where on the stem do I prune? Yeah I took all the dead leafs off, now its all green again.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

That depends on the plant. On an Amazon sword, you prune the leaf off as far down to the substrate as you can


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

Okay, I will have to go back in and take off the whole stem. My java fern has not grown at all. Its in the same substrate, does it do better in the sand or tied around bogwood?


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Java fern grows from a rhizome, and needs the horizontal stem at the bottom exposed.
Tied to a rock or driftwood is best.


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

Thanks, no wonder is has not grown in the substrate. I will tie it around a peice of wood.


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## Parsa (Nov 12, 2008)

Oh snap! How are u supposed to tie it? What if it's like inside the origional sponge and clip and it's just siting in the sand? Would that be the same? I got 2 of them today


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

Tie it with fishing line or something that you cant see and wont change the water chemisty.


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## Parsa (Nov 12, 2008)

Ones heavily rooted so I just planted it and I just tied the other one down with white yarn. So it blends in with my sand.


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

I guess that will work.. I need to go tie my down when I get some string or something. Poor java stuck in the sand.


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

I refuse to buy plants that are in wool pots. I just hate the stuff.


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

I looked at your 75g mak, it looks awesome. I hope my plants in my 30g grow nicely like that. I just want them to spread and grow all over like yours..


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

Thanks, it took a while before it got like that. I have lower light/slower growing plants in there too. Patience is the key. CO2 really helps too.


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

I dont have co2, nor will be getting it for my 30g tank. I only have 3 different plants, but I want to make sure they continue to grow, if not spread.


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

You will be fine with out co2. You dont need it, but it speeds things up. Patience, patience and some more patience.


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

Yup.. Well if I split them up they will multiply or not? Can you grow a plant if you stick a stem and leaf in the substrate?


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

stem plants can be cut and stuck into the substrate. Rooted plants like swords are different. They will send out runners (kinda like mini plants) that you can plant.


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## SeedlessOne (Nov 21, 2006)

New swords......


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## Ibanez247 (Nov 9, 2006)

Maknar beat me to it but as he said stemed plants can be cut and replanted. ITs a good idea to remove any leafs that will be buried in the ground when replanting. I also snap off the amazon swords at the base. Swords grow from the inside out so your more than liklely gowing to be pulling off the outter most parts of the plant. As far as what to use I always use my hands and I have 6 adult pygos. Never had a problem. I dont run co2 in my tanks either. It takes a little over a week for any newly planted plant to take root. Thats if they pygos dont keep uprroting them.


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