Planting Amazons & more

[dan2x38]

Setting up my new tank trying to get an Amazon theme happening. Planted what amazon swords I've been keeping in another tank for months with good root systems. One is the large amazon sword with long board leafs it has some brown blotches on the leafs. The others leafs are more narrow. With the more narrow species I have 7 or 8 plants all of the leaves have turned close to that of the Madagascar plant. My spiral vals have many leaves similar. It has been only a week since planted. I am using eco-complete & fluorite for a substrate. It is low light 48" T5 double tube & mini 4 x PC in 2 x 24" fixtures. Will these plants take hold & leafs grow back? Is this a die off like crypts when first planted? Oh I have a few bronze crypts in the front and there are few leaves dying off those too.

[fischkopp]

Hey Dan, the light seems to be good enough for the plants you have. Give it some time to establish and the growth will come back. Very likely the plants are building new roots now so  that they can support the leaves of the plant.

You make us so curious about your new setup. Isnt it time to share some pics ... 

[Aquaviewer]

Spots on the leaves can suggest deficiency in some micro nutrients.  I would wait to see how they take to the transplanting.  If the spots persist you may need to boost some micro nutrients.  There are a number of on line resources to help diagnose specific deficiencies.  Sworsd don't typically undergo leave die back like the crypts do when moved.

You will need to exercises caution with all those swords and crypts in the tank once their roots are established.  The long root systems of swords and crypts are notorious for getting tangled in substrate heater cables.  Makes moving the plants a challange without pulling the whole system up and making a real mess.

[dan2x38]

Would not think at this point I would be suffering a nutrient deficiency. The water is not aged yet should still have micros, eco-complete & fluorite all fresh out of the bag, and the plants would barely even be doing any real uptake yet. Just to insure not enough micros I added a small dose of flourish couple days ago. Even have a few leafs on the dwarf sags die-off.

Good point about the roots thanks.

No pics yet these plants are not any thing to post right now...