Alternative to Amazon Sword

[Ben_RF]

Hey you wonderful nerms.  Do you have any alternatives you would recommend that are like amazon swords but are perhaps not nearly as root tab demanding?  Looking for plants that get between 1' to 2 1/2' feet preferrably in height.  I love my sword, but right now it is going through about 6 to 8 root tabs weekly. 

[Fish Folk]

Alrighty . . . here's a money-saving option:

Buy 1,000 empty gel caps

Then buy some Osmocote Plus...

Watch this video for helpful tips on making your own root-tabs. In the end, you can save money.

As for other plants _like_ swords that don't require so many root tabs . . . I really don't know. Tiger Lotus looks beautiful, but it takes awhile to grow. And in the end, might need a lot of root tabs too. Check out Cryptocoryne Usteriana:

[Ben_RF]

So, I did this in the past and it ended up going not so well.  I found these DIY tabs were introducing ammonia into my system.  Also I found the Co Op tabs actually produced better result without the ammonia issue.

Edited July 7, 2021 by Ben_RF

[Patrick_G]

The Neo root tabs are around $15 for 100. 

[anewbie]

On 7/6/2021 at 7:36 PM, Ben_RF said:

Hey you wonderful nerms.  Do you have any alternatives you would recommend that are like amazon swords but are perhaps not nearly as root tab demanding?  Looking for plants that get between 1' to 2 1/2' feet preferrably in height.  I love my sword, but right now it is going through about 6 to 8 root tabs weekly. 

Why are you using so many root tabs? They are suppose to last months not days. I only give my 2 feet tall swords 1 or 2 root tab every 4 months.

[Ben_RF]

When I try going down to once a month it begins to yellow and develop holes.  

[Phantom240]

On 7/7/2021 at 6:04 PM, Ben_RF said:

When I try going down to once a month it begins to yellow and develop holes.  

That's really bizarre. What's your substrate and fert dosing regimen?

[Patrick_G]

Are you using fertilizer for the water column as well? 

[Phantom240]

In my experience, yellowing and holes in swords tends to point to a lack of iron, phosphate, or potassium. I'd probably lean toward iron or potassium, since phosphates seem to be aplenty in most tanks from either fish food or waste. 

[Patrick_G]

Since Easy K doesn’t exists I’d suggest API leaf zone as a supplement. It’s just Iron and Potassium. 

[Guppysnail]

I struggle with swords so i got some tall anubis you can get them super tall but expensive. Grow them but it takes forever i got a bunch of 12” tube ones from petco and Petsmart and they did fabulous 

[Mmiller2001]

Jungle Val.

Edited July 8, 2021 by Mmiller2001

[theotheragentm]

Crypts. Once they're established, they won't require much. I would still highly recommend starting with a lot of root tabs when getting started. That will allow them to more quickly establish and grow up. Once they're in, they are so undemanding. It's great.