Micro Sword Planting

[TMartins]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking at giving Micro Sword another try in my 20 gallon high.  The last time I had a really bad BBA outbreak and it took over the Micro Sword along with other plants.  I still have some BBA in the tank but I have it somewhat dialed in where I'm getting good healthy plant growth and I can manually remove a lot of the BBA myself.  The question I have is should I do what Cory did in a recent video and plant the whole pot and let it grow from there or should I plant them individually??  I have a Fluval 3.0 set at about 50% and the Amazon Sword is doing great and the Val is FINALLY starting to grow tall and send runners.  I have some Crypt Lucens in the spots that I want to plant the MS but because I believe it's too much light it's staying flat where the Lucens under the Amazon Sword is growing vertically.  Also on the ACO website it states that MS on requires Easy Green liguid and not the root tabs??

[JE47]

@JoeQ@nabokovfan87

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/30/2023 at 9:44 AM, TMartins said:

he last time I had a really bad BBA outbreak and it took over the Micro Sword along with other plants.  I still have some BBA in the tank but I have it somewhat dialed in where I'm getting good healthy plant growth and I can manually remove a lot of the BBA myself.

Ah the memories! 😂
 

On 11/30/2023 at 9:44 AM, TMartins said:

Also on the ACO website it states that MS on requires Easy Green liguid and not the root tabs??

Both would be applicable for that plant in my experience.
 

On 11/30/2023 at 9:44 AM, TMartins said:

The question I have is should I do what Cory did in a recent video and plant the whole pot and let it grow from there or should I plant them individually??  I have a Fluval 3.0 set at about 50% and the Amazon Sword is doing great and the Val is FINALLY starting to grow tall and send runners.  I have some Crypt Lucens in the spots that I want to plant the MS but because I believe it's too much light it's staying flat where the Lucens under the Amazon Sword is growing vertically.

I would keep in mind light duration and that adding plant density is 100% helpful.  Things like temperature can get that BBA to go insane on you really quickly.  It releases spores and after a few weeks you've got all of your plants looking like the above.  Just keep at it.  Honestly.  Out of curiosity, what is your substrate you're using?

I hope that the micro sword does awesome for you and I really imagine that it would.  The only thing you need to keep in mind at all is having the plants in the right spot, sounds like you do, and that the intensity you need is reaching the substrate for those foreground plants.

 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I would highly suggest planting the micro sword in a clump; the pot is a good idea (per Cory) if planting in lightweight substrate such as eco complete. In my situation, I have pool filter sand which holds it well. After awhile it will make runners. The runners will lead to new plants that may want to float. Simply tack down the runners with plant weights and guide the micro swords the direction you’d like them to go. This photo shows one or two of the micro sword plants that have grown from a runner.

Edited December 2, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[nabokovfan87]

On 12/1/2023 at 8:39 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I would highly suggest planting the micro sword in a clump;

I meant to say this too and totally spaced out! I think you'd have better success just planting it.  In Cory's vid with the pots he also had issues where the plants fizzled out after a while in the pots.  Just plant it! 🙂

[TMartins]

Thanks everyone for the replies.  I bought 4 pots from the Co-Op and I might just try both ways.  I have to say that BBA has to be the most evil of all the algae’s because I literally pull clumps of it from below the gravel substrate where no light can reach it…😳.  But at least it’s not growing on the plants and just on the gravel substrate.  

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 12/2/2023 at 7:39 AM, TMartins said:

Thanks everyone for the replies.  I bought 4 pots from the Co-Op and I might just try both ways.  I have to say that BBA has to be the most evil of all the algae’s because I literally pull clumps of it from below the gravel substrate where no light can reach it…😳.  But at least it’s not growing on the plants and just on the gravel substrate.  

Oh man. @nabokovfan87 has been at war with BBA for quite some time now.

[nabokovfan87]

On 12/3/2023 at 7:51 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Oh man. @nabokovfan87 has been at war with BBA for quite some time now.

We about to remove substrate in here soon.  I hope that's the last straw.  Cut the swords apart yesterday and removed BBA off a ton of the old leaves.