Okay, I have a 29 gallon tank that I am in the process of planting.

So far I have:
1 java fern (can't tell any difference since purchase)
1 anacharis (there appears to be a small amount of growth on a couple of the ends)

and 1 sword plant (I bought by mistake when I got the others. I do not have good enough light for this one, but it is still alive after about 2 weeks and has a new little leaf growing from the base)

I bought a fertilizer:"Plant Gro Iron Enriched With Beneficial Trace Elements" (what it says on the bottle)

I have added it twice. I'm not sure how often to add it or if it is even a good product.

These are my first live plants, but the tank has been cycled and stuff for probably over a year now.

Other info:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate about 10 ppm
Temperature 78 F

Fish: 5 rummy nose tetra, 7 neon tetra, 2 panda cories, 2 peppered cories, 2 spotted cories

Filter: bio-wheel 200gph
Thanks for any suggestions! :D

Good going, I would like to see some pics from the29 gallon tank. I bet it looks stunning. :rolleyes:

I use seachem flourish for ferts in my tanks and I dose them everyday as that is what the directions say. What does it say for your ferts? and go by that. Also a lot of it depends on what plants you have. The sword it would be best to add a plant tab near the roots of it as it does feed from the roots and not the leaves. The java fern and anacharis are stem feeders so the liquid ferts would do just fine.

Can't wait for pics. What kind of sword is it? It may do great in your tank.

There are no instructions on the bottle as to how often to use it.

I think it is an Amazon Sword. The new little leaf turned yellow and I pinched it off.

The anacharis is growing. Right now the tank just looks like a disaster as I've started on one end with the plants and I'm going to gradually move across the tank.

What do you use to prune your plants? I'm not sure what is safe for aquarium use.

Thanks!

I think with the liquid ferts just use a couple of times a week until you start getting more plants in the tank. Get some plant tabs for the sword and it should be ok. I usually just use a new pair of surgical scissors to cut leaves off plants, most stem plants are easily pinched off with your finger nails. The anacharis once it reaches the top of the tank or even shorter, depending on how tall you want it, just snap off mid way and replant the new stems. The java fern will make babies on the older leaves and once they get big enough just cut the leaf off and tie some where else or let them fall off naturally.

Once the Amazon sword starts growing good it will make daughter plants also which when they get a good rood system on them you can cut them off and replant, but a word of warning. An Amazon Sword can get huge.

thanks for the info!

I'm going to try to get an order in tonight for some plant tabs.
Here's the plant food page link for the place I order from. Could you recomend any particular items or brands?

http://www.aquariumguys.com/plantfood.html

Thank you so much!

I pinched off the top tips of the anacharis stems that were'nt growing yesterday morning, and now these stems are starting to grow!

I never thought that live plants could be so much fun!

Thanks for your help and any suggestions from the link above.

I'm thinking of getting the tabbs plus iron and maybe some kind of liquid.

Any suggestions? I hate to be redundant. Sorry

edit:

Oh, I just spotted the fluorish on the page. I might get the fluorish and then the tabs with the iron in them.

Fertilizers work well, but CO₂ injection will make a much bigger difference in sustained growth.

I would just get the flourish tabs, you really don't need the iron in it unless your liquid ferts don't contain any. The iron is really good for any red plants, but then you would have to upgrade your lighting.


Sargeant Major

CO2 is a great addition to any tank, but it actually isn't needed in a low light tank. I have 7 tanks ranging from low light to high light. Don't do pressurized or DIY CO2 but I do you Seachems Flourish Excel everyday which adds the carbon needed by the plants. I know that in the big tank the pressurized would really be needed, but as it is now I am trimming plants every couple of weeks. Just don't have the room for a tank either.

Just wondering how things are going with the plants, be sure to keep an eye on your nitrates as the plants needs it. If it drops to low you may have to start dosing them.