[RML] RE: black spots on swords

VERMILLION, DIANNE (DVER at son.rochester.edu)
Thu, 12 Dec 96 10:52:00 est

HI,
I caught a thread about black spots on sword plant stems due to oxygen
demand- I have had this problem off and on with my swords since I set up the
tank. I did have an air stone in the tank , but wouldn't that supply
oxygen to the tank ? I just took the stone off the tank on Sunday but will
put the airstone back in tomorrow if the consensus is that it would help.

Tank conditions: ph 7.4, hardness about 280, 200 calcium; ammonia 0,
nitrite 0, nitrate to 30 (everyother week water changes); 55g, 40 w
lights (plant grow bulb on 12 hrs/day), flourish tabs and drops, Ferro vits
with water changes (Iron drops), trace minerals, gravel substrate (no
laetrite), mopani wood, 78 deg F, magnum400 and aquaclear 300 filters (long
story; never removed one), since Sunday 7 large angelfish, trio of turquoise
rainbows, bristle nose (what an algae eater!!!), and 6 Siamese algae eaters
(three to be moved soon to another tank); before Sunday tank also contained
trios of M boesemanni, and G incisus and a pair of G wanamesis-wanabees.
Plants includeJava fern (growing), dwarf sword plants (ok), anubias
(growing), and hygrophilia (ok); the ruffled leaf sword and 2 of the 4
regular swords are in bad shape with black to brown spots on stems and
losing leaves.

Thanks, I had assumed that the problem was 1) not enough iron (the leaves
also were turning clearish) so I added plant food and iron drops, 2) not
enough light - I increased the light by 1/3 (couldnt find GE chroma 500 or
phillips 50), 3) lacking a trace mineral so added trace minerals, 4) not
enough CO2 (even with all the fish) so I removed the air stone; but still
the same problem.

I really appreciate the help with this, I don't like to keep losing leaves
off the plants.
thanks again,
Dianne