Suggestions for helping my swords

I've got this potted plant 75 gal (although due to a leak it's probably closer to 55) with angels, corries, bristlenose and the driftwood. The swords were very nice and healthy when i got them. They're in Flourite in pots made from the bottom of 1L water bottles. I do water changes weekly for the fish, moving things around to vacuum up stuff. Ikeep it about 80 degrees. pH is probably high from my well water, but I keep the tds reading about 150. The swords are fading. Some yellowing (2nd pic far right), weaker looking in general. Suggestions?

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Steve I don't have experience but I believe I read on SD somewhere that swords do well with root tabs. The other thought I had looking at your pics is perhaps the pot is a little small for the size of the plant. When terrestrial plants get root bound they suffer ...it is a big sword in a small pot. Just some thoughts...

Thanks. Those are a couple thoughts I had too.

Hi Rogue,are you dosing any ferts if not a root tab will help.As noted the container may be a little small and plant is becoming root bound.Swords have very large root systems.It is a common practice to occasionally remove the plant and cut back the roots to about an inch long,they respond with a growth spurt,also it is not uncommon for the outer or older leaves to die off and they should be removed as that happens.Remove by pulling straight down from the crown and again they will start to kick out new leaves.Good luck...Ed

Not an expert by any means, but it is my understanding that sword plants need more iron than most other plants. I add a squirt of Flourish Iron every other day or so. HTH

Richard

I have liquid flourish, but haven't been using it. Will that work? OK for the fish? There really isn't any circulation around the roots, if that matters. I could try to dose it into the pots

Steve when I used to keep potted swords and even planted ones I would bury a human iron suppliment under them along with a chewable calcium antacid every few months or if it looked like they needed it.
Im sure root tabs would work as well but I used the suppliments for years.. no adverse effect to the discus that I could see. Amazons literally outgrew the tanks.

al

Thanks guys. I'll work on it.

It depends on what flourish you have but they are all safe for use with fish,no need to use at root level as they absorb it from the water.I have two planted tanks and never had a problem with ferts harming the fish...

Thanks again.
I've up-potted the swords to 2L bottle cut-offs, a full 4" (it's taller than you think). We'll see what happens. One last check. Anybody see any problem with the roots being in a container without water circulation? Maybe a full substrate isn't any different, but just checking.

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In my brown thumb way, I've often kept swords in clay pots with gravel. They do fine, even better if you put a fertilizer stick into the gravel. I do that every 3 months or so. It's a lot cheaper and less fussy than dosing water that you need to change often. Water circulation is less important as long as the roots have oxygen (no photosynthesis down there).

Willie

Bigger pot. No need for ferts. Don't watch "pot of water waiting on it to boil" (ignore your swords). They'll grow over time. Just bigger pot and just use sand for pot. Stop over thinking. PM me if you want.