Living Soil

Aquarium and fully submerged plants

Amazon swords: substrate and planted tank guide

Amazon swords is in Living Soil's Aquarium and fully submerged plants group. Plants growing entirely underwater in a tank: a thin layer of soil under a gravel cap, which is a different job from a pond basket. Its guide gathers what published references say about water pH, water hardness, temperature, light, planting bed, feeding, spotting problems, cautions and mixes, with 4 mixes that suit it.

What the amazon swords guide covers

Every item carries the reference behind it. Where references disagree, the guide shows both.

  • Water pH1
  • Water hardness1
  • Temperature1
  • Light2
  • Planting bed2
  • Feeding3
  • Spotting problems5
  • Cautions4
  • Mixes2

The count is how many sourced items each part of the guide holds.

Substrates that suit amazon swords

Aquarium soil layer for hard water

A published, referenced method for a soil bed under a planted tank. Once it is set up, the tank's fish keep the plants fed, and this version suits hard water best.

Aquarium soil layer for soft water

A published method for a soil bed under submerged plants, and it may well be the better pick for soft water. Once it is set up, the fish do the feeding.

2 mixes are made just for amazon swords, inside its guide.

Feeds made for it

Laterite additive for planted tanks

A grower favorite that releases iron and other nourishment slowly, right where fine roots grow. Suits Amazon swords and cryptocorynes. Growers disagree on it, and the app shows both sides.

Root tablets for single aquarium plants

Feed single aquarium plants right at the roots. Best for quick growers, plants that crave iron like Amazon swords, and slow plants beside fast ones.

Potassium for soft water aquariums

Top up potassium, which soft water tanks run short of. Made for Amazon swords and other rooted plants, with a clear limit so you do not overdo it.

Each mix comes with the reference behind every figure, measured for your batch, pots or bed.

Good to know

  • pH: the references give 6.6 to 6.6 for aquarium and fully submerged plants in general.
  • The mistake to avoid: Pushing houseplant fertilizer sticks or water lily tablets into the soil under submerged plants. Bacteria turn their sulfate into hydrogen sulfide, which can kill plant roots.
  • Also known as: amazon sword, sword plant, echinodorus, echinodorus bleheri, echinodorus major, ruffled sword, echinodorus care, sword plant fertilizer and amazon sword iron

Questions

What is the best substrate for amazon swords?

Living Soil lists 4 mixes that suit amazon swords, each from a published reference. They include Aquarium soil layer for hard water and Aquarium soil layer for soft water. 2 are made just for it. The app measures any of them for your batch, pots or bed.

What pH does amazon swords need?

The references give pH 6.6 to 6.6 for aquarium and fully submerged plants in general.

Is the amazon swords guide free?

Its overview is free: what the guide covers and which mixes suit it. Opening the full guide takes credits, and the app shows the price before you confirm. Credits never expire.

Grow amazon swords on the right substrate.

Look up the full amazon swords guide free, and unlock it only if it is what you need.

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