# Narrow Leaf Chain Sword



## Red (Aug 20, 2009)

I am tying to grow narrow leaf chain swords but with a lot of difficulty or maybe just not enough patience.

I have a 29 gal tank 17" high with about 3" of substate (2" of flourite & 1" of gravel on top) the water temp is 78. I'm pretty sure the red eyed tetras are eating the leaves but I am still wondering if I have the correct lighting. 

The fish store recommended CO2 (which I purchased) and later the Coralife 36 T5 lighting system 30" with 36 watts (I also bought this). The store bought CO2 system basically seems to be a commercial version of the DIY setups.

Do I have the correct lighting (wattage) to grow small chain swords?


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

Here is a link to some information for the plant you are asking about

http://www.thehomeaquarium.com/chain-sword-narrow-leaf/


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## bluekrissyspikes (Apr 16, 2009)

how long have you had them? it takes them a while to settle in and start sending out runners. are you giving them ferts? i don't use any co2 or anything with them. i do give them root tabs though. i'v had them for a few months and they spread real slow for me. i started with one sickly looking one, i now how six or seven healthy ones


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Chain sword is pretty easy to grow. You don't technically need co2 to grow them, but it helps.

You probably bought one of those hagen co2 kits with the ladder. The only thing I like about them is the ladder, which I actually use with pressurized co2 on my smaller 20g tanks. The rest of it, like you said, can be done better via DIY with a coke bottle or something similar.

The most important thing about chain sword is your substrate. If you aren't using flourite or eco-complete you might have some trouble. You can add root tabs to help though. The reason is they are heavy root feeders.

They sometimes take awhile to adapt and then establish themselves (a month sometimes), but once they do you should see runners start from the main plants. You may need to plant these, as they sometimes float up above the substrate when they don't establish their roots properly. As long as you don't see them dying, you should be alright. 

I use (I think) the exact same lighting system as you do to grow it (mine is a double bulb one though, is yours?). Make sure you have the correct bulbs in though, as the stock bulbs are more useful for growing algae than plants. The bulbs you want are 6700k plant bulbs.

Hope this helps. Post a picture if you want, maybe I can tell you more.


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## Red (Aug 20, 2009)

Thanks for the tips, the plants are a couple of months old but were getting their light from the hood light that came with the tank - 20 watt T8 I think.

New lamp is coralife T5 with 2 18 watt bulbs 1 is colormax full specturm and the other is a 6700K bulb. I think I will move my 'ailing' plants to the corners of the tank and hope for their recovery and buy a new one for the somewhere in the foreground. I also bought some root tabs which I'll start using.

I do have a question on planting - my tank has 2 inches of flourite which is covered by about an inch of gravel. Do I put the plant in the gravel or rearrange the substarte so the plant is actually in the flourite?


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

I usually put the flourite on top - the roots have to reach it for it to really help.

Switch your other bulb to a 6700k plant bulb, that will help lots.


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