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Picked up a Zorchzon Sword for my 35 gallon tall hex tank to add some height. Nice addition, I think. Tank specs: 175 ppm tap hardness, very low KH, and pH is about 7.4. Lighting is a mix of white low power LEDs and an 18 inch full spectrum fluorescent tube, on for 10 hours a day. I've been using Seachem Flourish, Excel, and Seachem Trace on alternate days, and the tank has a gravel substrate. It's a well-established tank, so I'm wondering if I need to add any substrate ferts for this plant.

I'd definitely recommend using substrate tabs for your Zorchzon Sword. I've had great success with Seachem's Flourish Tabs, placing one a couple inches from the crown and replacing every 2-3 months - it really makes a noticeable difference, even with your existing liquid fertilizers.

It looks like you've got two plants growing there, or at least it seems that way from the crown; you could separate them or leave them as is. However, having two plants in that relatively small space might make the area seem smaller visually.

As an aside, I think your plant is probably Echinodorus grisebachii, although it might have been sold as E. bleherae. According to Rataj, E. bleherae was considered a distinct species, but DNA analysis by Lehtonen in 2006 and 2008 confirmed that E. bleherae, E. amazonicus, E. parviflorus, and a few others are actually the same species, despite their external differences. The leaf form in your picture is the emerged form, so as new leaves grow, they'll likely look different - the submersed form usually has longer, strap-like leaves, although this can depend on light and nutrients.

Considering my existing stock of osmocote capsules, I was wondering if I could utilize them as a substrate fertilizer for my new Zorchzon Sword. I've had a surplus of these capsules since switching to water column fertilizers, which seem to work better for my Anubias and Java Fern.

fineman wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 11:17 pm Picked up a Zorchzon Sword for my 35 gallon tall hex tank to add some height. Nice addition, I think. Tank specs: 175 ppm tap hardness, very low KH, and pH is about 7.4. Lighting is a mix of white low power LEDs and an 18 inch full spectrum fluorescent tube, on for 10 hours a day. I've been using Seachem Flourish, Excel, and Seachem Trace on alternate days, and the tank has a gravel substrate. It's a well-established tank, so I'm wondering if I need to add any substrate ferts for this plant.

Using Osmocote capsules in your aquarium isn't a good idea, in my opinion. The mineflakes they contain are meant for terrestrial plants and can cause algae issues in aquatic environments. I recall a couple of threads a few months back where Osmocote use led to severe algae problems, high nitrates, and phosphates - all of which can be detrimental to your fish.

While Osmocote may be cheaper, the potential risks they pose can end up costing you more in the long run. I'm aware some members might have had success with them, but I still believe they carry inherent risks that are amplified in an aquarium setting.