With more and more people looking to start a planted tank or try their hand at aquascaping, there has been an increase in the interest of amazon sword.
Not only is it cheap, easy to source, and easy to care for but amazon sword can also work in a large number of different tank setups too.
Although amazon sword is a pretty easy to grow in most tank setups, it can be problematic for beginners to get used to growing the plant in some tanks so we wanted to publish this article going over why your amazon sword is not growing tall.
We already have articles going over why your amazon sword is turning yellow and why your amazon sword is turning brown but we wanted to try help our readers have problems getting their amazon sword to grow tall.
Why Your Amazon Sword Not Growing Tall!
We have arranged a short list of the more common causes of your amazon sword not growing tall below and then we will cover them all in more detail throughout the rest of the article:-
- Not Enough Fertilizer!
- Unsuitable Substrate!
- Poor Water Parameters!
- It’s New To The Tank!
- Disease!
- Not Enough Space!
- Not Enough Pruning!
- Problems With Lighting Intensity!
- Water Flow Problems!
In some aquarium setups, you may actually have multiple problems from the list above that are preventing your amazon sword from being able to grow tall so keep that in mind.
There are also a number of less common problems that can also cause your amazon sword not to grow tall but they really are rare and unlikely so we usually recommend that you just focus on the problems covered in this article.
Not Enough Fertilizer!
Fertilizer is one of the key nutrients that your plants need in order to grow and amazon sword is no different.
If you don’t have enough fertilizer in your tank then it is likely that this is the reason why your amazon sword is not growing tall.
When we talk about fertilizer, we are talking about a nutrient dense product as nutrients that are essential for plant growth but some “fertilizers” really do lack the actual nutritional value so stick to one of the better known products like Flourish.
The three main nutrients that your plants need are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium with iron being the most important micronutrient.
You can get these nutrients from a number of different sources but the two most common ways to add them to your tank are through the use of fertilizer tablets or liquid fertilizer.
Fertilizer tablets are a slow release fertilizer that you add to your substrate and they will last for several months before they need to be replaced.
Liquid fertilizers are a great way to provide your plants with a quick boost of nutrients but you do need to be careful not to overdo it as this can lead to problems with algae.
Unsuitable Substrate!
The substrate is the material that you have at the bottom of your tank and it can have a big impact on the growth of your plants.
The most common substrates used in planted tanks are gravel, sand, and soil with each one having its own unique benefits and drawbacks.
Gravel is the most popular choice as it is cheap, easy to find, and easy to clean but it doesn’t provide many nutrients for your plants.
Sand is a great choice for planted tanks as it is rich in nutrients and it allows your plants to root easily but it can be difficult to clean.
Soil is the best substrate for plant growth as it is rich in nutrients and it holds moisture well but it can be difficult to find and it can be messy.
If you are using a gravel substrate then you will need to add fertilizer to your tank on a regular basis in order to ensure that your plants have enough nutrients to grow.
If you are using a sand substrate then you will need to make sure that you rinse it before adding it to your tank as it can contain harmful bacteria.
If you are using a soil substrate then you will need to make sure that it is plant safe and that it doesn’t contain any chemicals that could harm your plants.
Poor Water Parameters!
The water parameters in your tank are extremely important for the health of your plants and if they are not within the correct range then it can prevent your plants from growing.
The three main water parameters that you need to worry about are pH, temperature, and hardness with each one having an ideal range that your plants will thrive in.
pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of your water and it is measured on a scale of 0 to 14 with 7 being neutral.
The ideal pH range for most plants is between 6.5 and 7.5 but some plants, such as amazon sword, can tolerate a wider range of pH values.
It’s New To The Tank!
If you just added your amazon sword to the tank then it is likely that it is still adjusting to its new environment and it will take some time for it to start growing.
It is important to remember that plants are living organisms and they need time to adapt to their new surroundings before they can start growing.
Give your amazon sword some time to adjust to its new home and you will eventually see it start to grow.
Disease!
If your amazon sword is not growing then it could be suffering from a disease or pest infestation.
There are a number of diseases that can affect plants, such as root rot, and if you think that your plant is diseased then you should quarantine it in a separate tank.
Pests, such as snails, can also cause problems for plants and if you think that your plant is infested then you should remove the pests from the tank.
Not Enough Space!
Another reason why your amazon sword might not be growing is because it doesn’t have enough space to grow.
Plants need room to spread their roots and if they are crowded then they will struggle to grow.
If you think that your plant doesn’t have enough space then you should consider transplanting it into a larger pot or moving it to a new tank.
Not Enough Light!
Plants need light in order to grow and if your amazon sword is not getting enough then it will struggle to grow.
The amount of light that your plant needs will depend on the type of plant that it is but most plants need at least 6 hours of light per day.
If you think that your plant is not getting enough light then you should consider moving it to a new location or adding more light to the tank.
Not Enough Pruning!
If you don’t prune your amazon sword then it will eventually become overgrown and it will start to struggle to grow.
Pruning allows the plant to focus its energy on new growth and it also helps to keep the plant healthy.
If you think that your amazon sword needs to be pruned then you should carefully remove any dead or dying leaves from the plant.
Water Flow Problems!
The water flow in your tank is extremely important for the health of your plants and if it is too strong then it can prevent them from growing.
If you think that the water flow in your tank is too strong then you should consider adding a filter or reducing the flow from your pump.
