Aquarium plants such as sword plants (bot. Echinodorus) also need to be well cared for. This includes regular fertilizing. Find out below what and how to fertilize your Echinodorus.

The sword plant is very easy to care for, but hungry for nutrients

Do sword plants need to be fertilized at all?

Sword plants are considered very easy to care for, but at the same time they also need a lot of nutrients. Therefore, it is sometimes claimed that they should be fertilized accordingly. However, this is only recommended to a limited extent. Depending on the care of the aquarium, the plants often get enough nutrients from the water alone. Adding fertilizer would then be counterproductive.

What fertilizer do sword plants need?

Nutrient balls or special aquarium fertilizer are often recommended for sword plants (bot. Echinodorus). They should ensure a nice strong root formation and better growth. If the nutrient supply in your aquarium is already sufficient, additional fertilizer can quickly lead to undesired proliferation of your sword plants.

There are very different fertilizers. On the one hand you can administer different components individually, on the other hand you can also use combination preparations. So-called NPK fertilizers are recommended, especially for beginners. They contain the macronutrients sodium, phosphate and potassium in a composition suitable for most aquariums. Alternatively, you can also administer each component individually.

Are all Echinodorus species fertilized the same way?

The respective nutrient requirements of the individual plants not only depend on the available water, but also on what kind of sword plant it is. Small species usually need significantly less nutrients than lush growing ones. A water sample can provide information about which nutrients are missing in your aquarium or are perhaps present in too high a concentration.

How much fertilizer should I give each time?

When fertilizing your sword plants, be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. As a rule, the dosage is given in mg/l (milligrams per liter). As well as the dosage, the frequency of fertilization should also be indicated on the label of your fertilizer. If you are not quite sure, then you should fertilize a little more carefully.

The essentials in brief:

  • high nutrient requirements in most species
  • fertilize with care
  • Avoid over-fertilizing leads to undesirably large plants
  • ideal for beginners: NPK fertilizer

tips

For each fertilizer, be sure to read the package insert or the dosage recommendations and stick to them. Your sword plants will thank you.

Category:

Vegetable garden