Aquarium plants like the sword plants (bot. Echinodorus) also want to be well looked after. This also includes regular fertilization. Find out below what and how to fertilize your Echinodorus.
How should you fertilize Echinodorus?
Sword plants (Echinodorus) should be fertilized carefully, depending on the nutrient supply in the aquarium. Nutrient balls, aquarium fertilizer or NPK fertilizer are recommended for beginners. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding dosage and fertilization frequency.
Do sword plants even need to be fertilized?
Sword plants are considered very easy to care for, but at the same time they also need a lot of nutrients. That is why it is sometimes claimed that they should be fertilized accordingly. However, this is only recommended to a limited extent. Depending on how the aquarium is cared for, the plants often get enough nutrients from the water. 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 are intended to ensure nice, strong root formation and better growth. However, if the nutrient supply in your aquarium is already sufficient, additional fertilizer can quickly lead to unwanted growth in your sword plants.
There are very different fertilizers. On the one hand, you can administer different components individually, but on the other hand, you can also use combination preparations. So-called NPK fertilizers (€19.00 on Amazon) are particularly recommended 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?
The nutrient requirements of individual plants depend not only on the water available, but also on what type of sword plant it is. Small species usually need significantly fewer nutrients than those that grow lushly. A water sample can provide information about which nutrients are missing in your aquarium or perhaps are present in too high a concentration.
How much fertilizer should I give each time?
Be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations when fertilizing your sword plants. As a rule, the dosage is given in mg/l (milligrams per liter). Just like the dosage, the frequency of fertilization should also be stated on the label of your fertilizer. If you are not completely sure, then it is better to fertilize a little more carefully.
The most important things in brief:
- high nutrient requirements for most species
- fertilize wisely
- Avoid over-fertilization, leads to undesirably large plants
- ideal for beginners: NPK fertilizer
Tip
For every fertilizer, be sure to read the package leaflet or the dosage recommendations and stick to them. Your sword plants will thank you.
