Re: sword

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

Mike:
 
> Hello, Im hope you might be able to help me with my amazon sword problems. I
> just aquired some new amazon swords and i have placed them into a planted tank
> w/a 4inch layer of Flourite. I have a Mix of light 1 48 inch Flora Glo Bulb, 1
> 48 Inch Aqua Ray bulb, 4 24 Inch Aqua Ray Bulbs and 1 55 Watt Compact
> Flouresent which give me a total of 215 Watt for a 90 Gallon Tank. Well i
> notice the amazon sword leaves are thinning and becoming clear. My tank has 2
> DIY Co2 yeast reactors, 1 Co2 Fizz Factory. I use Seachem Flourish, Flourish
> Trace, Flourish Iron, Flourish Excel and Flourish Potassium throughout the
> week. My iron is at 1.0 PPM, i use peat in my fluval to lower the ph to
> 6.8-7.0. But my amazon swords continue to die, could it be that i dont have
> enough light on my 90 gallon tank?

Nope.
 
> If this is a factor i just bought a dual 175 Watt Metal Halide Kit w/ 2 48
> Inch normal output flouresents attached to the fixtrure which will provide me
> a total of 430 Watts is that enough?

More than.... 

> Any suggestions or help?

Sure, buy a gas CO2 system if you want this much light.
You are going to kill yourself trying to get enough CO2. Adding peat is not
going to grow your plant. Adding CO2 will. If you want to use the pH/KH/CPO2
table, use _only CO2 gas_ to lower your pH.

Don't spend another kilowatt on lighting, get a regulator(www.kegworks.com,
gas tank 10-20lb range, a few Clippard needle valves from
www.clippard.com(get a few since you might want to add CO2 to another tank
later and they are only 10$(get the 1/8" brass adapter for the valve MVK-4
series, 1/8" barbed. Then feed the CO2 efficiently.

Do this first. Nutrients later......KNO3 and K2SO4, you have traces. PO4
maybe if you get through the CO2, the NO3 and the K.

Regards, 
Tom Barr