I recently (within the last 2 months) set up a 20 gallon long aquarium with dirt, fluorite, and pool filter sand.

Most of the plants seem to be doing well so far except for my swords. I have some jungle val that is shooting off runners like crazy and some bronze crypts that are also doing well, but my swords just keep losing leaves. The new leaves look fantastic when they come out, but after a day or two, they start turning yellow and get holes. I think the swords that are doing that are ocelot swords. I have another sword that has really long skinny leaves and that one just isn't growing new leaves. I pulled out one of the swords that was losing leaves and I noticed that the roots seemed to be rotting. :(

Is this due to too much substrate? (1.25" dirt, 1/4" fluorite, and 1" sand) Or is there something else going on? I have been poking at my sand to get it aerated, so I don't think that's the problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Oscar