Best conditions for Java Fern

[wcknight]

A simple question for Java ferns: What is the ideal growing conditions for Java fern. I've got a few Java ferns, and I've gotten conflicting information about it. Some sources say low light, another says bright light.

In the past when I've had them under bright light, 2 (20 watt florescent tubes in a 20 gallon aquarium) they have withered and wasted away. The leaves usually turn brown and deteriorate. However, in low light (in the aquarium stores) the leaves turn very pale and thin.

Without getting into CO2 injections what is the best growing conditions for them ?

thanks, Wes

[whuntley]

Without getting into CO2 injections what is the best growing conditions for them ?

thanks, Wes

Water that is not too soft, and has a good balance of the essential electrolytes will let them flourish in a wide variety of lighting situations.

I vaguely recall that they are particularly sensitive to low levels of magnesium, so a wee bit of Epsom Salt might be worth a try. Otherwise, a good electrolyte mix like Seachem's "Equilibrium" might perk them up.

Wright

[budak]

Highish light + no CO2 injection tends to produce withered or distorted ferns. What's your temperature? I have found quite consistently that temperatures above 29C stops ferns from growing. They also like good water circulation. What format (pre-tied, loose, etc) and how did you place the ferns? Sometimes people tie the rhizomes to wood/rocks like they are garrotting a hog.

[rthien]

Wes,

I've had a lot of success with Java Ferns and Narrow Leaf Java Ferns (NLJF) in my tank.

My tank is high-light (288Watts for 80gallon) and has lots of CO2 (3bps). I dose it with TMG almost every week. I tie the JF on driftwood and also bury them in my substrate, either way it grows well. Kwek Leong did share with me that growing them in substrate will produce longer leaves for NLJF and that holds true in my tank. I place them very new my water outlet as I read somewhere that the JF thrives in that environment. Also, I have a chiller that keeps my water temp at around 24.5-25.0C.

Hope this helps!

Cheers,

Roger

[FC]

I knew of a tank that grow Narrow Leaf Java Fern very well and the conditions are like what Roger has too. Under these conditions, they grow very rapidly and the leafs are jade green and very clean (no spots at all).

[Piscesgirl]

For the longest time, I could grow all kinds of nice, more rare, plants, but could not for the life of me get Java fern to grow. My water is soft and acidic.. However, now several of my tanks that have harder water (with Onyx sand), and/or some bit of calcium/magnesium supplementation are showing a bit of java fern growth. So, I would agree with what Whuntley (Wright) says.

[timebomb]

I used to have prolific growth of Narrow Leaf Java Ferns in my tank. I don't think CO2 injection is necessary but the ferns probably do better under low light and cold water. Under high light conditions, the leaves of the ferns tend to develop many green spot algae. Under low light, the leaves remain clean. Here's the proof:



Whatever Narrow Leaf Java Ferns I have now, I tie them to rocks. After a while, the stems grip to the rocks tightly and it's okay to cut away the strings.
See - no strings



Loh K L

[wks]

I have a mainly java fern tank that is doing very well. Below are my tank's parameter
Tank size: 1.5 ft
Filtration: Liberty filter
Light: No artificial light, only sunlight from the balcony
CO2: No CO2
Temperature: 26-27C, no fan
Fertilization: 1ml of Dr Malick's Lushgro-Aqua and one drop of Lushgro-Micros. 5ml of blackwater extract. Once a week during water change (50%)
Other plants: Annubias barteri var nana, some cryptocoryne and christmas moss.
Fish: A pair of Apistogramma agassizi, 3 Otocinclus affinis and a guppy.

I hope the above information will help you.

Jason Wong

[wcknight]

Thanks everybody.

I have my plants in a tank that has strong light, but is fairly warm (22 to 24 degree), probably low in desolve minerals as the tanks is fairly new and with very few fish (2) and I am making partial changes weekly. (I am setting this up for a future Killie tank)

I will try some of the suggestions, and see what happens,

A few years ago, I had a tank full of Java ferns and I seem to remember not having an heater in that tank, so it may be that the cooler water helped, also, I rarely made water changes in that tank so the water probably was quite hard and acidic.

thanks much, Wes

[wcknight]

What is TMG ?

I found some plant enhancing solution that has magnesium in it and mixed some in my fern tank. I'll leave the lighting conditions for now and see if this helps over the next week or two.

The ferns are mostly just sitting on the gravel, I have plant anchors attacked, but they are not tied to anything and they are not really embedded in the gravel.

Later on if things don't improve, I may try soem CO2 injection. I saw an article for a 'poor mans" CO2 injection system. You get a 2 liter bottle and fill with water, sugar and yeast. Attached an airline to the bottle top, seal and run the airline to your tank.

regards and thanks again, Wes

[ruyle]

What is TMG ?

Wes, that would be Tropica Master Grow, good stuff.

Bill