# Need tips on growing Java fern well.



## INXS (Apr 9, 2004)

I like java fern a lot in the tank but have never been able to grow it well.

It seems that the plant always ends up with black tips and parts getting transparent. It just never seems to get vigorous, large and healthylooking.

I was wondering if anyone is able to grow it really well with good production of new leaves, large leaves and nice undamaged leaves.
If so , then how do you do it?

Mostly I am looking for waterchemistry, temperature, light and maintenence.
Thanks,
Great board!


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Among other things Java Fern loves P. It's a very heavy pearling plant so you can easily see if you are providing everything it needs. 

--Nikolay


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

First, welcome aboard. Could you tell us more about your tank. Water parameters, fert levels and lighting? A few things I have noticed with java fern is that it actually loves high light and CO2. Once it gets established, not sure how long that takes, it grows like made. I had a small palnt of about 4-5 leaves 2 months ago that now has probably 30 leaves and tons of adventegous plantlets on many of the leaves. IT is in a 10 gallon with 45 watts NO florescent, CO2 level sin the 30's and all the ferts a growing tank needs. The plant stays lower this way, the leaves only get about 4-5 inches long but personally I think it looks better that way I just moved the entire plants group and piece of drift it was on to a 5.5 gallon with 10 watts PC adn no co2, atleast yet. Growth seems to have slowed down but it still looks healthy. Hope this helps


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

I have some doing great in my 75 gallon heavily planted tank with 2 watts per gallon and ferts, but I also have some doing well in my cichlid tank with less that one watt per gallon and no ferts, just tap water. They are all reproducing.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

When I had this plant, it grew great. I had it in a 29 gal with 2.5wpg, NO3 at 10, PO4 at 1, pressurized CO2. My KH is 9.5. 
When I got rid of it, it took up about 1/4 of my 29gal. Huge leaves, and tons of babies on it. I took it to my lfs attached to some wood and traded it in for some credit.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

BTW, those 'clear leaves' you see are the growing tips of the leaves of the plant and is quite normal.


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

INXS said:


> I like java fern a lot in the tank but have never been able to grow it well.
> 
> It seems that the plant always ends up with black tips and parts getting transparent. It just never seems to get vigorous, large and healthylooking.
> 
> ...


I have my java ferns floating in a 55 gallon with a twin bulb shoplight and lol i get the best growth ever with huge huge leaves and no dying parts.... except when i leave the babies on too long... it's so neglected and it's growing just fine.


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## INXS (Apr 9, 2004)

Thanks for the replies everyone.

dennis,

yours is the kind of growth I would like to accomplish.

My local water has GH 11 KH 10, PH7.8. I have had it in tanks from <1wpg to almost 4wpg cf 5K with pressurized CO2.

In the 125 where I had the <4wpg and pressurized CO2 the temp was about 80 and I fed 10ppm of NO3 daily to keep the levels readable. All plants grew extremly well except the java ferns and red lotus.

Recently I have placed it in a 5g with 1.8wpg NO, 65-70 deg and almost no feeding where it is doing OK but not growing visably well (just very slowly).
A 10g apisto tank at 80deg 2wpg cf 5K no real feeding except from the fish , here it is growing but slowly. Still probably the best growth but it doesn't look vigorous with numerous large leaves. I am not fond of the black and clear spots on the leaves and just about all the plants have at least a little of it.

It is present in small amounts in a few other tanks but almost unnoticable.

It appears that it does the best when not disturbed by fish, and with low fishload. At least in my case it seems to do better with less light and fertalization doesn't seem to affect it very much nor has the CO2.

All the plants have come up with numerous plantlets but these never seem to grow too well.

niko,

I may try to feed a bit of phosphate to see what happens.


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

I've found that the lacy tips of my windelov makes a great home for thread and hair algae. Thankfully the plants seem to be growing well though too.  

Best,
Phil


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Well, the difference I can see is in the pH and Kh. My kH is 2 out of tap and I adjusted it to 3 or 3.5. Wiht my CO2 levels that gives me a pH of around 6.5. Maybe that is why the growth difference. My other levels were NO3- 5-10, P- 1, K- 10, and flourish 1 ml every other day. This was a 10 gallon with 45 watts NO florescent. 1x6800k 1x10k and 1x 18k(only things avaliable) Check out my personal gallery at hte 5 gallon. The entire plant is in the back middle. I moved it reciently from the 10 gallon for astetic reasons. THe bigger taller windelove and regular Java are new and have not adapted yet. The new growth in the 5 gallon wiht no CO2 and 10 watts PC is about hte same as in the 10 gallon, just slower. I believe it may have something to wiht kh or ph. Personally I would assume that the lower pH is the reason but that is just a hypothesis. I wonder what others with great growth have for water parameters?


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## plantdude (Apr 13, 2004)

make sure your ferns have a lot of light and co2. even though they are listed as a low light plant, they can and do well with a lot of light the added co2 will make the ferns pearl in a matter of no time. my friend put a small bunch of java fern on a piece of driftwood the other week, a couple of days later the driftwood was covered with ferns and they were pearling like crazy. he told me that he didnt add more. he's running about 4 watts/ gallon and a bubble and a half / second. my java fern is not growing as fast though because it is not in direct light like his, but the light level and co2 is the same.


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## INXS (Apr 9, 2004)

Thanks plantdude,

I had java fern growing in a tank with just under 4 wpg 5K cf with just under 20ppm CO2 injected and it did almost nothing for over a year.

What kind of water does your friend have ? (ph, gh, kh and temp)

Also how close to the surface is it growing for him?

Thanks


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

INXS,

How are you? I haven't seen you around anywhere in close to a year. Welcome to APC! 

Best,
Phil Edwards (Biotypical)


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

How can it not do anything for you for over a year? you mean, didn't even grow that much. Try this then, cuz this is what I have going on....I leave them floating in a 55 gallon fry grow out tank and they just keep multiplying under a shoplight with 2 40 watt bulbs. That's it dude. no heater, no filter, just water and light and fry. good luck inxs


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Well, mine sstarted growing loke mad once I started running around 30-35ppm Co2 but they really started to take off with the addition of P (in the form of Fleet enema) at around 1 ppm.


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## INXS (Apr 9, 2004)

Phil , thanks - good to be here, board looks well run.

Hubba,
my java ferns don't really float around - they sink. I do get loads of baby plants on the leaves but not vigorous healthy large leaves and that is what I would like to accomplish.

Dennis,

I am attaching a pic of my old tank. The java fern is on the bottom right, attached to driftwood. There was 3-5 original plants/clumps and none of them did well. As it was in a 125g I am guessing that the proximity to the surface had something to do with it since the tanks I am keeping it in now are smaller and the plants are closer to the surface.
Light and CO2 were good IMO but perhaps waterconditions and proximity to the surface have something to do with it. Especially since Hubba is able to grow his well floating. I will give it a try.
Thanks all


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## plantdude (Apr 13, 2004)

im not sure of the chemistry of his water but he is growing his ferns pretty close to the surface, as for mine, it is almost 15 inches deep in my tank.


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

if you can grow java moss successfullly, then java fern is no problem either....

they are not demanding at all

here's my water parameters if it helps

ph 8.0
kh 10
gh 10
no3= 0
po4 0
ca 50 ppm
mg 20 ppm


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