# [Wet Thumb Forum]-cobomba and java fern



## AquaCan (Jun 13, 2004)

I have started my first planted aquarium
I have had the tank running for about 5 months
the other day i bought a few cobomba stems and a few java fern stems
I have read around and discovered i should plant the cobomba stems seperately which i will begin to do shortly after this post
As for the java fern, it is still wrapped up in a sponge material and i dont know how to connect it to anything properly. I know i should not burry it in the substrate so its in a pot. I was wondering what i can do to tie it down to any ornaments in my tank or to any rocks

Also i was wondering if i should add any nutirients to the tank to help these plants, it is about 2wpg and just regular substrate (30gallon)
will i need to do any CO2 supplementing too?

here are some pics:
















not the best pics, couldnt seem to get a good shot


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## AquaCan (Jun 13, 2004)

I have started my first planted aquarium
I have had the tank running for about 5 months
the other day i bought a few cobomba stems and a few java fern stems
I have read around and discovered i should plant the cobomba stems seperately which i will begin to do shortly after this post
As for the java fern, it is still wrapped up in a sponge material and i dont know how to connect it to anything properly. I know i should not burry it in the substrate so its in a pot. I was wondering what i can do to tie it down to any ornaments in my tank or to any rocks

Also i was wondering if i should add any nutirients to the tank to help these plants, it is about 2wpg and just regular substrate (30gallon)
will i need to do any CO2 supplementing too?

here are some pics:
















not the best pics, couldnt seem to get a good shot


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

What I do for Ferns and Anubias is use small rocks and rubber bands or if its on driftwood is thumb tacks. I attach the plant so that their roots are close to the substrate but like you all ready stated the rhizome is not berried in the substrate. Some people use cotton thread to tie them on but I find this to be a pain. When planting stem plants you can plant each one separate or in small bunches of two or three to a bunch, they will sprout roots.

Hawk


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## AquaCan (Jun 13, 2004)

sweet thanks hawkeye








ill take some more pics when completed

since i have only 2wpg i can get away without supplements correct?
or will the cobomba need some to help it grow?


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

OH I meant to post on that too. That's what I get for trying to do post and watching football too. HEHE

Yes with a low light tank 2w/gal you don't need CO2 but I does an all around fert like Kent Pro Plant along with some potassium once a month. Ferns and most stem plants will get their nutrients from the water column.

Hawk


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## AquaCan (Jun 13, 2004)

thanks again, ill be sure to get some for my tank soon
as for now, back to the game


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

You may find that the Cabomba will struggle, or have difficulty growing roots in the substrate. It needs a lot of light. You should still add a mineral fertilizer to the water on a regular basis, even just for Java fern.

C02 will help ferns and anubias to grow a little faster and look better. The Hagen nutrifin system is easy to set up and just over $20. Check my online shop.


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## AquaCan (Jun 13, 2004)

the plants are doing great even without the co2
i added a bit of supplements today we'll see what it does over the next few days
the cobomba are growing great and are truely facinating to look at over the day, in the am when the lights turn on the tops are closed, open up as the day continues, close just a while before lights off

anyways i wanted to find out what these 'streamers' on my cobomba mean i have a pic of them








here is a pic to show the great colouring


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## AquaCan (Jun 13, 2004)

anyone know what the streamers are? and what they represent?


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## lf11 (Nov 17, 2004)

I'm pretty sure they are roots, growing from the nodes of the stems.
But I could be wrong. I'm more used to working with plants that grow on the ground, I'm new to aquatic plants.


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## imported_BSS (Apr 14, 2004)

Definitely roots. Many of the aquatic plants put them out. I typically just snip off all the ones that are visible and in a location where I don't like them. It sometimes leads to snipping the plant where I didn't mean to, but since most aquatic plants are pretty fast growing, the growth is typically replaced fairly quickly.

Brian.


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## AquaCan (Jun 13, 2004)

if i want to cut the plant and replant the top (i dont knwo the proper term for that) is it possible to just snip it at a node and replant it? if so should i snip the top or bottom of the node
thanks for all your help so far


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## AquaCan (Jun 13, 2004)

anyone know how to propagate cobomba?


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## Eric686 (Dec 3, 2003)

Go ahead and snip it just below that node where the root "streamer" is comming from. Snip back the leaves about an inch from the bottom, you don't want them rotting in the substrate, them push it in and wait. Presto you have a new plant. The other that you sniped from will either grow one shoot to replace the missing one or branch off with multiple shoots.


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