# Less light bigger Java Fern?



## capn_kirkl (Jul 4, 2006)

I am having trouble understanding a concept... yet again

I recently purchased some Java Fern from a pet store, overall the plants are roughly 12 inches tall, and each blade is an inch or so wide. The tanks the Ferns were in were very dimly lit by some old standard fluorescent lighting. No CO2 and fish poo only for ferts.

In my situation I have grown java fern under some 20-ish spiral cf's, and the most growth i have seen was a healthy plant 5 inches tall and a half an inch wide. maybe they are different cultivars but I think not. 

any assistance?

thanks as always
kirk


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## strange_screams (Apr 10, 2005)

plants, expessially aquatic plants grow there leaves to suit there surroundings. When there is to much light, the plant will grow more compact, the leaves will be smaller and will overlap more to shade themselves. they have more light then they can use so grow the leaves smaller, when the plants do not have enough they grow large leaves , taller and more spread out in order to catch enough light, in other words they have to have a larger surface area facing the light in order to get enough of what they need

help any?

many plants simply let most of there leaves die when put into new conditions if they were different from the original as soon as they have a few new leaves suited to the new conditions


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

strange_screams said:


> plants, expessially aquatic plants grow there leaves to suit there surroundings. When there is to much light, the plant will grow more compact, the leaves will be smaller and will overlap more to shade themselves. they have more light then they can use so grow the leaves smaller, when the plants do not have enough they grow large leaves , taller and more spread out in order to catch enough light, in other words they have to have a larger surface area facing the light in order to get enough of what they need
> 
> help any?
> 
> many plants simply let most of there leaves die when put into new conditions if they were different from the original as soon as they have a few new leaves suited to the new conditions


I haven't seen this behavior. What I see is that more light, when it is accompanied with adequate fertilizing and CO2, causes bigger leaves, bigger plants in general. Small leaves, in my experience, go with less than adequate fertilizing or CO2. And, low light goes with large internode spacing, thin stems, and the plants trying to get closer to the light as quickly as possible.

This most likely depends on what specific plants we are looking at, so I can't say that all, or even most plants behave as I described.


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## strange_screams (Apr 10, 2005)

when co2 and ferts are added your creating an unnatural balance, that brings out absolute optimum growth in plants, plants naturally find this balance on there own as long as everything is within that plants needed range, with java fern of course that is a very wide range

there is also a possibility that the java fern was grown emersed, it has a slightly differnt leaf form that is larger, and then was put in water


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## capn_kirkl (Jul 4, 2006)

I really don't think that the Java fern was grown emersed. It was very well established in all of the stores tanks. Java fern and Java moss, supposedly two of the easiest plants to try to grow. Do not grow well for me. The tanks that I have seen moss and ferns go well in were pretty dim. Should i go with a Low light, but fertilized setup? Anyhow thanks for the help


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## capn_kirkl (Jul 4, 2006)

Is it that those plants like java moss and java fern, almost prefer those conditions, and they do not necessarily grow better in brighter more fertile conditions?


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## fish_4_all (Jun 3, 2006)

I had the same experience. I had low light, no ferts except some trace and had a fairly large Java Fern. When I switched to more light and started dosing all ferts it melted and never recovered into a nice lush plant like it was. Since then I can not grow it except for really tiny leaves and small growth. 

The opposite was true for the Red Melon Sword. In low light it stayed compact and very small with short leaves. Once I upped the light and dosed a lot more fertilizer it exploded into a huge plant and litterally grew out my tank in less than 3 months. Before I upped it all it was smaller than a teacup saucer.


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

I think you should add another factor. Light penetration as it relates to the depth of the plants. Ferns and moss both can grow very well in both high and low light. The deeper the plant the taller the leaf on ferns as far as moss it just grows and spreads faster with more light. Don't forget the ferts and Co2.
They to play roll in how fast and size plants grow.

Hawk


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## fishfan (Feb 19, 2006)

Hi I don't know about light strength, that is watts, but my java ferns seem to like longer light durations (hours per day) and also higher nitrates. One of my larger tanks has a higher maybe overcrowding of a fish load (more excess wastes-nitrates) and I keep the lights on longer each day than my smaller tanks and the ferns in there are growing very fast with big thick leaves.


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## capn_kirkl (Jul 4, 2006)

A big thank you for your help, everyone


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