Best Way To Fertilise Java Fern?

[ellena]

I have these in 3 different tanks and none of them look very happy. One lot is very black and making babies by the bucketload. The other 2 only make a couple of babies and are green but with black patches/spots.
I did use liquid ferts but I'm having trouble cycling my tanks, so doing lots of water changes, so it felt like I was taking them out as fast as I was putting them in. So I bought some tablets and tucked one under the elastic I have holding the ferns on. It disappeared in a couple of days though.
How long does it take for them to get a grip on the rock/wood? I've had these about 10 weeks now and they're still completely free?
Thanks for any tips-I have java ferns for their easy reputation, and I'm struggling even with them!

 

[Geoff1991]

You may get away with dosing TPN or TPN+ weekly, whats your lighting, any co2?

Edit, rooting time varies, usually depends on co2 and light as it will grow faster in high light/co2

 

[ellena]

That's the problem, if I wasn't having to do so many water changes, I could use a weekly dose fertiliser, but most of it's down the sink after a couple of days.
Not sure on the lighting on all of them. 1 is def. 6w on 5.5 gall. One is I think 11w on 3 gall and the other also 11w on 6.5 gall. I'll check at home tonight though. No CO2 on any of them.

 

[Geoff1991]

You could always divide the recommended dose by 7 and dose that daily. Would work the same.

 

[ellena]

Ah! Good call-I'll try that, thanks

 

[Geoff1991]

No problem, just dose it after your water change. Will be fine.

 

[Bobtastic]

How exactly do you seperate the baby plantlets from the parent plants without ripping the parent to shreds?!