Woo! So, after finally tying down ALL my plants so the plecos doesn't rip them up, they are all starting to pop up leaves and I am SO excited! Other than CO2 booster, and this Aqueon plant food I have, is there anything else I can do for my new babies? Or is this about as good as I can do? I want them to be nice and healthy. This is my first tank and first time with plants.. I want to do this right. Also, how long till a java fern starts to root? its popped out tons of babies but hardly any roots (and its finally sprouting more leaves) I have it tied down to this fake stump, or would it do better on a rock? (I cant purchase any real wood right now). ALSO, how can I tell if my plants are getting enough light? All the light seems to be hitting the plants pretty nicely but I am not sure how to tell?
Growing!
- Thread starter scrage
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Wood (fake or real) or rock is fine for java ferns (and anubias too) the new little sprouts should have some roots on them when they are ready to separate from the parent plant which they will do all on their own. The thing is not to plant them in substrate as they'll fail to thrive as the roots are very delicate.
Am relatively new to adding fertilisers and carbon so can't advise there.
How about some pictures of your new babies?
Java ferns don't need a lot of light in fact some people advise shading them a bit. They are slow growers so don't expect them to proliferate too quickly.
I've just had to reduce my photo-period from 8 to 7 hours a day because of algae tho generally 8 hours is sufficient for java ferns.
Am relatively new to adding fertilisers and carbon so can't advise there.
How about some pictures of your new babies?
Java ferns don't need a lot of light in fact some people advise shading them a bit. They are slow growers so don't expect them to proliferate too quickly.
I've just had to reduce my photo-period from 8 to 7 hours a day because of algae tho generally 8 hours is sufficient for java ferns.
I tried to get up close so you guys can see the new stuff.
cant see that one to well, but it has two new stems starting to stick out.
Theres all my plants together. So much string =( looks kind of bad but awe well. Some of the babies arent taking to being anchored down (cant really see them in this pic) and keep slipping out and getting stuck against the filter spout... but ill figure this out... some of the old leaves look really shabby.
cant see that one to well, but it has two new stems starting to stick out.
Theres all my plants together. So much string =( looks kind of bad but awe well. Some of the babies arent taking to being anchored down (cant really see them in this pic) and keep slipping out and getting stuck against the filter spout... but ill figure this out... some of the old leaves look really shabby.
The java fern pups grow at the end of mature leaves in little clumps of about 2-5 leaves. They will drop off when they are ready for independence and you can anchor to wood, rock slate same as the parent plant or leave them free floating. I have a few pups just floating around and eventually they rest up against something and attach. Depends how you want it to look I guess.
The rhizome of that java fern is growing upwards. I'd try to tie it down flat so that more roots are in contact with the stump and help it root faster. It may be more difficult for it to root on an artificial ornament than natural rocks or wood.
It's hard to explain but it looks like the rhizome is a couple of inches too high above where it wants to be anchored. Can you see where the leaf stems are sprouting from? That's the rhizome which ideally should be in contact with the base as that's where the roots are growing from. I'd perhaps even consider strapping it to the side of the stump instead of perched on top.
KieranBoyne
Moved On
Id say so. Nice plants by the way
It will probaby take many weeks to root itself down. If you want to get rid of that string sooner then you can try either fishing line, which is near invisible, or superglue (check that the only ingredients are cyanoacrylate, if so then it's perfectly safe in your aquarium). Use very sparingly though as it dries white!
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