Java fern flourishes in one tank, dies in the others

[Linkandnavi]

Afternoon all,

I have Java ferns in three tanks. The water parameters are the same in all, the lighting is the same (as much as can be determined over different tank sizes) and on the same time and intensity settings. Fertiliser use is the same across all tanks.

Yet in one tank the Java ferns absolutely flourish and always have done. Bright green and healthy all the time, constantly producing plantlets. Picture below.

Yet in the other two tanks they last a couple of weeks at most before the leaves turn completely black/brown (not algae, the whole leaves are just dead), die and drop off. No, or very few, plantlets. Photos below of some

Any ideas on the discrepancy?

Thanks.

 

[outofwater]

Same thing happened to me with a couple of shoots, but I suspect it's because I may have damaged the rhizome when I was splitting it what do you use for fertilizer? and do you have fish in any/all of them?

 

[Sgooosh]

Same maybe its ph
Big tank: high ph, fern dies
Small tAnk: very low ph, fern is ok

 

[outofwater]

do you have fish in any/all of them?

Nevermind, saw the pics in more detail. I guess some shoots are just stronger than others. I also have it across 3 tanks, 2 are thriving, one is faltering with a couple of leaves going dark/dying, other shoots doing OK (all from the same plant). As I mentioned, i think in my case personally it was an issue wirh damaging the rhizome or covering it too much with the glue to the point where the plant is starving.

Same maybe its ph

My pH is the same across all 3 of my tanks, 7 to 7.2. One is a 29g community tank, one a 10g with a dwarf gourami and 2 snails, and the other is also 10g, but only used for plant propagation and as a quarantine/hospital tank when needed

 

[Rocky998]

 

[Linkandnavi]

Same maybe its ph
Big tank: high ph, fern dies
Small tAnk: very low ph, fern is ok

Nevermind, saw the pics in more detail. I guess some shoots are just stronger than others. I also have it across 3 tanks, 2 are thriving, one is faltering with a couple of leaves going dark/dying, other shoots doing OK (all from the same plant). As I mentioned, i think in my case personally it was an issue wirh damaging the rhizome or covering it too much with the glue to the point where the plant is starving.


My pH is the same across all 3 of my tanks, 7 to 7.2. One is a 29g community tank, one a 10g with a dwarf gourami and 2 snails, and the other is also 10g, but only used for plant propagation and as a quarantine/hospital tank when needed

Thanks both.

Yup, all tanks stocked.

pH is around 7.2 in all tanks so don't think it's that. I do have high phosphate levels in my tap water, and therefore my tanks, but (a) that normally causes an algae issues, not complete plant die-off, and (b) that's the same in the tank that's flourishing too.

I don't think it's because I damaged the rhizomes as it's all of the java ferns, and there are loads of them in total.

 

[Rocky998]

Mine always have brown on them but not to where they die off... (Occasionally there is a bad leaf though)...

 

[outofwater]

The joy of fishkeeping. Whwre you start with the idea of putting together a few things and sit and watch these critters swim, and you end up with multiple tanks, and having to become an erudite in water quality, fisheries and horticulture

 

[StevenF]

How big are the tanks (liters / gallons) and which tanks have the prolblem. what is the stocking of each and what is the weekly maintenance (water changes (how many gallons replaced and how often) . Are you using a fertilizer in any of the tanks and if so what is the brand name and how much do you add to a tanks and how often. Generally when plants down't grow or die the cause is a nutrient deficiency. It can be difficult to determine the specific nutrient deficiency from photos alone.

 

[Sgooosh]

How big are the tanks (liters / gallons) and which tanks have the prolblem. what is the stocking of each and what is the weekly maintenance (water changes (how many gallons replaced and how often) . Are you using a fertilizer in any of the tanks and if so what is the brand name and how much do you add to a tanks and how often. Generally when plants down't grow or die the cause is a nutrient deficiency. It can be difficult to determine the specific nutrient deficiency from photos alone.

oh yeah also for my big tank i use ferts and small tank no ferts
strange

 

[Stan510]

Java ferns need potassium. You will see the end of that die off,or the "white tips" they can get. Like with using iron? Results are fast. All you really need are those two..other nutrients come in as food or manufactured as poop.

 

[Back in the fold]

I have Java Fern that is thriving in unlit tanks with room light only from a large north facing window. Last year around May / June the morning sun came directly onto one tank for about an hour until it rose out of the way. The Java Fern in that tank died out exactly like yours. I've heard that lighting changes can mess with plants and I believe it now.

 

[reptilenotfish]

javas are weird, mine were always just melting until I bit the bullet and added co2, now they are at least green. super temperamental plants.

 

[StevenF]

I have Java Fern that is thriving in unlit tanks with room light only from a large north facing window. Last year around May / June the morning sun came directly onto one tank for about an hour until it rose out of the way. The Java Fern in that tank died out exactly like yours. I've heard that lighting changes can mess with plants and I believe it now.

The amount of light a plant gets determines how fast it consume nutrients. The amount of nutrients in the water in many tanks is generally constant. Soif the lights variable too much light can cause the plants to consume all the nutrients leading to a nutrient deficiency making it difficult to impossible for plants to grow.

Java ferns need potassium. You will see the end of that die off,or the "white tips" they can get. Like with using iron? Results are fast. All you really need are those two..other nutrients come in as food or manufactured as poop.

fixiating on one nutrient generally doesn't work. Adding more of one nutrient often leads to a difficcienccy in other nutrients.Generallly better results are obtained by looking at all nutrients. Which can be difficult. But I have learned in planted tanks is that if your are not adding a nutrient it is likely deficient. So if you are not dosing a fertlzer and you have plant problems, you probably should use a fertilizer. If you are dosing a fertilizer but have plant growth issues, Liik at the table. If it doesn't have one or more nutrients those nutrients are likely deficient and only those nutrients should be added.

 

[Stan510]

Nah,Steven. With Java Fern its known that low potassium is their weak link. Iron can help make a healthier plant. MD on youtube says- And I agree- that in plant tanks with slow growers and not high lighting,potassium and iron are all you really need.
If you are pumping hi levels of Co2 and using Metal Halide or other intense lighting..then,you might have to do the old Barr formula.