Dying Java Fern?

[chimera_786]

Hi!
I recently bought java fern (2 0r 3 rhizomes) and first planted it in the substrate which wasn't a good idea; so i placed it on a fake rock i have to make it look better. I tied it using a rubberband. Now the thing is that when i got java fern, the leaves were brown and still are. Its been like almost a week since ive had this plant. The leaves are brown and a bit shriveled. I have stock lighting that came with my tank. Am i missing nutrients that are good if provided? If so, do mention a name of some brand that makes reliable liquid nutrients.
Thanks!!

Lighting: 17W, T8
Tank: 20g
Occupants: Mayaca and java fern along with fish

PS: why is this plant often referred to as easy plant to keep? Its supposed to be hardy right?

 

[Corleone]

I use API root tabs and flourish excell on my planted tank. I used more complicated methods in the past, but had similar results this way and much simpler (I don't need to keep an appointment calendar to track what I have to put in my tank, lol), and my hornwort stopped growing out of control and clogging filter intakes.

Since it was brown when you got it, it may have been dying already. Even with hardy plants, but if they're in rough shape to start with, they might be slow to recover, in which case you may have done nothing wrong yourself. I held out until I found a nice good green one when I bought mine. The leaves on it might not recover, though it might start growing new ones. I usually pick any browning leaves off of my java fern, though I don't know if that's the best course since all of them are brown.

To be honest, I'd probably pull it out and chuck it and get one that's in good shape to start with. You could pluck the dead leaves, maybe leave any that aren't shrivled and still have some green, and watch for a week or so hoping it'll get some new growth starting.

If you get root tabs, read the instructions carefully before you buy them. Some brands have unbelievably esoteric instructions. The first brand I had started with a 2 week replacement cycle. You then added or subtracted days based on the temperature, and added anywhere from 1/4 to 3 tabs depending on pH, and there were a couple other points I couldn't even figure out. For example, depending on nitrate levels you might add a 1/4 additional dose midway through the dose cycle. API says "add one per 30 square inches of substrate surface monthly." I can deal with that.

 

[nudzy]

Hi, I had the same problem, I got some java fern through the post and shared it with a friend, it had brown leaves and brown spots on the others.

I picked all the dead leaves off left the brown spotted ones. After a month or so in my tank, It started to produce little plantlets on the end of the bigger leaves, I let them get a bit bigger as they obviously start off very small picked them off anchored them to my bog wood either with thread or wedging the roots in the crevices of the wood, (perseverance needed till they take) and left them to grow. Slowly replacing the damaged leaves with the new healthy growth.

It has taken about 6 months to replace all the damaged growth but well worth it as my friend launched all hers and is now pestering me for some of my new growth.


Try to stick with it, and the plant should recover not the leaves that are there but if it produces new plants you can use them.
if not ill try to find some plantlet (dont know whats in there as just shared the wealth with said friend ) and send them to you although they will be very small

Would post photo but photobucket is playing up for me, will send one when I get it sorted.

Good luck.

 

[chimera_786]

so i should just wait it out and hope it survives to make new plantlets? seems like an easy task. But what can i do to make it healthier...like maybe adding the liquid fertiloizers or something of that nature. If so, please do specify what fertilizers should i look into. I simply attached the fern on a fake rock that i have in the tank. Hopefully, it will work and the fern will stick to it.

 

[nudzy]

I have not had a planted tank for to long, but have added the following to my tank.

interpret treatment no2 flora boost

king british plant food no2

they are both quite cheap only around £3ish a bottle.

Dont know if they work or not or if im just lucky but my plants are green and appear quite healty.
I know there are many more people more knowledgeable than me on these forums who can help you more than me.

Just give the plant a little more time to see if it recovers, as long as you have still got some green it may be ok.

Also if you want the plant to look like its in the substrate stick it in a rock or small pot and bury that a little.

Hope I have helped a little. good luck.

 

[OldMan47]

Chimera, if you have fish in the tank, you probably have enough fertilizer for a few java ferns. If you start pushing artificial ferts into your tank and don't have the needed test equipment to verify the results you are asking for trouble in my opinion. Decent lighting for 8 to 10 hours per day, I prefer a timer for this, is all you should need to grow java ferns. Being very low light plants, java fern will do fine with about 1 watt per gallon lighting. I would go ahead and trim off the dead looking leaves since they are drawing nutrients but are not likely to recover anyway. The rhizome itself should be all you really need to recover the plant but a few of the better looking leaves shouldn't hurt.

 

[aaronnorth]

If you start pushing artificial ferts into your tank and don't have the needed test equipment to verify the results you are asking for trouble in my opinion.

why do you say that??

 

[OldMan47]

I don't want to start an argument Aaron but it strikes me that not knowing the concentrations in my tank would be a bad place to start adding chemicals that can also affect my fish. I am a fish person at heart and not a plant person so I err on the side of not impacting my fish. Sometimes that means I won't do things that other people have found to be perfectly OK. I see from your signature links that you are a plant person so probably can give better advice on plants than I could.

 

[chimera_786]

hmm..your right OM47...i should prolly get a test kit and should check the concerned water parameters before adding any ferts in the tank. I have a didiplis diandra and its doing preety good...its growing with a lot of new shoots coming out..so im guessing that the fish are providing some of the nutrients and thats good..but i will be adding new plants and that might require me to add the ferts as the fish might not be able to produce enough waste to keep up with the grown demand.

 

[aaronnorth]

Sometimes that means I won't do things that other people have found to be perfectly OK

fair enough, there are dosing methods that you can measure (without test kits for example EI:

Potassium Nitrate - 40g to 500ml of water and adding 10ml per 100L of water would give you a value of 5ppm.

And also we know that by dosing tropica plant nutrition+ as the guidlines (5ml per 50l) gives you

6ppm of NO3.

I havent listed all the elemnts but you get the idea...

most of the cheaper products you buy, only contain micro elements, and going by that they contain so little amounts that it would take A LOT to cause problems, if going by manafacturers instructions then there will be no probs, i dose my tank daily with the weekly reccomended doasge!