How Many Hours of Light?

[KageBunshin]

I have two betta bowls both with java fern in it. I have a 23 watt lamp over both of them. My question is... how many hours of light to they need to stay a live?

 

[StarOrbs]

I don't think java fern requires much light but I'd say about 8-10 hours a day would be sufficient. Just make sure it's attached to something like a piece of driftwood or something like it. You can put it into the substrate but it just won't get as green. Good luck.

 

[George Farmer]

It should be fine with as little as four hours in a 24 hour period. This will keep algae down too, I'd recommend just having your lights on when you are viewing i.e. for four hours before to go to bed.

 

[Joel]

so you dont need lamps over them, just the lights of your room on?

 

[KageBunshin]

Thanks! I'll tell my mom not too turn off the lights. The betta's like it! Here is a picture.

 

[jimbooo]

wow how weird, i just finished a makeover of my Bettas 4 gallon.

he has an 8W T5 tube over the tank with a pygmy lamp built into the lid. i have just finished harvesting my BIG java fern from my 10G and did the whole tie onto bogwood thing. really fiddley but worth it in the end.

Bruce is much happier now.

 

[mandi]

so you dont need lamps over them, just the lights of your room on?

I don't know the "correct" answer to that, but in my betta bowls (well, kritter keepers really -- just like the one KageBunshin posted a picture of) I have java fern and it seems to grow just fine without a light directly over the tank (just the light in the room). I've had it in there about 5 months or so, and it seems ok.

 

[Yenko]

I'd suggest buying a timer that can have two 'on' periods per day and giving your plant two 3 hour lighting periods divided by two hours. You don't need anything fancy; home depot sells a great product for $3.

 

[Yenko]

I forgot to mention that I grew Java Fern very nicely in a ten gallon tank with 50w of Incadescent lighting, which is less than 10 watts of flourescent lighting. It actually isn't growing any faster in the same tank which now has 26 watts of lighting and CO2.