Java Fern - new growth problem

[Ovidiu]

Hi,

I have some issues with new leaves on Java fern and hygrophilla as they seem to become "sort" of transparent. My tank is low tech with nutritive substrate and Ei dosing once a week, half the dose recommended. Lights are on for 6 hours a day. I am still not sure what is causing this and any advice would be appreciated.

P.S. What are the black spots on the leaves of java fern?

 

[MrHidley]

Rather than dosing in one go i'd split the dose over the week. The black spots are baby java ferns (or they'll become them).

 

[Ovidiu]

So the transparent leaves are because of nutrient deficiency?

 

[doylecolmdoyle]

Have you recently added the Java Fern to this tank? I noticed when setting up a low tech tank with Java Fern that they kind of melted / went a little transparent at the tips as per you photo but bounced back with time

 

[Ovidiu]

The plant is at least one month old. At first i had some melting but after it was ok. I thought that the light was the problem but i have 11w in 30 liters for 6hrs a day with no algae and i do water changes every 2,3 weeks because i use a jbl 1501 that keeps the water clean. I dose 3 ml of macro and micro each week so im not sure its nutrient deficiency.

 

[kadoxu]

Mine was the same way, but it eventually got better... how is your water hardness? Are you dosing liquid Carbon?

 

[G H Nelson]

Looks like normal new young growth to me on the Java fern!
This growth will darken over time!
Black spots are seeds. ...eventually little plantlets will grow from them!
hoggie

 

[kadoxu]

Looks like normal new young growth to me on the Java fern!
This growth will darken over time!
Black spots are seeds. ...eventually little plantlets will grow from them!
hoggie

I don't have much experience, but from what I've seen so far, that makes sense.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Looks like normal new young growth to me on the Java fern!

The <"new expanding fronds have translucent tips">, as Hoggie says. My only thought was that normally the translucent bit is fairly symmetrical around the expanding leaf tip.

cheers Darrel

 

[Ovidiu]

@kadoxu

Last time i checked it was @18 dgh and 12 kh. I live near the sea and the water is like liquid stone. Im not dosing liquid carbon in this set up because i have some egeria densa that doesnt like it.

@dw1305

Well ,its the first time i hear that translucent tips are a good sign. I really like this plant and i hope this is not happening because of my hard tap water.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Well ,its the first time i hear that translucent tips are a good sign. I really like this plant and i hope this is not happening because of my hard tap water.

There is further discussion here in <"Some of my Java ferns...">, and linked threads. I'm not a CO2 user, so I can't pass comment on the effects of higher CO2.

cheers Darrel

 

[kadoxu]

@kadoxu

Last time i checked it was @18 dgh and 12 kh. I live near the sea and the water is like liquid stone. Im not dosing liquid carbon in this set up because i have some egeria densa that doesnt like it.

Mine is a bit harder than that... last time I got 26dGH and 16dKH.

Hi all, There is further discussion here in <"Some of my Java ferns...">, and linked threads. I'm not a CO2 user, so I can't pass comment on the effects of higher CO2.

cheers Darrel

So apparently it's too much light (considering that it would require really high amounts of CO2 on high lighting).
I had a few floaters providing a bit of a shade when it disappeared, so that also makes sense...

 

[G H Nelson]

I always considered the lighter green as new healthy growth!
Observed this lighter green leaf colour in both Co2 and non Co2 dosed aquariums!
Both have had Macro/Micro fetilizer regimes!
Incidentally l have hard Tap water!
Cheers hoggie