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Growing Java Fern and Bolbitis

Tom

Member
Joined
8 Sep 2007
Messages
2,631
Location
Kawanabe, Kagoshima, Japan 鹿児島県南九州市川辺町
Ive never been able to grow Java Fern well in any of my tanks, and in the 3-4 months my last setup was running it grew maybe 5mm. Does it need special fert/water requirements to grow well or is it really that slow? It looks perfectly healthy, just vertically challenged :rolleyes:

Also, I've heard Bolbitis sp. is hard to get to grow to start with. Anyone know a preferable pH or other water quality for good growth?

Thanks,
Tom
 
bolbitis was the first plant i ever really grew, it took over my tank

low light no fertilisation, just hard london tapwater straight from the hose pipe

it needs a current and i had luckily postioned it on wood near the filter return
 
I find my ferns do a lot better with more light, they always looked a bit dull when grown below >1.5WPG, give the same fern more light and it does great for me.
 
they are also huge nitrate sponges. in an old school zero nitrate tank they will not do well. i'm sure you are using EI so maybe up the nitrate a little. just a thought.

this one is definatly no older than 2 years. itwas georges, this pic was taken just after i bought it from him. it did suffer in my tank for a while until i doubled nitrate dosing. no recent pics i'm afraid as that tank is now at work and doesn't get too much attention. less ferts going in = smaller plants and less maintenance. it oesn't lookas striking now which is a shame but there's only so much you can do in a lunch break!

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Thanks. So more light and more NO3?

If I was using ADA ferts, would I just increase on the Brighty Special Lights? Or buy KNO3 as well or whatever to add it?

My Java was pretty shaded in the tank as it was under a thick Java Moss branch so maybe thats the answer.

Tom
 
Guys,
Be very careful about adding more light. More light equals more problems and less margin for error. If you add more light you had better add more of everything. More light -> drives more CO2 demand -> which drives more nutrient demand. To avoid trouble I would first add more CO2 and more nutrients. I can't say too much about Bright Special Light. It appears to contain NPK and traces but the price tag scares me. There's nothing very bright or very special about paying £22 for 500ml of this stuff when the same can be had at a fraction of the cost via the dry salts sold at AE (well, OK the bottle does look pretty special).

You didn't mention what your dosing scheme was but you can dose per EI, or, if there is a lot of plant mass double the dosages. I'll be willing to bet that better CO2 application will speed up growth.

Cheers,
 
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