Java fern trident question

[.craig.]

Hi all

anyone cut java fern trident right back to rhizome before? I received a mature plant and would like it a lot smaller and compact. I have a low tech non co2 injection tank just with added ferts, but from what I have read Co2 makes it more compact.

It will be placed high in my scape and it would like it more compact than the plant I have received which is a lot taller than required. Will cutting it back take a century for re growth in a low tech tank?

 

[zozo]

That's really hard to say and a trial and error in my experience... Even tho Java fern is deemed as an easy plant it still prefers certain specific parameters. And I'm the one that can not tell you which are best regarding low tech... Since in my high tech aquarium back then they grew like champions and in several low tech aquariums, obviously with the same water minus the CO², they always suffer and never grow to full potential.
All I can say/ask, for so far are they really that easy? A mystery to me...

But if you have or give what it prefers, as long as it is green and alive even a cut back rhizome with some roots will grow its leaves back...

 

[Courtneybst]

Hi @.craig. from my experience with trident fern, you can cut it back to the rhizome without much issue. As long as the rhizome is intact it will regrow. Trident fern has a way of being seemingly slow to grow but if you look at progress photos it is actually growing fairly quick.

In my experience, CO2 has no affect on the size. I've grown it high tech and low tech and it looked the same but just less lush and much much slower growth in the latter. I know some plants can be trained to stay small with frequent trimming but I don't know if trident fern is one of them.

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi Craig
You wont have any problems cutting it back hard!
One thing you should try to do is give the fern some flow around the rhizome as this helps produce new growth.