Java ferns.

[W]

i just did a big vacuum of my tank. My java ferns havent looked very good
since i got them. A week ago i started co2 with a bubble counter and every
week i use some liquid flourish. the java ferns have some black edges and
holes on them, they are also slightly curled inwards. the affected areas
are worse near the tips.i also added some extra light so i've had a bit of
an algae bloom. today i thought i would rub off some algae and i discovered
a bunch of things growing on the back of the leaves. i'm not sure what they
are, if i had to guess i'd say its growing new rizomes off its leaves but i
thought that was supposed to happen underground. anyone know what this is?
i'm also wonder what sort of water conditions java ferns like, ph, gh, etc.
thanks, W.

[Paulo]

Ferns shouldnt have roots undergravel

--
Paulo
"W" > wrote in message
news:L6bpc.9349$RM.3939@edtnps89...
> i just did a big vacuum of my tank. My java ferns havent looked very good
> since i got them. A week ago i started co2 with a bubble counter and
every
> week i use some liquid flourish. the java ferns have some black edges and
> holes on them, they are also slightly curled inwards. the affected areas
> are worse near the tips.i also added some extra light so i've had a bit of
> an algae bloom. today i thought i would rub off some algae and i
discovered
> a bunch of things growing on the back of the leaves. i'm not sure what
they
> are, if i had to guess i'd say its growing new rizomes off its leaves but
i
> thought that was supposed to happen underground. anyone know what this
is?
> i'm also wonder what sort of water conditions java ferns like, ph, gh,
etc.
> thanks, W.
>
>

[Eric Schreiber]

W wrote:

> i discovered a bunch of things
> growing on the back of the leaves. i'm not sure what they are, if i
> had to guess i'd say its growing new rizomes off its leaves but i
> thought that was supposed to happen underground. anyone know what
> this is?

Java fern does indeed reproduce by growing little 'plantlets' on the
leaves. They may eventually break off on their own, or you can clip
them off and attach them to a rock or bit of driftwood, and they'll
grow into whole new plants.


--
www.ericschreiber.com

[Dave S]

"W" > wrote in message
news:L6bpc.9349$RM.3939@edtnps89...
> i just did a big vacuum of my tank. My java ferns havent looked very good
> since i got them. A week ago i started co2 with a bubble counter and
every
> week i use some liquid flourish. the java ferns have some black edges and
> holes on them, they are also slightly curled inwards. the affected areas
> are worse near the tips.i also added some extra light so i've had a bit of
> an algae bloom. today i thought i would rub off some algae and i
discovered
> a bunch of things growing on the back of the leaves. i'm not sure what
they
> are, if i had to guess i'd say its growing new rizomes off its leaves but
i
> thought that was supposed to happen underground. anyone know what this
is?
> i'm also wonder what sort of water conditions java ferns like, ph, gh,
etc.
> thanks, W.
>

Hi W - You may find this useful:
http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/pjavafern.html
HTH - Dave

[Gail Futoran]

"W" > wrote in message
news:L6bpc.9349$RM.3939@edtnps89...
> i just did a big vacuum of my tank. My java ferns havent
looked very good
> since i got them. A week ago i started co2 with a bubble
counter and every
> week i use some liquid flourish. the java ferns have some
black edges and
> holes on them, they are also slightly curled inwards. the
affected areas
> are worse near the tips.i also added some extra light so
i've had a bit of
> an algae bloom. today i thought i would rub off some
algae and i discovered
> a bunch of things growing on the back of the leaves. i'm
not sure what they
> are, if i had to guess i'd say its growing new rizomes off
its leaves but i
> thought that was supposed to happen underground. anyone
know what this is?
> i'm also wonder what sort of water conditions java ferns
like, ph, gh, etc.
> thanks, W.

Java fern's pretty forgiving (pH, light, etc.) but
you need to attach it to driftwood or a piece of
rock or something, not plant in in gravel etc. I
use ordinary sewing thread. Java fern will
reproduce by growing new leaves off the tip
of older leaves. The stuff growing off
the back of your leaves - could it be algae?
I've occasionally had a young Java fern get
infested with algae.

Gail

[bottom feeder]

W wrote:
> i just did a big vacuum of my tank. My java ferns havent looked very good
> since i got them. A week ago i started co2 with a bubble counter and every
> week i use some liquid flourish. the java ferns have some black edges and
> holes on them, they are also slightly curled inwards. the affected areas
> are worse near the tips.i also added some extra light so i've had a bit of
> an algae bloom. today i thought i would rub off some algae and i discovered
> a bunch of things growing on the back of the leaves. i'm not sure what they
> are, if i had to guess i'd say its growing new rizomes off its leaves but i
> thought that was supposed to happen underground. anyone know what this is?
> i'm also wonder what sort of water conditions java ferns like, ph, gh, etc.
> thanks, W.
>
>


Just to add to what everyone else has already said;

When I first got my Java Fern it looked miserable. I eventually took
off most of the dead/dying leaves and it has since grown back beautifuly.

Attach it to some driftwood and keep doing what you're doing and it
should do just fine.

--
dan

[W]

"Gail Futoran" > wrote in message
...
> "W" > wrote in message
> news:L6bpc.9349$RM.3939@edtnps89...
> > i just did a big vacuum of my tank. My java ferns havent
> looked very good
> > since i got them. A week ago i started co2 with a bubble
> counter and every
> > week i use some liquid flourish. the java ferns have some
> black edges and
> > holes on them, they are also slightly curled inwards. the
> affected areas
> > are worse near the tips.i also added some extra light so
> i've had a bit of
> > an algae bloom. today i thought i would rub off some
> algae and i discovered
> > a bunch of things growing on the back of the leaves. i'm
> not sure what they
> > are, if i had to guess i'd say its growing new rizomes off
> its leaves but i
> > thought that was supposed to happen underground. anyone
> know what this is?
> > i'm also wonder what sort of water conditions java ferns
> like, ph, gh, etc.
> > thanks, W.
>
> Java fern's pretty forgiving (pH, light, etc.) but
> you need to attach it to driftwood or a piece of
> rock or something, not plant in in gravel etc. I
> use ordinary sewing thread. Java fern will
> reproduce by growing new leaves off the tip
> of older leaves. The stuff growing off
> the back of your leaves - could it be algae?
> I've occasionally had a young Java fern get
> infested with algae.
>
> Gail
>

Thanks for everyone's input. I have since dug up my java ferns from the
gravel. I couldnt find any drift wood i liked so i bought a couple of foot
long air stones. I attached them to it with some black thread. When i get
enough java moss i will also attach it to the air stone to help camaflouge
it. The little things on the back of the leaves are definatly baby ferns.
When i looked closer i could see the green shoots. i pulled off a few of
the large ones and put them on the air stone. i dont know how big the
baby's get before they fall off but im planning to replant some more. I'm
hoping they will all do better now that they aren't underground. W.

[Rich]

Take some good sized leaves that are just starting to turn.
Get a piece of driftwood, and wrap the java fern around the wood. hold them
on with elastics. I covered the whole log except for the bottom few inches
which was screwed into a piece of slate to keep it standing and
anchored...like a tree. Slowly you'll notice the little sprouts and in no
time you'll have jave up your.....you get the idea.
Baby fish love to hang around in there...it's really safe and the roots
provide a good grazing ground.


"W" > wrote in message
news:L6bpc.9349$RM.3939@edtnps89...
> i just did a big vacuum of my tank. My java ferns havent looked very good
> since i got them. A week ago i started co2 with a bubble counter and
every
> week i use some liquid flourish. the java ferns have some black edges and
> holes on them, they are also slightly curled inwards. the affected areas
> are worse near the tips.i also added some extra light so i've had a bit of
> an algae bloom. today i thought i would rub off some algae and i
discovered
> a bunch of things growing on the back of the leaves. i'm not sure what
they
> are, if i had to guess i'd say its growing new rizomes off its leaves but
i
> thought that was supposed to happen underground. anyone know what this
is?
> i'm also wonder what sort of water conditions java ferns like, ph, gh,
etc.
> thanks, W.
>
>