What kills Java fern?
Etsuko Moriyama
fern develops brownish transparent patch on the leaves. It spreads
quickly to the entire leaf, and if I cannot remove those leaves in time,
the entire fern melts. It infects (?) to other leaves which have a
physical contact. Some of unattached baby ferns (these don't have any
physical contact with their mother fern) also developed this disease. I
am removing as much as possible sick leaves I found. This disease also
have some effect on Amazone sword's and banana plant's leaves.
Every time I have this problem, I'm asking if there is anybody who has the
same experience or who knows why it happens. But so far I haven't gotten
much response. So I'm trying again. Does anybody know what is killing my
Java Fern?
The water is very soft (dKH=1 or lower), pH=7.2, 78-80 F, NO3=about 10ppm,
and phosphate level is high (higher than 0.5 maybe closed to 1 ppm. The
tap water has 0.5 ppm phosphate). I am trying to reduce this phosphate
level, because of black beard like algae... The tank is 2 years old. The
Java fern started this problem about 9 months after I put it in the tank.
The light is only 15 watt fluorescent (Sunshine bulb from Home Depo).
It's very frustrating, because when my tank becomes almost filled, many
Java Fern die off, and NO3 increases... I am thinking to pull out all of
Java Ferns, although this is one of my favorite plants...
I appreciate any information.
Thank you very much!!
Etsuko
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Etsuko Moriyama, PhD.
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Yale University
E-mail: etsuko....@yale.edu
Joe R
I encountered the same problem just after I stopped using fertilizer.
The pH, nitrate/nitrite, ammonia levels are all fine. My fish supplier
asked if I added any kind of fertilizer. Up until the leaves had turned
brown/melted I had. Now that I have begun adding liquid fertilizer (try
Tetra Florapride or Leaf Zone --which I'm using now) the leaves are back to
their vibrant green color and growing.
Etsuko Moriyama wrote in message <7s3a4k$93m$1...@news.ycc.yale.edu>...
Etsuko Moriyama
: Etsuko,
: I encountered the same problem just after I stopped using fertilizer.
: The pH, nitrate/nitrite, ammonia levels are all fine. My fish supplier
: asked if I added any kind of fertilizer. Up until the leaves had turned
: brown/melted I had. Now that I have begun adding liquid fertilizer (try
: Tetra Florapride or Leaf Zone --which I'm using now) the leaves are back to
: their vibrant green color and growing.
Thanks for the reply.
I'm using Flourish not very constantly. One problem I found with Flourish
is that it may not contain enough iron. They have another product
Flourish Iron, which I ordered a few days ago. I hope extra iron makes
any difference. But I still don't understand why Java Fern is more
sensitive to some kind of micro-element defficiency than other plants,
like Amazon, Banana Plants, Bacopa, etc. Java Fern may not be that
robust?
Etsuko
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Etsuko Moriyama, PhD.
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Yale University
165 Prospect Street
P.O.Box 208106
New Haven, CT 06520-8106
E-mail: etsuko....@yale.edu
Phone: 203-432-5581 (New phone number!!!)
Fax: 203-432-6066
higi...@email.com
mori...@peaplant.biology.yale.edu.remove wrote:
> Joe R (joe...@pacbell.net) wrote:
> : Etsuko,
> : I encountered the same problem just after I stopped using fertilizer.
> : The pH, nitrate/nitrite, ammonia levels are all fine. My fish supplier
> : asked if I added any kind of fertilizer. Up until the leaves had turned
> : brown/melted I had. Now that I have begun adding liquid fertilizer (try
> : Tetra Florapride or Leaf Zone --which I'm using now) the leaves are back to
> : their vibrant green color and growing.
>
> Thanks for the reply.
>
> I'm using Flourish not very constantly. One problem I found with Flourish
> is that it may not contain enough iron. They have another product
> Flourish Iron, which I ordered a few days ago. I hope extra iron makes
> any difference. But I still don't understand why Java Fern is more
> sensitive to some kind of micro-element defficiency than other plants,
> like Amazon, Banana Plants, Bacopa, etc. Java Fern may not be that
> robust?
>
> Etsuko
>
I've been using 'Leaf Zone'. How often do you guys add it? Can I overdue
it? I add the advised dose every week with water changes but I have been
using carbon so I'm wondering if it just depletes the 'Leaf Zone' right
back out. Thanks for any tips,
Hig
Joe R
Hig,
I use it every week. Water change twice a month. Filter cartridge
change once a month (sometimes twice). I just wish I had better lighting
than the Eclipse 3 hood I have. I have tried growing Amazon swords without
any success. The only things that grow well on my 37 gal tank are java
fern, java moss, and valisnerias... oh, and Anacharis, but that can grow
just about anywhere.
~~ Joe :-)
Joe R
At least you can grow those! I have had little or no luck with
Amazon's, & bacopas... I think it's insufficient lighting.
Joe
higi...@email.com
<joe...@pacbell.net> wrote:
> Hig,
> I use it every week. Water change twice a month. Filter cartridge
> change once a month (sometimes twice). I just wish I had better lighting
> than the Eclipse 3 hood I have. I have tried growing Amazon swords without
> any success. The only things that grow well on my 37 gal tank are java
> fern, java moss, and valisnerias... oh, and Anacharis, but that can grow
> just about anywhere.
> ~~ Joe :-)
Thanks for the info Joe,
You may want to try using 'Powerglo' bulbs in your Eclipse hood. They have
done wonders for the plants in mine over the stock Eclipse bulbs. I like
the way they make the tank/fish look as well. The 37 gal is a deep tank
and it'll be tough to get enough light for it from an Eclipse hood but the
"powerglos' may help. Thanks again,
Hig
Etsuko Moriyama
: Etsuko,
: At least you can grow those! I have had little or no luck with
: Amazon's, & bacopas... I think it's insufficient lighting.
Maybe because my tank (10G) is so small that 15 watt light is not too low
for these plants? But just today I got a glass canopy and I'm going to
put an extra 8 watt light on it. I also got Flourish Iron. So hopefully
Java fern can stay alive this time... The strange thing is that I cannot
grow Java Moss nor corkscrew val. Java Moss just disappears after a while
(I tried twice). Corkscrew val melted completely. Maybe there is some
kind of incompatibility between my water and these particular plants...
Michael Cerda
> Maybe because my tank (10G) is so small that 15 watt light is not too low
> for these plants? But just today I got a glass canopy and I'm going to
> put an extra 8 watt light on it. I also got Flourish Iron. So hopefully
> Java fern can stay alive this time... The strange thing is that I cannot
> grow Java Moss nor corkscrew val. Java Moss just disappears after a while
> (I tried twice). Corkscrew val melted completely. Maybe there is some
> kind of incompatibility between my water and these particular plants...
>
> Etsuko
I think you have too little light. Put 30 watts on there with at least two
good quality fluorscents or using compact fluorscents. Then your plants
won't melt.
-Michael Cerda
fooli...@my-deja.com
higi...@email.com wrote:
>
> I've been using 'Leaf Zone'. How often do you guys add it? Can I
overdue
> it? I add the advised dose every week with water changes but I have
been
> using carbon so I'm wondering if it just depletes the 'Leaf Zone'
right
> back out. Thanks for any tips,
> Hig
I found that adding some everyday works better than a big dose every
week.
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