Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V6 #115

[zachary.villers at twcolumbus_com]

In a message dated 4/9/2003 6:43:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
Aquatic-Plants-Owner at actwin_com writes:


> Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2003 16:34:13 -0700
> From: "Robert H" <robertph3 at attbi_com>
> Subject: Re: re: dying Java ferns
> 
> >>My tank is daylit and receives 4-6 hours of direct sunlight a day and,
> during summer, water temperature peaks at 34 degrees Centigrade.  The water
> is soft and acidic as I keep apistos, tetras and corydoras in my heavily
> planted tank but I don't measure pH, dH and kH.  I change the water
> infrequently and only up to 20% at the most.  The Java ferns, both Windelov
> and pteropus varieties, are growing amidst a tangle of Java moss and have
> even attached themselves already to the driftwood.  But they are now slowly
> dying and I don't know what causing one of the supposedly most durable
> plants to do that.  Is it because of the summer's intense heat?  <<
> 
> Well lets think about this for a moment... a normal light cycle is 12 hours
> a day and you are only giving it 4 to six hours a day... and you said
> "sunlight only" which leads me to believe you are not providing any
> artificial light. Java fern may be hardy and forgiving, but it is not
> indestructable. What you are providing is far below any minimal light
> standard. Sunlight is fine as a suppliment to artificial light or as the
> sole source of light if it is direct and 10 or more hours a day. I can
> assure you heat is no problem for Java fern. You problem is lack of light
> and far too short a light cycle. How can a plant possibly photosynthesise 
> on
> only 4 hours a day?  And even if I am making the wrong assumption and you
> are providing additional artificial light, the symptoms still sound like 
> too
> little light to me.
> 
> 

My 2 cents here...My experience with Java fern is that it needs the 
application of a veg o matic or sledgehammer to kill it. I have a bit that I 
left in the dark all day, except when I go in to that room for laundry, etc 
for a month. On top of that its is in a tank Im not using that has an inch or 
so of water in it. It is doing just fine. Now, OTOH I had a huge colony in my 
CO2 supplemented, dosing regimented, lit with lights and all aquarium that 
just started turning yellow and dying off. After a pruning reminescent of a 
flat top hair cut and a bit of pulling out rhizome things it has bounced back 
and looks better than ever. Anybody ever see this? My theory is if you dont 
prune if for so long, say a year or so, it kind of overgrows itself and needs 
cut back to grow again.

HTH and all that,
Zach


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