Re: Re: re: dying Java ferns

["Robert H" <robertph3 at attbi_com>]

>>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.<<

Ah, no... I have had java fern 3 years old, 15" tall, 8" rhizome, with
multiple layers of plants growing out of the leaves, the whole thing had
about a 6" girth.  Never once trimmed the leaves off the rhizome or trimmed
the rhizome.  My only "pruning" was removing some of the plantlets
occasionaly growing from the larger leaves. With good light on a 12 hour
cycle with C02, none of the leaves ever turned black. The tank temp was kept
at 82F

Robert Paul Hudson
www.aquabotanic.com