Java fern care

[MSmith]

I got a couple of Java ferns for my 20 gallon this weekend, based on everything I'd read about them being hard to kill. I have a black thumb when it comes to non-aquatic plants. Also they sounded like the one of only things that would have a shot at surviving in my <1 watt/gallon tank. Obviously I don't need to worry about CO2 addition, but should I be adding some kind of fertilizer? If so, what?

Thanks,

Melissa

[djlen]

Tell us a bit about your tank. Any other live plants? How many fish? The fish are supplying some of the nutrients they'll need.
The lighting is probably adequate for Java.

Len

[MSmith]

It's a 20 gallon (high, not long). It has 6 glowlight tetras, 6 zebra danios, and 5 cory trilineus (sp?). I'm planning to add one of my bettas this weekend. It's been set up since the beginning of December and is fully cycled. pH runs around 7.8. I do weekly water changes with gravel vacuuming, but I think I'm overfeeding my fish as my nitrates tend to be fairly high (40 or even a little higher) by the end of the week. I have pengiun 125 w/biowheel for filtration.

Right now, the two Java ferns are the only live plants. The rest are plastic, but will be switched to silk before I put in the betta. If I can get these to do okay, then I'll probably gradually try to switch out the fake plants for real ones. Are there any plants other than Java fern and Java moss that can survive with <1 watt/gallon?

Thanks.

[Captain Hook]

Crypts and anubias are pretty hardy and should be fine. They grow slow though and can be susceptable to algae on their leaves.

I grow dwarf sag, vals, and anacharis with a 20 watt bulb over a 35 gallon tank, so way less than 1 wpg.

[goldfish freak]

I believe that all plants should be fed with fertilizer and micro nutrients regardless of type. How much and how often will depend on how many plants you have in your tank, how fast growing they are, how much light you have over the tank and if you use Co2 injection.

[TKOS]

I don't think you will have any trouble with your Java Fern. It may not grow really fast or much at all, but I doubt it will die if you keep things the way they are. Be careful when dosing ferts as too much will lead to algae problems as the java fern are slowed by the low light.