how long should java be tied down?

[kyle3]

I know this question is probably beneath you but it's my first time with a plant that doesn't belong in the substrate.

I've got a java fern i just tied onto a piece of drift wood with string

the string is ugly tho so i wondered how long it would take for it to hang on for itself.

thanks-K

[Roan Art]

This question isn't beneath anyone in here ;)

About a week or two. Every time you do a waterchange, give it a little tug and see if it's rooted or not. If it has you can cut the string.

I use dark colored elastics instead of string. Not as noticable :)

Roan

[TetraFreak]

Some folks use fishing line as well...more invisible that way!

[nursie]

I staple mine on. I use one of those little mini ones.
Good question...I starten mine in April, and am still waiting for it to attach..:rolleyes:

[only6foot6]

I used dark thread when attaching mine. I never cut it off. It just kind of disintegrated. The trick is to use a color that will not stand out.

If the color really bothers you, cut it off & try again.


I starten mine in April, and am still waiting for it to attach..:rolleyes:

Nursie - I can't believe your Java Fern has not attached yet!!! Good thing for staples.

[blue demasoni]

They make a fishing line called vanish. It's greenish in color out of the water but in it it's as close to invisible as possible. You can get a small roll(75yrds.) for a few bucks. Just make sure after it's attatched you remove the line or it could cut the plant.

[Roan Art]

I staple mine on. I use one of those little mini ones.
Good question...I starten mine in April, and am still waiting for it to attach..:rolleyes:Heh, I stapled my java moss :) Gonna staple my pelia next. That stuff is NOT supposed to float! :rolleyes:

Roan

[jazzbass]

Uh... purple string?

But seriously... I used dark brown (cotton) sewing thread, looped around the whole thing several times, and by the time the plant was rooted, the string had rotted enough to pull out. In one of my tanks, I used a rubber band and just cut the band after the plant had rooted. And on one other, I used jute (it was all I could find at the time)

[Hannys_Papa]

Heh, I stapled my java moss ...

When you say stapled - do you mean with metal staples ?

[NotGumbel]

What about attaching to artificial (resin) driftwood? Do the plants require an actual porous wood surface to which they attach?

[flyfly]

nope, mine attach to this fake log i got just fine, java moss too. not to mention rocks. ive even seen java moss growing up glass

[Yuri De Lima]

This question isn't beneath anyone in here ;)

About a week or two. Every time you do a waterchange, give it a little tug and see if it's rooted or not. If it has you can cut the string.

I use dark colored elastics instead of string. Not as noticable :)

Roan


Why not just use the rock with purple string, I thought that was what is was meant for. :joke:

[reiverix]

I use black rubber bands when it's not too much of a hassle to loop them on otherwise I'll use staples. With plantlets I just stick the roots in the substrate. After a week there's usually enough gravel attached so I can lay them where I want.

[lucas68]

Why not just use the rock with purple string
I’ve been waiting for that.


Some folks use fishing line as well...more invisible that way!
I also recommend the fishing line, just remember to remove the hooks. I use it for my java moss and java ferns. It isn’t very noticeable and it won’t break down before the plant grabs hold.

[jillzee00]

That's not the beta--it's the cats. They think it's their water bowl.

[ari]

i used fishing line, the trick is never tie the java ferns too tigh. it takes about a year for the roots to really establish themselves on the diftwood, in most case, u dont need to remove the fishing line, ...the roots will cover them over in good time.
java ferns are slow growing ...so give them time and leave them alone.


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y209/masijo/DSCN3285.jpg



http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y209/masijo/DSCN3271.jpg

this is my geophagus setup...amazon sword plant would really be nice in this setup ..but then they would never get a chance to grow with a pack of digging geophagus around.
i tied java ferns high up, so the geophagus never bothers them. the lighting is low...and suits the fern well.

[NotGumbel]

Very nice tank, Ari, and good tips on fastening down the ferns, too :)

[SynoSteff]

I just baught a java fern and simply put the root ball through a hole in my driftwood. Will it survive like this? Or must i actualy tie it so the root mass is actually pushed up against the wood?

Ari, did you take those photos at an angle on purpose? To prevent a reflection from the flash?

[mandimoron]

I just baught a java fern and simply put the root ball through a hole in my driftwood. Will it survive like this? Or must i actualy tie it so the root mass is actually pushed up against the wood?

I think you'll be okay without tying it down, really. I tried fastening my java fern to some driftwood with some hemp, but I think my fish figured out how to untie knots. O_o The string came loose after a couple days, but the plant's still where I had attached it. I think that as long as there are some good nooks and crannies for the roots to tuck into, you'll be cool without tying it down.

[wesleydnunder]

I use green twist tie that comes in 100 foot rolls called Twist-ems. I get them at wally world. Usually I can remove the tie after a month and the java fern is rooted. Bolbitis and anubius take considerably longer. I use the fishing line for riccia because I never can get it to root to wood, so the line stays there and is eventually covered.

Mark

[Rebgen]

I recently attached a java fern plantlet to a large driftwood piece by weighing it down with one of those lead strips that come with bunched plants. I just set it down on top of the trailing roots from the rhizome and they attached to the the branch in less than two weeks. Worked like a charm.