can i bury java fern roots in substrate?

wickerman

AC Members
Mar 12, 2005
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hi
i know java fern uses its roots to attach itself to rocks,wood etc....but can you bury the roots of this plant in the substrate (gravel,sand etc)
thanks for any help.
 
the horizontal thick rhizome is what shouldn't be buried but lay on the top, but you can stick the brown stringy roots in however you like. If they rot off it is not a problem as they will just grow more.
 
I planted my java fern and it has grown wonderfully. It did not rot. It flourished. And as a matter of fact I have more shoots comming off the leaves than I know what to do with. The java fern is also propigating from under the gravel, traveling outwards. I have heard many people say, "NO don't plant them", but having done so anyway and having had good results I can't honestly say that you shouldn't plant them! I say go for it. I did and have been very happy with it ever since! Here are some pics of mine:

javaFern-growth.jpg


javaFernGrowth.jpg


Good luck with yours!
- JP

P.S. My tank is a low light (1.3wpg), low tech (no aditives, co2, or special substrait) tank. So I did nothing special to make it happen!
 
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As was said by SnakeIce, you can put the roots of the Java Fern under the substrate, and it'll do just dandy. As long as the rhizome isn't buried, the Fern will be fine.
 
Another consideration is the substrate and filtration. The rhizome needs exposure to the water column--but will be okay if the substrate is large enough (ie, no sand), and with R/UGF filters, where the water is constantly pulled across the rhizome.
 
It also depend on the prior handling of the particular plant. I plant the baby offsets in small gravel, even without RFUG, and they do fine and will eventually form a carpet if undisturbed (big IF). I cannot substrate plant rhizomes which have be grown water-column only, they will rot.

Clarification: Java fern has no roots, they have holdfasts (comparable to macroalge in SW), which have no absorbtive function.
 
Thanks for all the help
ive have most of the plants wedged between rocks and weighted down with ties...i also have buried a few plants in the substrate(just wait and see what happens)..

PS this has to be the neatest plant ever..it just loves any thing you can throw at it :D
 
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