wolfdog01
- #1
So after a long battle trying to deal with Java fern's slow growth, I decided to trash them and get a new plant, one that I would have to trim once a week. I had posted about my idea for Anacharis and I got many people suggesting other plants. One thing I did read was that this plant may not do well in higher temperatures. Either way I wanted to try it. I got my first batch around late April, it came from Petco in a plant and snail tank that was kept around 74F. I tossed the plants in after a salt dip for snails but within a week and a half they all melted. I was frustrated but I had been to one aquatic store, Aquatropics, in Gainsville during that time. They had Anacharis and their entire store was heated to 80F, they didn't have tank heaters. So I got three bushels for what it would have cost for a small Java fern. I am posting this because I have heard many people say they cannot grow it in warmer waters, I want to share how I did it and hopefully help people. 1.5-2ml of Flourish twice a week. Light is a Finnex Stingray LED Razor thin. 20 gallon long with a betta and two nerites. Temp is about 80-81F.
I got those plants on May 14th, and this is how I took care of them. Sorry if the post seems a little basic and simple, I didn't write down anything I did, it's all from memory.
5-14-18: Salt dipped for snails and floated the plants. Every morning I got up and ran my fingers through the leaves and rubbed every stem to get off dead leaves.
5-21-18: Continued rubbing plants and started to pinch off dead stems. Started getting roots.
5-22-18: Planted the stems very loosely in the gravel using polymer clay holders. Got rid of a lot of dead stems, kept the best looking ones.
5-28-18: Pinched off very little stems, the plants were mostly left alone.
6-2-18: Began a DIY CO2, made a light holder. Pinched off all of the new growth, trashed all of the dead/dying parts and used the polymer clay holders to put the new growth in.
6-3-18: Changed my mind, planted them directly into the gravel probably half an inch deep, mainly just to get the roots in. Stopped gravel vacuuming during water changes.
6-9-18: Plants suddenly shot off, pretty thin, I think I will cut back on dosing ferts to once a week.
6-17-18: Not a ton of new height, mainly focused on new shoots, cut and planted some small pieces. Going to continue dosing twice a week, added a Fluval ceramic diffuser for my DIY CO2 and a filter media bag to the output of my filter to baffle surface agitation.
6-22-18: Made my first huge cuts, planted ones that had roots, floated the big one.
6-26-18: Bigger cuts were made and more plants were put into the gravel. These floaters will be the last ones I plant, running out of room.










I got those plants on May 14th, and this is how I took care of them. Sorry if the post seems a little basic and simple, I didn't write down anything I did, it's all from memory.
5-14-18: Salt dipped for snails and floated the plants. Every morning I got up and ran my fingers through the leaves and rubbed every stem to get off dead leaves.
5-21-18: Continued rubbing plants and started to pinch off dead stems. Started getting roots.
5-22-18: Planted the stems very loosely in the gravel using polymer clay holders. Got rid of a lot of dead stems, kept the best looking ones.
5-28-18: Pinched off very little stems, the plants were mostly left alone.
6-2-18: Began a DIY CO2, made a light holder. Pinched off all of the new growth, trashed all of the dead/dying parts and used the polymer clay holders to put the new growth in.
6-3-18: Changed my mind, planted them directly into the gravel probably half an inch deep, mainly just to get the roots in. Stopped gravel vacuuming during water changes.
6-9-18: Plants suddenly shot off, pretty thin, I think I will cut back on dosing ferts to once a week.
6-17-18: Not a ton of new height, mainly focused on new shoots, cut and planted some small pieces. Going to continue dosing twice a week, added a Fluval ceramic diffuser for my DIY CO2 and a filter media bag to the output of my filter to baffle surface agitation.
6-22-18: Made my first huge cuts, planted ones that had roots, floated the big one.
6-26-18: Bigger cuts were made and more plants were put into the gravel. These floaters will be the last ones I plant, running out of room.









