Help with plants

[Joel Steen]

Any idea what’s going on with these ferns. Normal? Or not.

this floating plant I have grows like crazy but it’s a lil brown at times. Any reason for that?

[FLFishChik]

Well, let’s start with what your water parameters are. Then, are you dosing with any kind of fertilizer?

[Patrick_G]

In my experience Java ferns tend to grow baby plantletts when they're in distress. You could start by pulling it out of the gravel. They are epiphytes that normally grow with the rhizome attached to wood or rock, they don’t like being buried. You can attach them to the wood or rock with a dab of super glue gel or tie them with a piece of cotton thread. 
 

 

 

 

[Joel Steen]

On 5/10/2023 at 6:32 PM, FLFishChik said:

Well, let’s start with what your water parameters are. Then, are you dosing with any kind of fertilizer?

Sorry it took me a minute to get back. Had to deal with the kids and wanted to get up to date numbers. My PH is about an 8 to 8.2. Ammonia is nill and so are nitrites. Nitrates are maybe 30 ppm. I also have this light below. I have it on a timer for 3 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the evening. It’s a 55 gallon tank. I haven’t been adding anything to the tank other than a little bet of easy green barely once a week. I have troubles with black beard algae always trying to invade and I’m constantly battling that. I have no clue if I have to much or too little of something and I’m struggling.

On 5/10/2023 at 7:26 PM, Patrick_G said:

In my experience Java ferns tend to grow baby plantletts when they're in distress. You could start by pulling it out of the gravel. They are epiphytes that normally grow with the rhizome attached to wood or rock, they don’t like being buried. You can attach them to the wood or rock with a dab of super glue gel or tie them with a piece of cotton thread. 
 

 

 

 

Ok I’ll try that. Could I just float them until I’m able to do that?

[Patrick_G]

On 5/10/2023 at 7:31 PM, Joel Steen said:

Ok I’ll try that. Could I just float them until I’m able to do that?

Absolutely, they seem to thrive that way. They also seem to like plenty of potassium and aren’t to picky about light levels. They’re hard to kill but can still be tricky and it’s not uncommon to get a few brown leaves every once in a while. 

[nabokovfan87]

What is your GH in your water in the tank as well as your tap water?  What is your fertilization schedule and what fertilizer are you dosing?

The yellowish plant leaves are heavy indications of missing nutrients. The spots and holes in the old growth on the fern is an indication of either... The rhizome is buried and it should not be, choking out the plant, or that the plant is having nutrient deficiencies.

On 5/10/2023 at 5:26 PM, Patrick_G said:

You could start by pulling it out of the gravel. They are epiphytes that normally grow with the rhizome attached to wood or rock, they don’t like being buried. You can attach them to the wood or rock with a dab of super glue gel or tie them with a piece of cotton thread. 

100%. I attached a video above that helped me out with my ferns. I wrap mine with a plant weight and they just sit on the top of the substrate!

On 5/10/2023 at 7:31 PM, Joel Steen said:

I have troubles with black beard algae always trying to invade and I’m constantly battling that. I have no clue if I have to much or too little of something and I’m struggling.

Oh BBA has been invading my tank too. I understand your struggles! Hopefully we can help and gets things going in the right direction for you. 🙂

Edited May 11, 2023 by nabokovfan87
fixed video