Java fern Propogation

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
It is very possible, but very difficult, as the plants will need many nutrients, and the fish will grow changing their needs. As to filterless, my tank has had it's filter off for more than a week, and I keep discus.
 
WyldFya;983769; said:
CO2 is not needed. What are your parameters, and lighting? Also, do you have ferts?
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Sorry it took me sooo long. No ferts at this time. Here's some water params from my test kit:
nitrate 20 ppm
nitrite 0-.5 ppm
GH 150 ppm "hard" ***
kH 120-180 ppm "ideal"
pH 7.8 alkaline

Lighting I'm using is the bulb that came with the hood (original):
Eclipse "Natural Light" F18T8
F18T8/24 (Cool White, 24 Inches) 18 Watt, 24 Inch T8 Cool White Fluorescent Appliance BulbProduct No. 365205Length: 24.000Brand: Philips Lighting CompanyShape: T-8Base: Medium BipinFinish: White-CoolColor Temperature: 4100KDiameter: 1.000CRI Range: 62Wattage: 18 Watts
Got the bulb info on the web. Hope this helps.

***I also want to soften my water to around 6. do I have to add peat to the filter or are there other methods?

Thanks to all!!:D

:popcorn:
 
i know java fern is a low-light plant, but i think giving it a low amount of 6500k+ light is what it needs, instead of that 4100k you got. a lot of 4100k doesn't equal a little bit of 6500k.
 
ThePBM;1001125;1001125 said:
i know java fern is a low-light plant, but i think giving it a low amount of 6500k+ light is what it needs, instead of that 4100k you got. a lot of 4100k doesn't equal a little bit of 6500k.
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Not true. Java ferns will grow under just about any light. Even 2800K incandescent bulbs. There isn't much wrong with your tank... You might consider upgrading the light a little, to a T12 bulb with 6500K lighting.
 
Headrush;997621; said:
I'm imagining that its possible to have the right balance of fish and plants such that the fish waste/bio created can support the plants.

Could this be possible in a small tank like this? I have heard of people with filterless tanks before but wasn't sure what to think of that
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Your only possible problem is going to be Potassium. Even in a perfect setup, you will more than likely still need Potassium. I have my 26G bowfront setup with java moss, and I have zero algae. I also have a total of 28 fish in the tank. I do minor gravel vacs weekly with a 50% PWC, then about every 4-5 weeks I do a more thorough gravel vac, and a 75%-80% PWC. The tank has been in operation over 2 years now with no algae, and no glass cleaning whatsoever. Perfect harmony. The only thing I dose is a bit of Potassium once a week. Nothing else.
 
ThePBM;1001125; said:
i know java fern is a low-light plant, but i think giving it a low amount of 6500k+ light is what it needs, instead of that 4100k you got. a lot of 4100k doesn't equal a little bit of 6500k.
Click to expand...

Depends on the bulb. Yes, 6500k bulbs are great bulbs for plants, but some of the others are as well. It is all in where the spectrum is. You want a bulb where the peaks are in the blue and red. And what causes algae is in older bulbs, the blue side of the spectrum slowly shifts towards the red. That is why it is recommended to change regular florescents every 9-12 months. CF's go a bit longer, I change mine every 18 months, whether it's needed or not. But from what I've heard from other people, CF's don't shift much at all, and can actually be used til they burn out. But regular florescents, 12 months max. for me.

I wish I could find the article I once saw on another site. They gave an excellent description on exactly what to look for in a bulb for a planted tank. Will keep looking.
 
Man you guys know your stuff. :eek:

I think I'm gona sit tight with this set up except I might investigate some ferts I can use, but I'll keep it pretty basic and learn from this set up. The bulb is probably due for a change since its almost a year and a half old.

Since I swiitched to sand about a month n a half ago, I was thinking I might want to change water w/o gravel vacs for a while. Wouldn't this help improve the substrate (nutrients for the plants)? My w/c schedule is around 30% per week

Thanks to everyone for all the GREAT advice. Sorry for all the newbie questions
 
I would continue gravel vacs in all areas except where there's plant roots. You don't want a bunch of crud building up, possibly creating anaerobic pockets under the substrate. Around the plants, the roots will help against this, but where there's no plants, you don't want the crud building up.
 
yes I did a 30% w/c last night and I try not to disturb the roots which is easy to do with this sand substrate. Will start looking for a basic fert with potassium and see how that works
 
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