Java ferns and java moss and anubias

[HugeGhost]

I have 2 huge Java Ferns and massive amount of Anubias.

It sits under a window and gets 3 hoours of direct sun plus i keep th elights on 14 housr a day 2 coral lights 10,000k

Well the jave ferns are dying and there are brown leaves along with green what should i do clip the brown leafs and replant them, should i tie the anumia to wood and have no roots in the gravel, i am thinking about taking all the gravel out since the water is not tht great and i have a school of scombs in there

and do 10 hours of light, or just keep lights off and only sun until the plants come back!

 

[WyldFya]

Clip the brown leaves and trash them. The anubia can be kept with the roots but not the rhizome in the substrate. You can root them to wood if desired though. The lighting can be either natural or electrical, but the natural has to be at least 8 hours a day. If not supplement.

 

[HugeGhost]

Well i took all the plants out and the awesome ferns are mostly brown so i am thinking i will start trash all the brown dead leafs and keep any green and the roots. Also i am puting all the anubias on wood including all the long roots.
Should i cut back on light with thse 10,000k to 8 hours a day and add some water nutrients. I want to save what i have i am really upset i thought i would have my planted dream tank and all my ferns and moss are going brown from too much light i cant win. Anybody have any advice since it gets direct morning sun of about 4 hours i think it actually burned my plants.

 

[WyldFya]

You didn't burn your plants. Don't back the lighting down. I use 650W over a 135 with 12 hours a day. Dose nutrients, and make sure the rhizomes of both the anubias and java ferns are exposed, and not buried. Brown is generally a color of lack of nutrients.

 

[HugeGhost]

You didn't burn your plants. Don't back the lighting down. I use 650W over a 135 with 12 hours a day. Dose nutrients, and make sure the rhizomes of both the anubias and java ferns are exposed, and not buried. Brown is generally a color of lack of nutrients.

will the brown live again and turn green or should i cut the hell out of it exposing only the green thanks man so much i love this planted tank

 

[WyldFya]

Cut the dead leaves off, they won't come back. They will however use nutrients, and that will affect the rest of the plant in over all growth.

 

[justin]

java fern and anubias don't like alot of direct light. Not to say they won't do well but they are low light plants. They should only get about 10 hr per day or they will brown or get covered in algae. If you want to use the natural light which you really shouldn't do I would supplement with about 7 hrs of artificial light. Both java and anubias don't need much for ferts but they would like a general all purpose fert once or twice a week.

 

[WyldFya]

Why not use natural lighting? I have seen some of the most amazing planted aquariums that have utilized only natural lighting. They have it where it can direct sunlight all day long. Why try to mimic natural sunlight, when you can use it? It is better in the lower half of the country where the light is a little more intense, and more frequent.

 

[justin]

If the light is intense enough for the plants to utilize it is alright. However most people try to keep a controlled environment and with natural light most of the time it is not intense enough for plants through windows and such. Most of the time they are just bright enough for algae to grow. Also, with sunlight going through window glass some of which is meant to restrict uv rays which is not what you want to do for plants and then go through the aquarium glass and penetrate the water column sufficiently is a waste of time for most. Just easier and better to control the enviroment you want and be able to adjust it. Also if the sunlight is too intense the window and aquarium glass can intensify the heat and change the temp in the tank significantly. Also a control factor.

 

[WyldFya]

I have seen tanks that have run on natural lighting that are more spectacular than those under lights. Mother nature has been growing plants a lot longer than any aquaculturist. If your windows are UV filtered, DON'T PUT YOUR TANK NEXT TO IT. Seems pretty obvious. As to intensity, from around the middle of the country and south, the sun is more than intense enough. The only limiting factor is if you have excessive amounts of cloud cover on a regular basis.