First foray - adventures with Java Fern

Hey folks,

I've just bought 4 jave ferns and am putting them in my set up (crushed coral substrate, rockwork decor).

Am I ok to just remove most of the green gunky stuff from the roots and put the plants into holes in rockwork which are tight enough to secure the plant ? (A friend used pre-bored rock for his and it seems to have taken nicely so I was hoping I would not need to go fiddling about with bits of string etc as my rockwork has basically the same characteristics). I gather that Java is a) indestructible within bounds and b) not an attractive nibble for fish - correct ?

I also got 3 vallis and these I have just put into the substrate - again am I doing this right (I know these are riskier with africans and may become a dietary supplement ).

The lights are on a timer - I'll set it for 10 hours on per day.

My reason for adding the plants a) to educate myself a little bit and b) even though I am keeping africans [who may of course devour everything ] I thought that in a closed system such as an aquarium live plants would still have a good role to play in removing dissolved organic compounds from the water and c) I wanted to break up the vertical line of sight a bit in the tank as some of my stock is terrrorising each other/every other fish in there.

I must say, having stripped out a load of fake silk plants and gone to a very minimalistic look with just the rocks, I really like these real plants - there's no comparison.

Nitrates in the tank would not reach 20 in a week, based on a weekly change of 25 - 30 % tank volume (probably a 40 - 45% change of actual water volume). Should I be thinking about reducing volume of water changes ? I would prefer not to fertilise.

Any other tips/alternatively tell me how wrongly I am doing it and what to do instead ?

Hey Coler,

First off, congrats on the move to real plants... I sense a \"no way am I going back to silk plants convert\" hehehe

The Java fern will do great pushed into the rockwork. Yeah, take off as much of the rock wool \"green gunky stuff!?!\" as you can without damaging the roots too much.
Then just gently press it into the gaps in your rock.

Java fern is certainly not indestructible, but I know what you mean, its a hardy little plant. One thing that gave my confidence a severe knock when I started in planted tanks was when a veteran of planted tanks told me \"if you kill java fern you shouldnt keep plants\"
Then mine rotted.... !!

So dont worry if this happens. Yes, java fern and vallis are some of the most hardy plants you can get and they should grow well, but if you're local water isnt right then they will die back.

Also, your Java fern may rot as mine did. Dont panic, this is a defense mechanism of the plant as it adjust to your particular tank setup. It will shed it's leaves, but the rhizome will remain and should start to grow back after a couple of weeks. Mine did, and its now dominating the centre of my bogwood tank.

Watch for the vallis in the gravel. You dont say which variety of vallis you have, but it should never have its rhizome covered with the gravel. Just push it in deep enough that the roots are covered.

This is especially important if you have Vallisneria Corkscrew (the twisted variety) as one piece of gravel inside a twist and the whole plant could rot and die back!
You dont want soft water either, vallis will survive in soft water, but only really thrive in moderately hard water.

Hey Cardnim - thanks a million for the reply that's excellent information.

Another quickie - I just remembered I didn't take off the metal binding the Vallis root; this I take it is extremely foolish and I should take it out right now and remove (I am just off to do that now).

Thanks again - you're dead right on not returning to silk plants; I'm ridiculously chuffed with myself

Hey Coler,

I wouldnt worry about the lead weight on the vallis. It will help keep it on top of the gravel so I actually think if you can, keep it! Its doing you a favour.

Vallis will send out runners to duplicate itself and these will be able to grow past your metal strip no problems.

Like I said, the biggest killer of vallis is rot, and this happens if its buried too deep, so if the lead weight is holding it on the gravel, then Id stick with it

If you want another hardy plant that could do well in most tanks, hygrophilia polysperma would be an excellent choice.

Alternatively, give us your water readings (GH/KH & light levels) and we could maybe recommend a few more if you want them

great - I'll just barely tuck the Vallis in so, leaving the metal on.

I'll get back with the hardness readings - I'm thinking either ways the choice is pretty scarce bearing in mind these are malawis and tangs, but keeping everything crossed that these plants do well and you wouldn't know where it would end up

(on a side note, the large scale re-arrangement of rock and the plants have certainly spooked the aggression out of them for now...wimps...admiring the flowers )

thanks again.