# Java fern changing colors



## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

I've some java ferns that are turning half yellow green on half the leaf on the tip side while the other half near the plant is green but starting to fade in the green color.

Just curious what can I do natually with home items to perk them up? They are in a 5gal tub with my water change water in temp holding. No fish in the 5gal tub.


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## PPulcher (Nov 17, 2006)

How much light are they getting in your tub? That could be the problem.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

I've got one of those 5gal square long tubs. You know the hard plastic ones that held laundry detergent before they stopped doing that and went with paper boxes? Yah that one.

I have a 18" bar light in cool-white 6500k (I think 15W @ 900lm, not sure on the W or the lm right now. Will have to double check later tonight) about 1.25-1.50 feet away as I'm using some of my rack light from my mini grow rack greenhouse setup shining into the tub. I wanted to so call 'kill two birds with one stone' thus why I put the tub as close to to the light as possible to get the stray light into it. I know it's getting enough light to form slight green algae patches. As my lighting is on about 10-12hrs.

I have about 5 mid size or mature java fern plants. Plants are about 5-7" I think. I have them in styrafoam cups with aquarium (natural color) gravel with holes punched into the cups as I used to use those cups for my hydroponics plants before. In the tub I have a few malaysian trumpet snails. I do drop 1/2 to 1 piece of a sinking algae pellet in for the snails once a week.

The plants are just in temp holding till I sort out my place and have a stand or time to aquascape. I'm not sure if it's because there is no fish in there to give the nutrients it needs. I know that a planted tank gives off oxygen into the tank naturally so it can support some small number of small fish without really having an air pump. I'm thinking I may put one white cloud minnow in there just so some waste build up can feed the plants but just asking to see if there are any household/homemade items to fix this or what's wrong with the plant.

Thanks.


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## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

How long have they been in the tub and are you doing regular water changes or fertilizing at all? Yellow leaves can be sign of several nutrient deficiencies...N or P or K depending on the plant.

Low light may not be your problem but plant starvation could be.

Also, if there is no water circulation to carry nutrients to the plants, same sort of issue...nutrients have to come in contact with root or leaf. 1 small fish will not really add anything measurable in terms of nutrients for the plant.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Mr Fishies said:


> How long have they been in the tub and are you doing regular water changes or fertilizing at all? Yellow leaves can be sign of several nutrient deficiencies...N or P or K depending on the plant.
> 
> Low light may not be your problem but plant starvation could be.
> 
> Also, if there is no water circulation to carry nutrients to the plants, same sort of issue...nutrients have to come in contact with root or leaf. 1 small fish will not really add anything measurable in terms of nutrients for the plant.


No filter. Idle water only. I'm contemplating putting my sponge filter in there but don't want the MTS to embed into the sponge filter and get transfered to another tank when I put that sponge filter into another tank. Right now my sponge filter is in my 10gal tank running dual filters (AC20 & sponge). I may just put a air bubbler into the tub and adjust the air flow on my 4 way gang so the air bubbles are not raging but still allowing some movement on the water.

I'm not fertilizing them with anything other then with water change water from my 5.5gal tank which registers 40 on the nitrate on the 5 in 1 test strip. They have been in the tub since I got them like a month ago I think. Check my profile feedback as I got them when I met up with Conix67.

Edit: Met with Conix67 Oct-04-2009 (IIRC It was a Sunday when we met)


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

mts are one of the best "cleanup crews" around. I try to put them in all my tanks


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

I added a bubbler line in the tub about a week ago for some water movement. I've not noticed any change yet. I'm guessing under water plants react more slowly to change?


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## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

With low light, low ferts and maybe low temp too (you didn't mention if there's a heater) plant growth will definitely be slowed, not seeing a change in a week doesn't surprise me. Not to mention, Java fern is not exactly a fast grower under ideal conditions.

You may be giving your plants high nitrate water, but what about phosphates and potassium?

Plants need NPK+traces (either from an enriched substrate or water dosing or both) and CO2 (or at least some form of carbon) and light to photosynthesize and make use of these nutrients. Limit any one of these factors and growth slows down, that's a basic rule for pretty much all green plant life.


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