Java ferns in sand... OOPS! maybe?

[Mad Professor]

Well tonight Just bought some java ferns from petsmart for my bedroom tank. The 10 gallon has a sand substrate, and I'm reading a Drs. Foster and Smith Catalog *right now*. Turns out They should never be planted in sand.

So now what?

Have I render myself useless for all plants because I use a sand substrate. My 29 gallon project is coming along *needs lighting* but it has a sand substrate.

???
~Mp

 

[Jchillin]

No big deal. Only plants that have rhizomes (java ferns, anubias, etc) need to be tied to wood or rocks. All other rooted plants will do fine in sand. Rhizome plants draw their nutrients directly from the water column and their roots will wrap around whatever is holding them down.

 

[GlitcH]

U can just tie your java fern to a piece of wood or rock with some sewing thread and by the time the tread has degraded......the fern should have taken hold.

 

[7Enigma]

U can just tie your java fern to a piece of wood or rock with some sewing thread and by the time the tread has degraded......the fern should have taken hold.

I just use some small stones (quartz rock from a $4 50lb bag) and hold down the roots on the sand. Works great, and after a couple of week the roots grab hold of the rocks/substrate.

 

[newfound77951]

I accidentally left a small Java fern sitting on the gravel but not planted in it....went to move it yesterday and it had grown roots down into the gravel pretty firmly. So sand or gravel isn't bad for them, just don't bury the rhizome!

 

[bmg213]

Can the roots of the Java Fern ever be trimmed? I have some thats been groing very well on the end of my driftwood, however there are a good amount of roots that are off to the side not wrapped around the driftwood that are really ugly looking. Was contemplating doing some trimming, but I thought Id check here first. Also, I dont think the roots Im looking at trimming "look" all that vital, but I know thats a bad reason to think I can trim them.