Why is my Java Fern....Dying?

[Welsh]

I seem to always be asking questions on here lately....Anyway, I've had my 'Narrow Leaf Java Fern' for about...2 months, and the leaves are turning black? I dose a tiny amount of Flourish Comprehensive, nearly everyday... as I have wiped a whole tank out with this stuff before, so I use sparingly lol.

My tank is 24" inches long, with a 15watt - 6400k fluorescent bulb. I moved the Java fern to my 17L today, in hope that with the higher light I'll get a better result in the future, but I have a feeling Co2 is going to be suggested, which I don't want to use... I don't have the intelligence for it, it seems too complicated haha Anyway....It's currently growing under a 27watt bulb - 6500k and 7wpg.

Thanks

 

[ashleynicole]

Flourish comprehensive is only supposed to be dosed once or twice a week.
About your java fern, I don't know, I have two different kinds in my tank and they havn't grown at all, in two weeks, nothing. All of my other plants are taking off, and I know java fern is supposed to be a fast growing hardy plant, but it is not working at all and I am very frustrated, as I wan't it to cover my driftwood. The smaller breed I have the leaves are turning kind of black as well, I know there are spores and stuff and occasionally a leaf will grow from a spore and break off, but on the other kind I have absolutely nothing. I see the spores under the leaves and they are just there.

I dose seachem flourish once a week and excel (liquid carbon) 3-4 days a week.

 

[Welsh]

When I dose the fertiliser, its literally 2 drops... it doesn't come anywhere near the first ring of the cap.

Java fern are actually slow growing plants, like anubia's, and other low light plants. If you have had it only a few weeks, then its probably just taking time to adjust to your tank

 

[Fishkeeper88]

you should use less flourish try the amount written on the bottle that is recommended and possibly look into adding some solid fertilzer substrate.

 

[BillD]

Java Fern is not a fast grower. They generally grow without the addition of ferts, and do not need CO2 supplementation.

 

[Atxpunx]

The blackening leaves might be mature leaves soon sporing and making little planlets shortly. I leave all my black leaves on and am currently waiting for four baby plants to detach. Or are all the leaves turning black?

 

[Retired_AF]

Here is a diagram I found that shows some of the more common causes of plant issues. I dont think it addresses leaves turning black which, as stated before, may be that they are just matured and starting new plants.

 

[barterking85]

I had my ferns under t8 and t12 and they got massive but when I got my t5 they quickly turned black if your attaching to driftwood make sure it's not too close to your lights too much light makes it turn black along with anacharis find the darker spot of your tank and place it there

 

[ILikeFishesALot36]

The same thing happened to me! I am starting to think that this is the plants way of acclimating to your lights and water chemistry. My java fern lost all of it's leaves and now it is growing little, but very green leaves.

 

[ILikeFishesALot36]

Oh. And like BillD said, they are NOT fast growers. Sort of like the counterpart of the java moss