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View Full Version : First Time Green thumb plant Virgin, lol



Discus master
07-26-2010, 10:56 AM
Need advice,
I have a 55 gallon, 6 discus all about 3 to 3 ½ inch mark, I have started aqua scapping recently. I have drift wood and branches, about a half inch pool filter sand for substrate two fake floating vines on each end of my tank for shade and esthetics. I just literally bought my first ever water plants Java Moss and Java Fern. I need something for the left rear of the tank to hide a pre filter sponge and inlet tube for my canister filter. Was hoping I could get a tall plant for that, I was going to hollow out a piece of drift wood and cut it down to look like a stump put sand in it and plant it in this sense my substrate is to thin and I want it to look “natural” not pot in other words and I thought this be a cool way of doing it. But again I need a very easy hardy plant that will require nothing more than the water in my tank, low, low, low, maintenance like the moss and fern. Suggestions please would be very appreciated.
My water chem is moderately soft ph of around 7.3 – 7.5 temp is 84.5 – 85f I have twin T5 light fixture with a color max in one and a 10k in the other. I am willing to change bulbs if need be, I would like the best possible light for viewing my discus while providing sufficient light for the plants I think the twin T5 would provide enough (given the rite bulbs) for my application. I am not trying to have a planted tank just yet just getting my green thumb wet but for now its just accents and what I have thus far looks nice I will post picks when I can and of course the discus can hide and feel secure when they want to plus it hopefully will hide my equipment.

Last question the Java Fern I bought three plants of it they are wrapped up in a rubber band to keep the individual cuttings bunched together I am guessing well I use fishing line to tie them down to my driftwood, when the roots grab hold of the wood how long with this take by the way? I wanted to know if I need to cut the rubber band? Will this inhibit their growth? It was so much easier to tie them down leaving the plants little rubber band around them so I have three little bunches like that sitting on this piece of wood? And how long will it take the moss to hold on as well? I am using fishing line for them as well I think I will have to leave that line go I can see the roots just wrapping themselves all around that fishing line it will probably be next to impossible to get that line off once they do?
:confused::confused:

Discus master
07-26-2010, 01:28 PM
I hope some one with some exp can help me out here soon thanks in advance

quarr
07-26-2010, 05:28 PM
I use rubber bands to attach my java fern and anubias to wood. The roots tend to wrap themselves around the rubber band so I don't make too much of an effort to remove it and as you said, it's so much easier than fiddly fishing line.
Now here's the secret: I buy rubber bands that have more of a natural colour and blend in; green for the anubias, black for the java fern,etc. They're not even noticeable once the plant takes hold.
Just experiment and best of luck!

Ibenu
07-26-2010, 07:01 PM
I use elastic thread from the sewing store in black. I find it so much easier to tie than any other string thing and it blends well, Never crushes rhizomes if you tie it "just" enough too:)

Discus master
07-27-2010, 07:52 AM
Thanks for the advice every one, but also there was a rubber band that came with my plants, I guess it is used to hold the little one together in a small clump, do I have to cut that rubber band? or can I just let it go? I was just wondering if I let it go will the plants still grow normaly? or do I have to remove this tiny little rubber band? it was so much easier to tie the plants down leaving it rubber banded together. Does thsi make sense?

The Java moss I just wraped fishing line around it several times to keep it from floating away, will it cuse a problem when a little bit of debris that floats around from time to time, will this spoil my water chemistry.

Thanks in advance and keep the advice coming:D

quarr
07-27-2010, 06:17 PM
If you like the plants in the clump you have then just leave the rubber band there... It'll do no harm.
As for the java moss, it does tend to collect debris so will need an occassional rinse.

Discus master
07-28-2010, 08:04 AM
If you like the plants in the clump you have then just leave the rubber band there... It'll do no harm.
As for the java moss, it does tend to collect debris so will need an occassional rinse.

How long would you say the moss and fern will take to get a good foot hold on the wood they are on?

i had them in the tank now sense Friday and every now and again I see bits of moss floating around, I have been vacuming this debris up and netting it out, I hope it takes hols soon before it all floats away, lol.

The moss is really hard to hold down theres not much thre un like other plants to attach something to its almost all loose. I wraped a thin fishing line all around it trying to hold it down and still some of it floted away. I am hopping the plants soon find and anchor point and begin to dig in.

I do vacume the moss off and most of it stays in place and the left over food or fish waste lifts rite off of it, I am just wondering how long it typically takes for the roots to get a nice hold on? any ideas???

Thanks in advance for your help.

quarr
07-28-2010, 11:43 AM
Let me start by saying that I'm no plant expert and can only speak from experience...
The fern can take a few months before it takes hold... I would imagine it depends on your lighting, fertiliser, etc.
The same applies to the moss I guess. I've never tried attaching it to wood but I do have some growing nicely on slate... I used a hairnet to get it started. Having said that, I still get the odd bit floating away... and it usually starts growing on the filter intake :mad: