The Puffer Forum

Hello all,

its been a little while since i posted, and i'm having a bit of a problem planting my brackish tank. I know there have been several topics about this, but i do have a few questions that haven't been answered. First of all, my SG is at 1.006 which i've lowered from 1.009 over the past 2 weeks. in the tank now i have Java fern propagating, Anacharis, Marimo balls, and Anubias, all of which except the marimo, aren't taking to well. the anacharis is burning and the Anubias just lost a few leaves. i didn't acclimate any of the plants which could be the problem, but i was wondering if anyone could recommend a fertilizer for these plants. and i was also wondering if plant fertilizers were safe for my figure 8 George. right now both the anubias and java are attached to driftwood, with still no luck. And CO2 is out of the question unless someone knows a cheap way of acquiring it.

Thanks!

I believe you are a bit limited with what will survive. I have the marimo moss balls & they will start to lose that vibrant colour eventually in the salt. I pop mine in a FW tank for a few weeks to rejuvenate, then I put them back in the BW again. My Java ferns do ok except for the puffers biting lumps out of them! Sorry, not much use to you really!!

Anubias, if you are talking about Anubias nana and its cultivars do not need extra ferts -they grow very slowly, especially when attached to rock of driftwoo. They do grow better if rooted in the substrate, but do not require extra ferts.

I have never growth either Anubias nana or any Java Fern in BW.

There are a few Crypts which will handle F8 levels of salt, but those plants need more substrate than I care to us in BW.

Vallisneria spiralis will grow in F-8 levels of salt, but only with slow adaptation for me. Also for me.much if any above 1.003 and the plants arrest; past 1.005, they die.

FWIW

Ya, alot of my plants are just burning up because of the salt. do you acclimate your plants like you would a fish? i mean the above mentioned plants are fairly hardy in nature, so i don't see why they're having a hard time. i'll give it some time and see what happens. i'm gonna lower the SG again next week to 1.005 and see what happens then. just got some giant hair grass which i've read will tolerate brackish water, so i'll see what happens. and i've also read that Anubias nana is good roted in substrate and attached to a log, so i really have no clue. maybe i'll plant it and see what happens. Thanks!

do you acclimate your plants like you would a fish?

I've read that. Have you read Neal's info on BW plants? He's the resident expert on the subject.

no i haven't read that. is it in the puffer library? i'll take a look around