# so you cant plant java fern in substrate



## i love planted tanks (Apr 27, 2008)

i want to get some java fern and cover my back corner area of my 55 gal (pic below) but ive been reading you can not plant java fern in substrate because they will start to die off and that you only can put them on rock or wood.so i came to the cunclusion that im going to tie them on rocks and put them in my back corner of my tank but how can i do this to where you cant see the rocks to much? or if someone else can give me a tip as how i can do this thank you


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

Put the rocks really low in the substrate. You just can't bury the rhizome of the plant, the roots can go in the substrate.


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## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

What I have done in the past is tie the fern together with string and attach some plant weights to hold the string down to the substrate. The ferns then rest on top of the substrate and grow nicely.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

i took a fern with really long roots, and shoved them in the substrate. the rhizome is 1/3 an inch above the substrate, and the plant is doing fine.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

I get a piece of slate and use a hammer and chisel to cleave off a piece as long as the rhizome and as round as one of those wet-dry markers. Then I tie it tightly to the rhizome. Usually it's heavy enough to weigh down the plant without looking too ugly since the rhizome and roots hang down and pretty much hide the slate. Then if I ever need to move the java fern, it's not a whole ordeal.

Or you can just bury the roots under the substrate.


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## i love planted tanks (Apr 27, 2008)

ok guys very helpful thanks a bunch a bunch of java fern


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