Who Gives A Fish Forums

My Anubias and Java Fern are looking rough, leaves are kinda yellowing and brittle. Water's at 12 dGH, pH 7.8. Tank's a 20 gallon with Fluval Stratum, LED lights on 8 hours, CO2 at 1 bubble per second. Fish are chill, just some Tetras and a Betta. Am I messing with the wrong plants for my water?

12 dGH is pretty hard, dude. Anubias can handle it, but Java Fern might struggle. You could try adding some driftwood or almond leaves to soften things up. What's your nitrate level? High nitrates plus hard water can stress plants out.

Hard water can definitely limit nutrient uptake for some plants. Have you tested for iron or magnesium deficiencies? Yellowing leaves often point to that. A liquid fertilizer like Seachem Flourish might help, but long-term, you might want to consider RO water if you're serious about keeping sensitive species.

rusticfox wrote: ↑Mon Aug 18, 2025 3:44 am 12 dGH is pretty hard, dude. Anubias can handle it, but Java Fern might struggle. You could try adding some driftwood or almond leaves to soften things up. What's your nitrate level? High nitrates plus hard water can stress plants out.

Nitrates are at 10 ppm, so not crazy high. I'll grab some almond leaves and see if that helps. Thanks!

If you're sticking with hard water, swap the Java Fern for something like Vallisneria or Amazon Sword. They're way more forgiving. Also, check your lighting—too much can exacerbate nutrient deficiencies if the plants can't keep up.

I've had success with Cryptocoryne in hard water setups. They're slow growers but tough as nails. Just make sure your substrate has enough nutrients. Root tabs can be a game-changer if you're not using them already.

Yo, my water's like liquid rock, and my plants were struggling too. Switched to RO mixed with tap, and boom, everything's green again. It's a hassle, but worth it if you're into fancy plants.

waterworlds wrote: ↑Mon Aug 18, 2025 7:48 am I've had success with Cryptocoryne in hard water setups. They're slow growers but tough as nails. Just make sure your substrate has enough nutrients. Root tabs can be a game-changer if you're not using them already.

Crypts are solid, but they melt if you mess with them too much. Once they settle, though, they're golden.

Your CO2 might be part of the issue. At 1 bubble per second in a 20 gallon, it's likely not enough for high-light plants. Either bump it up or dial back the light to 6 hours. Hard water plus low CO2 is a double whammy.

Never had luck with Java Fern in hard water. Switched to Hornwort and it's thriving. Doesn't care about params, just grows like crazy.