[PhillipC]

So I use to have an anubias plant and java fern in my main 55g tank. Both plants seem to be stunted and started to accumulate a lot of algae on the leaves and on the driftwood they are anchored on. I put both the plants in my hospital tank just to see what would happen and now both of the plants seem to be thriving again. Is there a reason for this? Maybe too many nutrients in my 55g tank? Or does the java fern and anubias really just not like light/ferts/Co2.

Specs in main 55g:
Eco-Complete substrate
Finnex Ray 2 - 7 hours a day
Pressurized Co2
EI dosing (but have since temporarily stopped)

Specs in 10g hospital tank:
Bare - no substrate tank
No light or Co2
Has 1 heater, 1 filter, 1 recovering cichlid

 

[Ziggy]

I dont know about the Java fern, but in this respect the Anubias is one remarkable little plant. I had many plants in a neglected tank. Covered in algea, little growth. I shut the light off completely but kept the filter going because I didn't want to waste them....withing a few weeks the algae was of course gone...and the Anubias were looking just fine. Not growing, but strong healthy leaves and nice hard rhizome.

I think the issue with Anubias is that it is such a categorically slow grower, it really cant make use of high light and a crap load of fertz. If you have lots of light, fertz etc and there are no other plants in the aquarium outcompeting the algae, the poor anubias becomes victim to the algae covering it and its downhill from there.

 

[bigbadjon]

The other issue for anubias is lack of water flow. If you place it in a dead spot it will over grow with algae.