Who Gives A Fish Forums

I've been dosing Seachem Flourish in my 20 gallon planted tank twice a week, but my Java Ferns still look kinda sad. Am I doing it wrong, or should I up the dose?

Java Ferns are slow growers, so they don't need heavy dosing. What's your lighting like? Low tech setups usually do better with once a week dosing, maybe bump it to three times if you've got high light. Also, check your nitrates—they might be too low.

I agree with kalexi. I dose once a week in my low tech 30 gallon, and my Java Ferns are thriving. Are you using root tabs? They help a lot with slow growers.

Twice a week seems excessive unless you've got a ton of plants. I'd cut it back to once and see how they respond. Also, what's your water change schedule? Too many nutrients can mess with the balance.

Yo, I was dosing like crazy at first too, but my plants were still strugglin'. Turns out I wasn't giving 'em enough light. Fixed that, now once a week Flourish does the trick. Maybe check your light settings?

I've got a 10 gallon with Java Ferns and Anubias, and I dose Flourish once a week. They're doing great! Maybe your tank just needs time to adjust. Plants can be finicky.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try cutting back to once a week and see how it goes. My lighting is pretty basic, just a cheap LED, so maybe that's part of the issue.

crafty wrote: ↑Sun Jun 15, 2025 6:39 am Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try cutting back to once a week and see how it goes. My lighting is pretty basic, just a cheap LED, so maybe that's part of the issue.

Yeah, lighting's a big factor. If you're not running CO2, your plants won't use the nutrients as efficiently. A better light might help, but start slow with the changes.

I'm new to this, but my buddy told me to dose Flourish every other week. My plants are chill, but they're not growing fast. Should I dose more?

Dosing frequency depends on your setup. If you're not seeing deficiencies, stick with your current schedule. Overdosing can cause algae issues, which are harder to fix than slow growth.