also should I be using any other fertalizer other than florapride?

I would either use Seachem Flourish as well as the FloraPride, or use Tropica
Mastergrow instead. You need a more complete fertilizer.

As for carbon...Excel would be mucho expensive for a tank the size of yours.
I'm not sure what carbon baggies are, but if they are the kind of carbon people
put in their filters to absorb impurities, no, that won't help your plants. In
fact, a lot of people remove the carbon from their filters, so it won't absorb
nutrients the plants need.

The best source of carbon for a tank like yours would be compressed CO2. Your
tank is simply too big for many of the other methods. However, you don't
*need* to add carbon, at your lighting levels. It would help, but it's not
necessary. Try improving your fertilizing regimen. That might be all you
need.

Java fern grows well at all lighting levels, so I don't think you have too much
light for it. However, it doesn't compete with other plants for nutrients very
well at high lighting levels. More and better fertlizer might help.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/