Java Moss

[ThePBM]

how many days should i give this decrepit java moss before i declare it dead? i have 7 days to let the seller know if i got a dead clump.
what about plant fertilizers? does moss need anything?

 

[ThePBM]

I'm getting a little paranoid now due to the research i've been doing. I'm paranoid that i might have gotten one of the other similar mosses that are not java. the others are slow growing and whatnot, and that would be pretty disappointing.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

To get my moss started, I mixed up a solution of 1 part Excel to 10 parts water, and dipped the moss in it and let it sit 3 minutes. Then I removed it and placed it directly into my tank without rinsing. This allowed for the algae to die off, which was suffocating the moss, and my moss exploded in growth. Here's what my moss looks like now. It's attached to a piece of driftwood that's shaped like a wishbone, and leaning up against my Emperor 280 intake. I have no problems with the moss getting into the filter intake either.

 

[ProblEmZ]

From what I've experienced, no fish will eat java moss. Not sure if it's the flavor, lol. So it will be ok anywhere.

Odd My fish seem to love it, i bought a baseball sized clump the other day it's now the size of a golfball. My Rainbow cichlid has taken up permanent residence by it and just taking bites. Now they don't swallow everything but they do swallow.

It is the first plant i've put in ever! So maybe they're just tasting?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I've seen fish graze on the algae that grows in the moss, but never seen them eat the moss. Not saying that no fish will eat it, just saying in my experience, I've never had fish that would touch it. And the only cichlids that I'm even interested in are the Rams and Apistos, and my Rams don't touch it either.

 

[ThePBM]

To get my moss started, I mixed up a solution of 1 part Excel to 10 parts water, and dipped the moss in it and let it sit 3 minutes. Then I removed it and placed it directly into my tank without rinsing. This allowed for the algae to die off, which was suffocating the moss, and my moss exploded in growth. Here's what my moss looks like now. It's attached to a piece of driftwood that's shaped like a wishbone, and leaning up against my Emperor 280 intake. I have no problems with the moss getting into the filter intake either.

I heard java moss is supposed to grow quite fast, but mine hasn't shown anything significant in 3 days, or any signs of attaching. I only have 7 days to let the seller know if i got a bad/dead batch, so I really would like to know if i should be optimistic through day 7.
How long would you say it takes for a golf-ball size clump to grow to 2 golf-ball size clumps worth? It could be possible that my moss is suffocated by algae, although i can't see any algae on it. Can you tell me more about that excel thing you speak of? what's the full name of the product?
thanks in advance.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Hi....
Sorry for getting back so late, I just got home from work, been a crazy day....

Actually, java moss in most cases will grow very slow. That is the reason why algae becomes attracted to it so easily, as the moss sometimes has a hard time competing for the nutrients.

Another thing is the lighting. Java moss is a low light plant. And it will grow slow in low light. Another reason for algae. But if you upped it to the lower end of medium light, it will usually grow a bit faster. Mine now grows quite fast, and quite well. The trick is in the eliminating of any algae, and lighting and nutrients.

I will give you kind of a run down on my particular tank, which you might be able to use bits and pieces to make yours work.

My lighting, I'm running a 65W 50/50 CF bulb on the tank. So I have only about 32.5W of usable light, putting me at around 1.25w/g. The other 32.5W is actinic, which only helps how the fish look.

When I had algae, I dipped the java moss in a 10:1 solution of water and Excel, and let it soak for about 3 minutes, then place directly into the tank without rinsing. This got rid of the algae, and the moss had a nice spurt of growth as well, algae free. I also dosed Excel for a few months after that to keep things looking good.

Currently I don't dose Excel anymore, and it's staying algae free. I don't even get spot algae on the glass.

Another factor that helps is new bulbs. Old bulbs tend to shift from the more blue spectrum to red, which is the main cause of algae from older bulbs. It's not near as bad with CF bulbs because they hold the spectrum much better than regular florescents, but I do change my bulbs when I feel it's needed. For the CF's, I run them about 18 months before changing. Regular florescents I change about every 9 months.

Lastly, nutrients. I do not dose nitrates or phosphates, as I have a heavy fish load, 28 fish in a 26G tank. But I do dose Potassium once a week.

As for growth rate, mine doubles in size about every 3-4 months.

Here's the link for Flourish Excel. http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp18480/si1380246/cl0/seachemflourishexcel500ml

Hope this helps. Any other questions, feel free to ask. I'd be more than happy to help.

 

[ThePBM]

Fluorish Excel doesn't say anything about algae, do you think there was something else behind your ridding of algae?
I've got new bulbs so the lights aren't the problem. the CF's are still on month 1.
It's been a little over 2 weeks now i think. My moss isn't looking any better. There are still a lot of brown strands of moss. Should i trim and remove any brown parts? that would leave me with maybe 6 strands of 2 inches each that are relatively green.

 

[portabuddy]

I just wanted to pop in here, i have had jave moss growing in my tanks for years, they dont seem to like bright light, i have 240watts in my 90 gallon cichlid tank and it doesnt like the light, but it did attatch itself to the top of one log and started to grow out of the water and the leaves look like ferns, looks cool, each tiny branch is only 1cm tops...

In my guppy tank the stuff grow like a weed, i give the stuff away as you may know and i'll give you a holer when i have a bit too much, i just ask for shipping in advanced now that the last time i got stiffed for $15, But the java moss that i sent out arrived vibrant green, just as strong as the day i sent it..., i used some tank water that i Vaccumed up with the fish pooh(used for my indor plants) and that seems to have donr the trick... it grows like mad in my tiny 10 gallon growout, but i take it out cuz it off shoots and clogs up the intalke to the filter., on my guppy tank i have the stock 6000k 20ish watt lights...

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Fluorish Excel doesn't say anything about algae, do you think there was something else behind your ridding of algae?
I've got new bulbs so the lights aren't the problem. the CF's are still on month 1.
It's been a little over 2 weeks now i think. My moss isn't looking any better. There are still a lot of brown strands of moss. Should i trim and remove any brown parts? that would leave me with maybe 6 strands of 2 inches each that are relatively green.

Yup, it doesn't say anything, but it can be used to kill algae. The manufacturer doesn't promote it as an algicide. It's probably because if you dose too much, it will kill fish. I generally only dose up to 2x max if I do treat the tank. Any more than that, and it starts affecting fish, from what I've experienced. The fish will begin to surface, like gasping for air. If you put in too much, it's almost too late already. Do a PWC as fast as possible. That's why I use it in a stronger solution as a dip, rather than overdosing and taking a chance with the fish.