Japanese Moss Balls...

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Chunks-McGoo

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jun 6, 2011
Messages
23
Location
Colorado Springs
SO I keep seeing those little moss balls in the stores, and I have read up on them a bit. I guess they are a fancy kind of algae that stays in the ball and sucks away all the nutrients that other algae would eat, thus stopping algae growth (in theory)

Wondering if anyone has used these and if they work as stated. Also, if they are taking nutrients other moss would use, does that make them unsuitable for a planted tank?
 
Chunks-McGoo said:
SO I keep seeing those little moss balls in the stores, and I have read up on them a bit. I guess they are a fancy kind of algae that stays in the ball and sucks away all the nutrients that other algae would eat, thus stopping algae growth (in theory)

Wondering if anyone has used these and if they work as stated. Also, if they are taking nutrients other moss would use, does that make them unsuitable for a planted tank?

Take a picture if you can.

I have never heard of that theory. At my local LFS they have two different types of moss balls.
 
No one who has used these?

I talked to a friend last night who, along with her husband, has had dozens of planted and non-planted tanks over the years and she was in the same boat as me, she had heard they starve out other algaes but didn't know how well they work or if they harm other plants.

If anyone can share a little experience it would be greatly appreciated.
 
Chunks-McGoo said:
No one who has used these?

I talked to a friend last night who, along with her husband, has had dozens of planted and non-planted tanks over the years and she was in the same boat as me, she had heard they starve out other algaes but didn't know how well they work or if they harm other plants.

If anyone can share a little experience it would be greatly appreciated.

I have one and I've never had problems with algae, idk if its due to the Moss Ball. I keep my lights on for more then 12 hours, and I only have three snails. So imagine the Moss Ball contributes.
 
This page,
Algae Competes with Plants,
says a little about competition between types of algae. Marimo is a green algae so it will out-compete other types under the right conditions (enough nitrogen and phosphorus in the water, and high light conditions).

I believe that marimo and plants will be competing for the same nutrients, but marimo grows notoriously slowly (allegedly ~5mm per year) so you don't have to worry about it taking over your tank.

I think the question I would like to have answered is, if plants and marimo and other algae are all competing for the same nutrients, is there any advantage of marimo over plants in keeping other algae in check?

What I like about marimo is that they are mobile and that when they get enough light they produce enough oxygen to float up to the top of the tank for a while.
 
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