"algae defeating moss balls"

[TomK2]

"algae defeating moss balls" was what the fish tank said at a not so local LFS. It was too crowded to wait for a fish guy to ask questions. It was a small furry green plant, golf ball sized, sitting in the bottom of several tanks. any idea what this was?

 

[czcz]

Marimo balls aka Moss balls. http://aquariumplant.com/cgi-bin/cart/mi268.html

 

[Menagerie]

That's a moss ball. I suppose it "defeats" algae because it takes up the nutrients and starves out the algae.

 

[TomK2]

Very Interesting. Anyone ever put them in a tank? Would a pleco just eat it? Could it actually be a type of plant that even I could keep?

 

[Toirtis]

They do great in tanks...I am not sure about how they would do with a pleco.

 

[czcz]

They're cool plants worth trying, Tom. Mine do well. I started with two and split them into four after some growth. You can see pics in my gallery/"homepage" if interested. I've seen otos graze on them for short periods of time. That probably doesn't help with you Pleco question, though

 

[Fluff]

I have moss balls and my plecos don't bother them.

 

[DaPony87]

I like it says in the article that they require no sunlight or little ligyht but at the bottom the requirement is high lighting :? For the people that have them, how many WPG do you guys have?

 

[TomK2]

This is really tempting. I am the grim reaper of aquatic plants, and I fear that this would just be another futile dead end for me. Rather than use plants for nutrient and nitrogen control, I use frequent water changes (20% two or three times a week, can do more easily). I have pH=7.6 - 7.8, NH3=0, NO2=0, and NO3 5ppm or less, and have only a single tube 40w flourescent light in a 23 inch high tank. Great for fish viewing, death to plants. Is there really a living plant that can be put in a tank like this and live?

 

[DaPony87]

Java Moss, Java Fern, Crypts

 

[Maillis]

Anubias species will do ok, just won't really grow any.

 

[Toirtis]

For the people that have them, how many WPG do you guys have?

In one tank...about 2, in the other, almost 4.