Growing Java moss, lighting Q

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chinoanoah

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Feb 1, 2007
Messages
263
Location
Tampa
I have a handful of Java moss in one of my 20H and I would like to know how you all grow yours. I will not be doing any Co2 or ferts. Just would like to know your lighting type, amount, and schedule. Thanks!
 
java moss is one of those plants that will grow in the dark it seems. the more light you have the faster it grows. some people even put some in jars in the window seals to grow. heck i left some in a back pack for a month took it out and it was still super green.
 
No extra setup involved for growing java moss. It's a low-medium light plant that seems to do fine in very low lighting. Mine grows like crazy because of my CF lighting, 65W, and I usually have to clear my tank out every 6-8 months because there's almost no space for the fish to swim, lol. I would just attach it to whatever you want it to grow on with black thread, and within a few weeks, it will attach itself to the object. And if you hide the thread well enough, you won't have to remove it, and it will grow so thick it will cover up the thread. The thread won't hurt the tank either, I still have it on my driftwood, and it's been in the tank for over 5 years. And it hasn't deteriorated at all either. When you attach it, attach it really thin. Don't tie it in thick clumps, as the JM on the bottom will die off and you'll have a mess. Spread it out nice and evenly, then tie it to secure it, then place in the tank.
 
I grow java moss in a dark tank myself lol. Easy stuff to grow
 
Oh, I am not going to attach it to anything, just keep it growing at a healthy rate. Is it ok to not have it attached?
 
You can use it as a floating plant as well, but if you have any powerheads or a powerful filter output, more than likely it will get caught up in the filter intake.

Also, if you have a HOB filter, then the moss will get kicked down in the tank and who knows where it will end up, maybe plugging up a filter intake.
 
I attach mine just to avoid it growing everywhere. Java moss eventually spreads out and can overrun a tank. By tying or anchoring it to an object you avoid cleaning it out of every corner of your tank, or at least just moderately control its spread. Ive seen tanks where even the filter is encrusted in java moss because the stuff attaches onto the intake and grows up onto the filter. Ive heard this stuff will grow outside of a tank if some of it is still in the water.
 
Sounds like my 26G, lol. It's got java moss EVERYWHERE, and it does grow up the filter intake, and out of the water. ;)
 
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