Java Moss??

[guns286]

I have'nt read all of the threads in this forum so fogive me if my question are answered somewhere else.
I have a 75g tank with 10 Amano shrimp, 4 mollies, 1 guppy, 2 small snake fish and 10 tetras. I have always wanted to put real plants in the tank but have gotten confused on how to do it.
My substrate is "high desert" (white) play sand from Home Depot. My confusion started with weather or not I could even plant anything in that. If anyone has any inpute on that it would be great, but thats not the real question
I really like the way floating plants, on the surface, looks. I looked at a number of plant types but was hoping someone could suggest an easy to care for, nice looking, floating plant.
Also, I was thinking about getting Java Moss and putting it on a piece of driftwood. I like the way it looks and the fact that fish like to put eggs/fry in it. I'm just worried because I've read that it grows so fast it can overun your tank. Any thoughts?

 

[gzeiger]

Any sand is fine for plants. It won't provide the same nutrients that soil does, but plants can anchor and root in it fine, and in an aquatic environment they will be able to obtain most of their nutrients from fish waste anyway. Keeping up with water changes will replenish other trace minerals they might require. You can also get fertilizer tabs to stick near their roots, but be careful of products advertised as "pond fertilizer" as they may contain free ammonia.

Lights that came with the tank are almost certainly inadequate to grow anything, however. Do lots of research on that before you go further.

Java moss is great. Some people say they have to trim back their moss frequently. I don't think that's a bad thing, but be aware that if it grows into a filter intake it's terrible. Moss is also a very low-light plant and will likely survive even with a stock tank hood light. It's not that big a deal to trim it back with scissors when you decide you have too much. You can even sell it on Ebay or Aquabid when you have extra.

My favorite floating plant is the native Azolla. It will destroy HOB filters, however.

 

[mgamer20o0]

sand is fine to plant plants in. java moss really doesnt grow so fast it over runs your tank. unless you dont touch the tank in months. first step is figuing out your lights. plants have a minimal amount of light needed. what size of tank do you have and what kind of lighting do you have?

 

[DizzCat]

I also agree that Java Moss does not grow so fast it will overrun the tank. I have CO2, ferts and good light and my moss grows fine, but not so fast that it clogs things up. I just trim it once a month.

 

[guns286]

I have a 75g bow front tank. The lights are stock. I was trying to avoid buying new bulbs (price), but if I have to I will. I just bought a 12" piece of Mopani driftwood that I was going to anchor the Java Moss to. Assuming I can get away with the lights I have, or I get new bulbs, is there any other equipment or additives I absolutly must have? Right now I dont want planted plants. I'd just like to have the Java Moss and some free floating plants for the surface. Any other suggestion on floaters?

 

[joy13]

The thing about floating plants they shade the lower plants and they do best in an open top tank. In a bigger tanks I like frogbit the roots get really long and flowing if the fish don't eat them.

 

[gzeiger]

The bulbs are not really your problem. Upgrading the light will require a new fixture too.

As long as you're sticking to Java moss and floating plants, the stock light may be fine. You don't need any other additives for those.

 

[guns286]

I checked out a few web sites that have pics of floating plants. They really just show what they look like on the surface. There have only been a few that show what the root structure looks like below. I like the way the frogbit looks but I'd like to see whats below the surface. Unfortunatly my LFS does'nt have many aquatic plants to look at/choose from. Does anyone have pics of Frogbit, or any other floaters?
As far as the Java Moss, am I right in wanting to tie it to the driftwood? I assume it needs alittle time to anchor itself. Is thin fishing line ok? Or should I use something else?
I asked about extra equiptment and suppliments because i've read about CO2 and nutrient formulas.

 

[gzeiger]

Fishing line works fine for Java moss. I actually recommend regular cotton thread, since it will dissolve on its own and not remain in your tank forever. The moss will float free and become entangled in filter intakes if not anchored initially. It will grow fine that way, but it won't do what you want.

CO2 and fertilizer won't be necessary for this setup. More demanding and faster-growing plants require those supplements, but given the light you have you can't grow those plants anyway.

 

[mgamer20o0]

The bulbs are not really your problem. Upgrading the light will require a new fixture too.

As long as you're sticking to Java moss and floating plants, the stock light may be fine. You don't need any other additives for those.

ill 2nd that. get some and try it might be fine. heck i have had java moss in a bag for a month and still fine. in your tank it might even grow.

 

[guns286]

Thanks for all the advice folks. I just have a couple of more questions.
I ordered the Modabi driftwood (from LiveAquaria) and it should be be getting here soon. Is there any prep work I need to do to the wood before putting it in my tank? I still have to get the Java Moss. If I cant get the Moss the same day I get the driftwood, should I soak the wood seperatly from the tank, until I get the Moss and can put them both in the tank?
Also, I realize different plants require different lighting, but on avarage is there a certain type of light I should be saving for (ie. compact florecent, metal halid......etc.)?

 

[mfdrookie516]

make sure you rinse the dw off really good and soak it in a bucket of water for a week or two... that will allow the dw to become waterlogged and also release any tannins if it has any in it... if not, your water could be nice and yellow

 

[FishEggs]

the bulb is actually important if you want plants to grow no matter what type/wattage it is it should be a daylight spectrum usually 6500kelvin but anything in the 5000 to 10000 kelvin range is good.

 

[DragonFish71]

Another trick for dw is after you soak it for a few days, run it through the dishwasher (without soap and don't let it get to the dry cycle, the wood might split). It helps get the nooks and crannies cleaned after soaking.

 

[guns286]

Thanks again for all the advice. Is there any trick for dealing with my wife when she finds out I ran a piece of wood thru the dishwasher

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

Thanks again for all the advice. Is there any trick for dealing with my wife when she finds out I ran a piece of wood thru the dishwasher

burry her under the fishtank

If you are in need of moss let me know... i just cleaned out my 2G and have a TON and would send it for shipping only ($5 or so)

 

[guns286]

Nameless, I sent you a PM. Mabey thats why she wont let me get a bigger tank!!

OK, I received my dw and have it soaking right now. I'm still going over the layout I want in my tank. As far as the moss goes, when I tie it to the dw do I just put it on certain areas, and it grows UP? Or, will it spread out, on its own, and cover the whole piece? I also read about putting the moss into a media bag and laying it ontop of stuff that I cant tie the moss to. It said that the moss will eventually attach itself to whatever it is laying on and that you would'nt see the bag. Sound right? If thats the case, there are a couple of caves in my tank that I would like to have it on.
I also thought of putting some kind of divider (still working on what), from back to front, at the top of my tank. It would seperate the right and left sides. That way I can put the floating plant (probably Frogbit) on one side and give the illusion of nature where some areas are covered and some are'nt. Think it will work? Or will the plant overgrow the divider?

 

[mgamer20o0]

java moss spreeds out like a bush. though the thinner you tie it down and spreed it out the fast it should look how you want it.

you should be able to tie it to the caves it will attach to just about anything. i have had some that attached to algae on the glass.

some people use fishline with floaters or something like that. helps keeps the floaters in one area.

 

[DizzCat]

I lay my moss across a piece I want to cover. I then take fishing line (because its clear and does not fall apart like thread) and just wrap it around and around until all the moss is achored down then tie off the ends. That way its a thin layer that covers a large surface area of the drift wood, and it bushes up faster and looks nicer. You don't see the thin fishing line either.

 

[guns286]

Thanks Dizz, I'll try the fishing line. Does the moss spread right and left? Or just bush out from the spots that you layed it?