Java moss dying

[W1nt3rsh0wl]

I bought some java moss a while ago and nearly 90% of it is brown now. How do i save the moss?!?!


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[Fishfur]

Though it is supposed to be a low light plant, I find it does better with more light. I'd cut away all the brown and float what's still green under good lighting. Use a bit of Excel and some liquid ferts, and with any luck, it will being to sprout new growth.

What light did you have it under ?

 

[W1nt3rsh0wl]

I have mine under a 15watt bulb


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[Fishfur]

Fluorescent tube or spiral bulb ? What is the K number, or colour temperature, it should say on the bulb or the package it came in what that is. For a cool white, it would be around 3200 K, which is not enough light for most plants in water. Daylight is the preferred one, 6500 K, [ Kelvin]. Also, how far away from the surface of the water is the bulb ? Out of curiosity, how far away from the light was the moss ?

I first tried growing it in a 29G, which was in front of a south facing window with an overhanging balcony above it. I had 3 spiral fluorescent bulbs for lighting, 23W each, 6500 K, and the only place in the tank that moss grew nicely was on the back wall, nearest the window.

The lights would have been approximately 22 inches above the moss I tied to rocks on the bottom, less for moss I tied to wood higher up, but most of the moss just did not do particularly well. At the time I didn't use Excel or fertilize, I wanted low tech, but for that java moss, it didn't work out very well at all.

I'm not sure why, because it is supposed to be a low light, low maintenance plant, but sometimes it appears to need quite a bit more attention than it's supposed to.

 

[W1nt3rsh0wl]

Thank you so much for the information, but from all of that i would guess that i don't have a bulb like that. Mine is pretty weak, so ill have to upgrade. Most of the information on the bulb has worn away from age so i wouldn't be able to tell you the specs.


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[Fishfur]

Just fyi then, fluorescent bulbs, both tubes and spirals, lessen their output as they age. To our eyes there's often no discernible difference, but to plants, the difference can be huge. I have a light garden, and I replace the tubes in it at least once a year, even though they still work fine, they don't grow my demanding succulent plants as well after a year or so of use.

If yours is quite old, chances are it may be pretty dim so far as plants are concerned, so upgrading is for sure the way to go. For my tanks, I replace the bulbs also, a bit less often, maybe every 14 or 16 months.

Some tubes claim to maintain their output for much longer than a year, but the only way to be certain is to get a PAR meter and measure. PAR stands for photosynthetically active radiation, or the light that's actually useful to plants for photosynthesis. The meters are quite costly so not very many hobbyists have one. Replacing tubes is an expense, but I think one that is worthwhile.

 

[W1nt3rsh0wl]

Im going for a marineland led light which has the same parameters you recommended above (6500k and is about 27 watts. Would this be enough for a ten gallon aquarium. The dimensions of the aquarium are 20x10x10


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[Fishfur]

I don't know enough about the fixture you're talking about to advise you, though if it is 6500 K, it should be plenty for a 10 G.

I think you'll get better advice asking in Equipment or maybe in the Planted forum. Best of luck.

 

[W1nt3rsh0wl]

Thank you for your help


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[connor]

That happened to me and I just waited it out and it started getting new growth after a few months


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[FishCr8zy]

When I first got my java moss, it was brown but it will recover itself. It just takes some time. Is the moss free floating or tied down? Which marineland are you getting? Single or double brights? Both of them are not great fixtures. Low light for both of them. The Current USA LED fixtures are pretty good.

 

[W1nt3rsh0wl]

The moss is tied down and please give me an explanation of how the fixture is not good because i have heard nothing but good reviews of the product till now.


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[connor]

I think you are golden bud plats die sometimes when you get them it jest takes time when you get new growth you just hack them down and start over if you just give it time it will grow mine took 3 months but I shocked it twice one was just outing it in my tank which is normal and one was my fault


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[FishCr8zy]

They are not that terrible. If you wanted to simply light up a tank then they are a cheap and reliable fixture. However if you wanted to grow plants with it, that is where it goes bad. The double brights have the moonlights on constantly and blue is not the color that plants prefer to absorb. The other LEDs that aren't actinic are quite dim and will not light up the bottom of even a lightly planted tank. This is all from my experience. I had one on a 10g and it was able to grow duckweed, even the anubias was struggling.