Need some plant help

[oscarbreeder]

Is Java moss a low light plant?

I got a nice ball of it about a week ago and it is turning brown fast.
It is on the surface held in a corner by suction cups in a 20l. For light I am using an extra strip light from a 55g tank with one NutraGrow 40w bulb. This is an all female betta tank.

ph 7.0
amm. 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 20ppm

Is this enough light?
To much?
Do I need some ferts?

 

[Toirtis]

Java moss is more of a medium-high light plant ...what size tank do you have this in? I am afraid that I am not familiar with the colour/spectrum/etc on a "Nutraglow" tube...who makes these?

 

[BillD]

I have a blob of java moss that has survived in a tank with no light for almost a year (ambient light only). To my knowledge, it has always been considered a low light plant.

 

[Toirtis]

More of a medium-light plant, but the type of light is very important.

 

[oscarbreeder]

The Nutrigrow bulb is made by Coralife.

 

[workfortheman]

HMM that is very odd, I have lots of Java Moss in a 5-gallon tank with a coralife bulb plugged into an old blacklight fixture, and it is spreading. There are a decent amount of nitrates in the tank, though, and a higher pH.

I just noticed that your nitrites are 20ppm and nitrates 0ppm?? is this true?? Or could it be the other way around. . .

Also, is the light from the 40w bulb escaping the aquarium somhow? Would some reflecters help?

I would agree with BillD that this plant doesn't need much light at all, and there is probably another issue here.

 

[oscarbreeder]

oops that should be the other way around..typo sorry..lol.

some of the light is ecaping the tank because it is a 48" strip light from a 55g on a 20 long.

 

[oscarbreeder]

bump

 

[greenmaji]

if its a single tube you getting low light if its a double tube your getting medium light.. this is assuming your tank is 24 inches long and your bulb(s) is/are F40T12(s)...

 

[oscarbreeder]

The tank is a 20 long and is 30" long and it is a singal bulb in a 48" light strip.

 

[Steve Hampton]

Have you used any medications or salt in your aquarium recently? The amount of light you have is way more than adequate (especially since it's floating) for Java Moss, it survives in very low light, though will look much better and exhibit better "tighter" growth in medium light.

 

[travis simonson]

I can attest to the fact that Java moss does not appreciate salt in the water column. A couple of years ago I tried keeping it an ARLC tank to which I was adding a Malawi lake salt mix and, though it had adequate lighting, it turned brown and wasted away in a short time.

 

[oscarbreeder]

That may be the problem I was using aquarium salt in the tank.
I will do a water change and not add any more salt. Do you think it will come back?
It's not all the way brown only about half.