java moss and gravel vacs

[Kuhlifan]

Ok, I've never kept java moss before, so I have a question. I've heard that putting it on the floor of your aquarium will result in an eventual moss carpet. When that happens, do you need to vacuum anymore? You do water changes, I know, but it seems to me that the leftover food and fish poop would more or less be absorbed and used as food by the moss. Plus, I'd think that doing a moss vac would damage the plant.

Any ideas?

 

[Bk718]

Simply putting the moss on the aquarium floor will not make a moss carpet. The plant does not have roots and does not spread using runners. You must tie the moss to something, perhaps a flat piece of slate. Then the moss will bush up and if done right can look like a foreground carpet. Though you would need to lightly vac the moss to remove all the fish poop, leftover food and any other matter thats in there. Not doing that may cause the moss to have a dirty look and even start growing algae..

 

[fishorama]

Yea food, poo & plant debris don't break down fast & looks like heck IMO. I have it on wood & swish it in a bucket of tank water sometimes, trim it when too bushy & pick out leaves weekly. I also put it near the filter return to help wash out some debris. You can vac it but loose bits will come off.

 

[Kuhlifan]

What I'm thinking is a small aquarium, probably six gallons, with a thin sand or gravel substrate of about a half inch. I was going to more or less cover that with the moss for a grassy floor. I just didn't know if the moss would catch and absorb any waste or not.

 

[gmh]

I tried a similar approach to yours and was not crazy with the result. The moss looks kind of messy in lage quantities like that and it is a hassle to vac it and keep the filter uptake from getting clogged with it. I had a major hair algae outbreak, probably due to not keeping it vaccumed properly.
I now just have remnants of java moss mostly growing on wood and it is still a bit of a nuisance as it spreads in places where I don't want it.

 

[Kuhlifan]

Here's the reason behind my madness:

I've only recently learned about the Scarlet Badis, and I want some. Having said that, I know little about them, as they don't have a lot of literature out there. One thing I have learned is that they can be bred easily in certain conditions. One of those conditions is having a nice mossy floor and some floating foliage that seems to not only help the fry to survive, but puts the adults in the mood.

Right now, I have no tank to put them in. My established tanks are already stocked, so I'd be starting a new one. I have no local source for the fish, so I'm negotiating with a local store to have some shipped in (if I can stomach the cost). When I get some, I want to put them where they will thrive, and hopefully, reproduce, so I won't have to go searching for them again.

Since it will be a small tank, I hope to be able to deal with the extra work of maintaining a messy moss carpet. But, it's good to know how it acts and how it works before I try it knowing nothing.

Anything else besides java moss give you the same effect without the headache?

 

[gmh]

Java moss does work well in situations like yours. You could put in driftwood to form caves and attach clumps of moss to it. A sponge filter will keep the water movement to a minimun and help keep the rest of the moss in place. I think those fish prefer calmer water at any rate.
Hope to see some pics if you get them. I would love to get a pair of those little guys.