Java moss not thriving

[WhistlingBadger]

Hi, all.

The Java moss in my Asian 55g is in limbo. It is green, but not bright green; surviving but not growing. It is attached to sandstone. Water parameters are medium; 0 nitrite, near 0 nitrate. I have quite a bit of algae growing in the tank, if that helps. Light is a Current USA Satellite LED+, 48" fixture, on 10 hours/day. There are floating dwarf water lettuce over the moss which I try to keep fairly thinned out.

Tank is rather understocked at the moment: 1 red tail shark, a couple snails and amano shrimp, 2 dwarf gouramis, 10 pentazona barbs, and around 10 zebra danios. Could that be the problem?

Any ideas how to get this stuff growing again?

[Cliff]

Maybe the nutrient level is too low ?

I would suggest looking into dosing some ferts and see how that goes.

[Knightia]

What's the temperature? Mosses often struggle in overly warm tanks. If yours is 80F+ that may be your problem.

[Slaphppy7]

The dwarf lettuce can diffuse light a bit too much, too

[WhistlingBadger]

I keep it right around 75f. Never above 80. I'm reluctant to dose ferts, because I'm afraid it will exacerbate an already moderate algae problem. Thoughts?

T

[Knightia]

Not sure - java moss is dead easy to grow.

I'd say 10 hours is too long a light period if you aren't dosing any ferts and have near zero nitrate. Algae will easily out-compete the plants. Reduce your lighting period to eight hours and dose some ferts. Algae is normally caused by too much light or an imbalance of light vs. CO2 in the water column vs. available nutrients. Finding the right balance (however low or high tech you want to go) is essential for good plant growth above that of your algae.

A small amount of algae in a tank isn't anything to worry about. Mine always has a bit of green algae and a few small patches of BBA that doesn't ever gain the upper hand.

[afro123]

You too huh?

[WhistlingBadger]

Yeah, everybody says Java moss is easy, and crypts are hard...my cripts are growing like weeds (except parva, which I have never had any success with) while my moss languishes. Well, I've always been a bit odd.


Not sure - java moss is dead easy to grow.
Algae is normally caused by too much light or an imbalance of light vs. CO2 in the water column vs. available nutrients. Finding the right balance (however low or high tech you want to go) is essential for good plant growth above that of your algae.


The frustrating thing is that there seems to be no real rule about this; it's just a "fiddle with it until everything lines up." Of course, that's part of the fun, too. I actually was thinking about increasing the intensity of the light (this fixture is considered on the low side of medium for a 55g, and I'm pretty sure that's why I've never been able to grow dwarf hairgrass), but decreasing the length of daylight. I want to add one of these babies. (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24833) It would get a bit more light down under the floaters.

Then maybe a low dosage of some ferts and/or increase my stocking. What do you think that would do?

[WhistlingBadger]

...and aren't high nitrates one of the causes of algae problems? So, I need to increase my nitrates? Pardon me for a moment while my brain explodes... :explosion:

[Slaphppy7]

...and aren't high nitrates one of the causes of algae problems? So, I need to increase my nitrates? Pardon me for a moment while my brain explodes... :explosion:

No, algae actually consumes nitrates...high nitrate levels are the result of not enough/not big enough water changes

[WhistlingBadger]

That's what I mean...if you have high nitrates, doesn't that contribute to algae?

[Slaphppy7]

Not significantly...nutrient imbalance and too much light are usually the culprits

[WhistlingBadger]

OK, well, I learned something! So, ferts are going to add trace elements etc. Phosphates are very low in my water. Increased stocking should add a bit of nitrate to the water. We'll see what that does, eh?

Thanks for the info, everybody! My aquarium is driving me crazy, not because it's so bad, but because it is *so close* to being great!

[Knightia]

Phosphates. I wouldn't add any of this unless you see signs of phosphate deficiency in your plants. An easy way of boosting phosphate is to stock more fish and feed a high quality frozen food once or twice a week, pouring in all the melt water with it. Too much phosphate will increase your algae significantly. Phosphate test kits are fairly accurate. I bought one when my plants were wasting.

Nitrates will be consumed by plants and algae but not necessarily cause algae. I have a heavily planted, heavily stocked tank. I now only change water once a fortnight (that's every two weeks to my American friends), and trates never get above ~10ppm.

I'd recommend splitting the photoperiod and dosing a broad spectrum fertiliser at the recommended dose once a week, or top it up with a half dose every three or four days. Wait three weeks and see what happens.

[WhistlingBadger]

Will do. I'm already splitting the photo period, actually, with no observed result...maybe I should be scientific and QUIT splitting the photo period, just to see if the algae gets even worse.

Naaaaaah.

[Blue Guppy]

Hi to AC

Would like to share my experience with Java Moss. I feel some of your frustration with this moss. I struggled for months trying to figure out why its turned brown from bright green. Here are my findings.

1. Most moss don't do well for temps 75F and up. I dropped the temp to 72F and the brown moss that I had for months is slowly showing some green growth. May take a few months to probably become fully green again. I also bought 2 more Java Moss attached to a stainless steel mesh about a month ago and no browining occurring so the temp that I set is spot on. I had my temp set before at 82F!

2. Dosing your tank with Iron supplement helps a lot. Be careful though as too much iron can start an algae outbreak. So follow the directions written on the bottle.

3. Keep the moss far from the light. I use a couple of Finnex LED lights. My moss are either attached to a driftwood or using as a carpet. Provide 6 to 8 hours of light at most. Anything longer than that will induce algae growth.

4. Trim the moss that have algae growth in them.

5. Make sure that you aquarium has good water circulation or flow. Debris, food waste, fish poop , etc can easily attach itself to the moss then thus deprive portion of light. So make sure these get either brushed off or receive good flow from your filter.

6. Snails and algae eaters help clean the moss from algae, debris and food waste.

Hope this helps.

[Slaphppy7]

Thomas, do you even remember this thread, lol...close or leave open?