Java Moss: Natural Enemy of the Filter Intake?

[Brhino]

My Java moss has had about a month in the tank now. It came in a bundle which I spread over a artificial cave and tied down with fishing line. It's spreading out and starting to look pretty good. The only problem is that every single day I have to fish some pieces of it out of my filter intakes. The intakes are at the opposite end of the tank, it's just that bits of moss (often a few inches long!) become free floating and eventually make their way there. Often times I'll just have finished cleaning the intakes, sit back to admire the tank, and see a new piece go floating by. Is this just part of the setup process, or is it a permanent part of life for java moss owners?

[AmyLynn]

If you judge it by my tank it's just a way of life for those with java moss. LOL

[toddnbecka]

I use songe prefilters on my hob and canister intakes to keep live plants from slowing the flow to a trickle between weekly cleanings. Aquaclear sponge blocks are good, and so are the replacement sponges for penguin powerheads. Both have coarse foam that doesn't clog quickly.

[Brhino]

for me, at least, the moss tends to catch on the intake rather than entering it. It's not a clog, although if I didn't gather it up every day perhaps it would.

[toddnbecka]

I haven't had plants go up the intakes, but the Najas will collect and severely restrict the intake flow.

[SunSchein89]

I've had my moss for two or three weeks now with no problems. I only anchored it with two rocks on either side and put it next to some drift wood; never had a single piece float yet. It seems to be attaching nicely to the drift wood on its own too.

[Algenco]

I've had my moss for two or three weeks now with no problems. I only anchored it with two rocks on either side and put it next to some drift wood; never had a single piece float yet. It seems to be attaching nicely to the drift wood on its own too.


it will:hmm3grin2orange:
fish will begin picking at it, cleaning filter intakes occasionally is just part of the game

[chrisfraser05]

There's always a bit of moss floating about in my community tank.....

Why did I put it in the betta tank too? lol

[korith]

Java moss will pretty much attach itself to anything, and little bits of it will find their way into everything. I took all the java moss out of a 20g many months ago, but I still regularly pull little bits out from the tank.

[Zilla]

I always have Java Moss strands floating around in the 55 gallon as the Gourami's like to pick through it. My cory's do as well although they are not as rough with it.

As long as it isn't clogging the filter intakes, I wouldn't worry about it. As suggested, use a prefilter if it annoys.

[FishGirl-Seattle]

I always have Java moss in my tanks - if I get any fry they hang in the moss until they get big enough to swim in the open. Therefore....it collects on my intakes, gets in my nets...like pond snail shells it can be found everywhere in my house, in my sinks, next to the tanks...it's just part of my life now!

[Brhino]

well, I started this thread three months ago, but for what its worth the moss did eventually stop breaking off and heading into the filter.