lilsoccakid

hi everyone. i only have java moss in my tank right now (20 gallon) and its been doing great. i have a 15 watt flouresent bulb. Ive been thinking about adding some more java moss to carpet the bottom of the tank. Would this get out of control? also, i want some low light taller plants for the background. What do i need to get them set up? thanks

jsalemi

More light would help. There's a sticky thread at the top of this forum that has good info about what plants do ok with low-mid light levels. Worth a read.

Gunnie

I think the java moss would get out of control if you planted it in the gravel. Once it attaches itself to something, it's near impossible to remove it, and you will have to constantly prune it when it starts to grow out again.

Here's a link with a list of low light plants to give you some ideas:

PlantGeek.net - Plant Guide

lilsoccakid

yea ive noticed that its getting bigger, but i think i could just yank it right out of the gravel if i needed to

MrWaxhead

Java moss is actually pretty easy to pull off things, but there are a couple of good ways of making it into a carpet (I am not a huge fan of moss carpets, but they are a good way to carpet in lowlight).

1 - take a thin peice of slate, put a thin skim of moss on the slate and cover it with a hairnet and wrap the hairnet around the backside and tie it up well. (make sure its snug enough that its not a trap for fish, the moss will grow out of it very fast and hold down well.)

2 - take plastic mesh, like the little green crates you get strawberries in. (you can get large sheets of it), cut two in the same way, ie cut to the shape you want you carpet to be. Lay one down and put a skim of moss over the entire surface, (not to thick, just a bit will do) then take the other peice that is cut the same and lay it ontop and tie the two plates together (moss sandwich) and set it down in the tank where you want it. Then let it all grow through and cover and hide all the mesh and trim the moss down to the desired thickness as it grows.

MrWaxhead

I like to use java moss to cover my cave systems for my corries, I just tie it on with cotton thread, and by the time the tread rots away, the moss has grabbed onto what ever I tie it onto quiet well. The left of my tank in my sig, is all java moss and riccia (which is a good combo, as the moss will grab onto to riccia and prevent it from floating away once its got a good hold of it)

griffin

that's a really great idea for holding riccia down!