2 More Plant Rookie Questions

[SherLar]

   First, thank you all for your replies and advice to my previous questions. Although I've kept fish in ponds and aquariums for over 30 years, I feel like a novice compared to the wise souls in the forums.
   My first question concerns the Marimo Moss Balls afore mentioned, and is in 2 parts: how large do they get? I've had a couple in a community tank for over a year and they haven't grown in size at all. Do they help clean and filter aquarium water?
   My second question: are there any easy-care plants that will do well in semi-brackish water? Since adding several live plants to my 90g community tank, and loving how it looks, I'd like to add some to my 29g molly tank.
   Oops, sorry. A 3rd question: I'd also like to add some to my 90g New World Cichlid tank, but was told that the fish would destroy all plants. Are there any cichlid-proof plants?
   Again, any advice would be greatly appreciated. I owe you all a Glen Livet'.

 

[Byron]

 My first question concerns the Marimo Moss Balls afore mentioned, and is in 2 parts: how large do they get? I've had a couple in a community tank for over a year and they haven't grown in size at all. Do they help clean and filter aquarium water?
 

 
Marimo Moss Balls is not really moss, but a species of filamentous green algae.  I don't know how large these might become, but they will function as higher plants in using nutrients and producing oxygen.  They are, as far as I am aware, fairly slow-growing so this will be minimal compared to faster-growing plants.
 

My second question: are there any easy-care plants that will do well in semi-brackish water? Since adding several live plants to my 90g community tank, and loving how it looks, I'd like to add some to my 29g molly tank.
 

 
Yes, depending upon the salt level.  Generally, the rougher or thicker-leaf plants, like Anubias and Java Fern, tend to manage.  But before going down that road, I would suggest you "freshen" your molly tank.  Salt is not necessary for these fish; all they need is moderately hard or harder water, as it is the minerals like calcium and magnesium that is critical to their long-term health.  Good plants for freshwater molly tanks are the Vallisneria; these grow extremely well in harder water, are rapid growing, and mollies enjoy eating algae off the leaves.  If you want to pursue the salt issue more, I have an article on this on the Wet Web Media:  http/www.wetwebmedia.com/SaltArtHosking.htm
 

Oops, sorry. A 3rd question: I'd also like to add some to my 90g New World Cichlid tank, but was told that the fish would destroy all plants. Are there any cichlid-proof plants?
 

 
This might depend upon the cichlid species.  If you are thinking of the Central American cichlids, an aquascape resembling their habitat having sand, chunks of wood, and floating plants might work well.  The floating plants perform the "planted tank" function, plus they provide shade which is often essential as most of these medium-sized cichlids occur in waters that are well shaded by overhanging vegetation.  Some have luck potting large sword plants, but some cichlids will easily overturn these.
 
Byron.