Ive Been Doing Some Reading

[Dude]

i was thinking of getting a moss ball

but i dont really know to much about them ...

like lighing if they need co2

liquid ferts ? or how fast they grow


so i was wondering if someone can tell me more about these balls

 

[Dude]

ive been looking online and i didnt find really usefull info ....

can somone help me out|?

 

[SugarQube]

I would also like to know Dude, I bought one looks nice in the tank I know nothing about them just liked the look of them and thought buy and try

 

[Neal]

They don't need much, they are slow growers and don't grow roots, they take a long time to carpet, longer than any other types of moss. Any more info you need on them? High light, co2, ferts etc will obviously help, but they don't need them to thrive.

Neal

 

[iSnail]

They are also called Marimo balls. Infact, they are not moss but algae formed balls. Try search "Cladophora aegagropila".

I have a few in my tanks and I haven't used any fertilizer or CO2 but they stay looking the same. Don't grow much but I think they look quite funky. If you have both high light and CO2, you might end up having trouble keeping them downon the bottom since they pearl under those conditions.

 

[RadaR]

iSnail is correct.
And because the balls are a type algae they make it hard for other types of algae to grow.

 

[sammy86]

i have my tank carpeted in marimo moss balls and it looks terrific - instead of worrying about it grow i simply bought loads - a tiny ball goes a LONG way - i carpeted my 12 gallon with 5 balls!! (about a pound or so each)

the best thing about it is it sinks - so mine is simply lying ontop of the sand - i also stuffed into nooks in the wood and tied it to some branches too - looks fantastic. and my fish love sitting in it.

a part of my tank:

 

[Dude]

oo cool

and would snails and ottos eat it ?

and kill it

 

[iSnail]

That looks cooooool Sammy

Dude, my snails never touch the moss balls except when there is food debris. Don't know about ottos . However, I had trouble when I had some in with goldfish. They seem to like tearing them apart

 

[TammyLiz]

When you use them as carpet, they don't really hold on, do they? But this doesn't cause a problem? In an area with current, do you think they'd get blown around?

I'm curious about it getting eaten, too. But it looks like there are ottos in that picture from sammy86. Has it been in there long enough for you to be sure they aren't going to eat it?