Java Moss? Advice Welcome

[pelcofresh]

Hello
first of I have a 65 fresh watter with two 22watt florecent tubes. The Aquarium in 24 inches
deep. I have losely atached java moss onto some slate, some onto "P*lco Cave" the rest is floating in a Breader trap at the top of my tank. The tank has aprox 16 x 1.5inc fish and 1 who will reach 12 inc. I have never played with co2 have herd about fluctuations in my ph? Just do not want to stress my fish or stunt my java moss. Eventualy a "Carpet effect" would be great. Probably not with my co2 levels beeing at zero. If I run one homemade DIY 2l bottle what PPM will i run aprox. 5/10 ppm should be enuf to help my moss and not harm my fish right? any help would be great thanks.

 

[aaronnorth]

java moss doesn't need co2 but it will help and it certainley won't stunt your moss growth. co2 usually lowers ph down to about 7, i added it and it went down by 0.5, so it won't affect your fish to much. as long as it stays with in 15 - 30ppm its fine. you can't predict how much co2 you will have with a DIY mixture as you can't control it but you won't overdose as it doesn't give out enough. Java moss relies on bright light which you have and liquid fertilisers and it will still grow with out any.

this can roughly tell you how much co2 you have
http/www.aquamaniacs.net/co2.html

 

[pelcofresh]

java moss doesn't need co2 but it will help and it certainley won't stunt your moss growth. co2 usually lowers ph down to about 7,

Ya you know what. I only put it in last night i am going to let it grow for a month see how it looks. If it is not spectatular i will get some of those test kits you were talking about dh ect. right now i dont have the proper test kits. As such dont want to instal it into my system and not be able to moniter it.
or have my ph crash,, i just set up my tank and aquired new fish. Let every thing stabalise and i still need a simple diy difuser any ideas? thanks PS could i put a airline check valve to stop it from backflowing into my tank? God Forbid!

 

[aaronnorth]

yes, airline check should be used just incase or you could run the airline into a smaller bottle then an airline tube from the bottle to the tank. For DIY the pressure isn't very high so the co2 isn't forced out as well in ceramic diffusers as they are on a:

bubble ladder - the bubbles travel up along the ladder slowly dissolving

http/www.aquatic-eden.com/2006/10/method...n-aquarium.html

or an infinity diffuser which works the same but is smaller

http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...d514aed8681fa5a

 

[pelcofresh]

Like I said my tank is more for the fish.

If my moss grows then GREAT if not I will hook up my co2
I was wondering if it would be an ok idea to plumb the co2 into the botom strainer of my HOB filter.
Theoreticaly the bubbles would be sucked in , cut up buy the impellar and distributed into the tank with the rest of my water. Is this an ok idea? or will it result in a damaged filter/noises filter. This is my nuber one concern with this idea damaged filter/ noise. Any input would be great thanks.

PS: The only other steping stone is if my ph is presently 7.6 and i add c02 it should drop to like 6.5/7 ok. Will that drop stress sensitive fish? if so what happens if on the weekend my co2 runs out and no more is being added to the tank? Will it jump to 7.6 again? if so that means I alwase need a steady supply right?

So many questions so little time Thanks again for any input. (New to the whole plant/co2 thing)

 

[SuperColey1]

co2 usually lowers ph down to about 7, i added it and it went down by 0.5, so it won't affect your fish to much.

Strange statement! If your Ph is already 7 (mine is 7.2) then it will not lower it to 7.

In general Ph lowers by 1 at 30ppm (i.e 7.2 = 6.2 in mine). This can differ dependent on the water hardness.

Do you have a 65Ltr or 65USG? If 65 Litre then thats a huge amount of light to have on your tank with just java fern in there.

There is no need to run CO2 just for Java Fern. It will grow on its own. As long as you dont spread it too thickly (see pic in the pinned thread on Riccia and Java Fern) then it will eventually<----long time with mosses, spread fully across the item it is attached to.

Andy

 

[pelcofresh]

co2 usually lowers ph down to about 7, i added it and it went down by 0.5, so it won't affect your fish to much.

Strange statement! If your Ph is already 7 (mine is 7.2) then it will not lower it to 7.

In general Ph lowers by 1 at 30ppm (i.e 7.2 = 6.2 in mine). This can differ dependent on the water hardness.

Do you have a 65Ltr or 65USG?

There is no need to run CO2 just for Java Fern.
Andy

I am running a 65 US Gallon's.

And it is a deep tank , 24 inches. My PH is 7.6 i am esstimating 2x2l pop bottle will drop my ph to 6.6. Just worried about the spikes.. Thanks for the advice, Whence I recive the rest of my test kits i shall plug it in. I constructed a bell for the co2 to collect in. A little Diy very easy. It is just a bottle cap on the end of my air line. I am shooting for the carpet effect as such I think the co2 will help speed it up a bit!

 

[aaronnorth]

co2 usually lowers ph down to about 7, i added it and it went down by 0.5, so it won't affect your fish to much.

Strange statement! If your Ph is already 7 (mine is 7.2) then it will not lower it to 7.

In general Ph lowers by 1 at 30ppm (i.e 7.2 = 6.2 in mine). This can differ dependent on the water hardness.

Do you have a 65Ltr or 65USG? If 65 Litre then thats a huge amount of light to have on your tank with just java fern in there.

There is no need to run CO2 just for Java Fern. It will grow on its own. As long as you dont spread it too thickly (see pic in the pinned thread on Riccia and Java Fern) then it will eventually<----long time with mosses, spread fully across the item it is attached to.

Andy

i meant it lowered mine to 7, i wrote it wrong

 

[radioman]

I made a carpet out of java moss but debris always got caught in it and it didn't look good. Even now debris gets stuck in the ball form I have growing. It actually looked good when I cut i. Some people though have had some very good results with it so I would say go for it.

 

[RYO]

Java moss grows slowly at first but once established can take over a tank. Don't put it on too thick.
Just be patient with it . when it gets to the length you want cut it like hair.