Moss Balls

[beechey]

i heard these are good for tank anr reduce Aglae levels

 

[Arfie]

I have a couple in my 10 (UK) gallon, they may reduce nitrates slightly, though not by any significant amount and I assure you that they absolutely do not prevent algae. You may need more than I have for them to have any significant effect on nitrate and algae levels.

More to the point, they look nice IMO and are a bit different, they also can be moved around at will changing the look of your tank. I understand that under high lighting they will rise to the surface bouyed by the oxygen they have produced, though I have fairly low light so I haven't seen this happen.

Arfie

 

[blue_ram]

Pretty much what Arfie said: they don't inhibit algae growth, and they do well in low-mid level lighting. I have low lighting in my aquarium, so I just pick them up and take them outside every weekend in a gallon jar for some sun. Then they fill up with oxygen bubbles and float to the top. They've been doing pretty well for the last 5 months.

 

[Arfie]

Pretty much what Arfie said: they don't inhibit algae growth, and they do well in low-mid level lighting. I have low lighting in my aquarium, so I just pick them up and take them outside every weekend in a gallon jar for some sun. Then they fill up with oxygen bubbles and float to the top. They've been doing pretty well for the last 5 months.

Now there's a trick I could try if only I didn't live in England

To clarify, they may help with algae if kept under high light as they may well grow quite quickly in these conditions, but they do live in low light quite happily

Arfie

 

[Valyrian]

When you guys say moss balls, do you mean balls of java moss?

 

[beechey]

how big are yours ??

on the internet they look like the size of a snooker ball.

 

[soritan]

When you guys say moss balls, do you mean balls of java moss?

Nope, Moss Balls = Marimo Balls = algae, native of rivers in Japan, having been rolled and rolled into a shape. It doesn't spread, it's quite bristle-y, so they tend not to get eaten. You have to roll them to keep them round, otherwise they flatten out.

I like them. They're undemanding little plants. I've heard light opinions vary wildly on their light requirements, some swear that they're high light plants, while others say they're low. When I got mine, they were only about 1.5" in diameter, a few months back. They've only grown about .5", but they are relatively slow growing plants, no matter what their light source is -- that's why they don't fight algae, only fast growing plants actually compete with algae.


Some guy actually dedicated one of those awful 1/4th gallon tanks to a single marimo ball, he calls it, "The Tribble." I totally want one of those. The light source, being only an inch or so above the ball, causes it to pearl and float all the time.

 

[beechey]

cheers bud i think i will get one or two ..

 

[RWB]

I bought some of these and put them into a tank I was just setting up,heater on,filter on,light on and airpump on. Went on holiday for 10 days and when I came back the tank looked as if it had been painted bright green.
The glass was coated in it,there was a carpet of green all over the gravel and even the plants had a film of it on the leaves.
Had to get it all off with a sponge and the small amount that was left was soon mopped up when I put a couple of algae eaters in.
I think the trick is to make sure if you put these moss balls in you have fish in the tank first.