New To Java Moss

[Rex740]

I just got a handful of java moss and I am wondering how I should place it in my aquarium. How do I anchor it, do I throw gravel on top of it or something?

 

[Katty]

Rubber bands, fishing line, some thread, or little zip ties would work to tie it down to something (a rock, a decoration, some wood). You can cut off the ties once it has attached itself to whatever. Or if you want to put it on the ground you could throw gravel or a small stone on it. I've also seen people tie it to meshes and let it grow all over it for a carpet.

How you use it is only limited by your imagination

 

[Rex740]

I have only used half of my supply and put it on the right side of my tank. Will this stuff spread across all the gravel of my tank or just stay in that general area?

 

[Katty]

It just kind of grows out and grabs on to whatever it can, so I'd imagine it would spread up and out along the gravel if you stuck it there.

 

[Deleted member 55926]

In my experience, my java moss wouldn't grow AT ALL. It did nothing. Didn't really anchor to anything, didn't fluff up, just stayed exactly the same as how I placed it on some wood.

I took it out because it looks rubbish unless it properly grows thick and bushy. As a sort of experiment, and because I wasn't sure what to do with it, I put it in the window, in a cup of cold water straight from the tap and it has grown nice and bushy in the cup. Weird. Not sure what it doesn't like about my tank, but the stories about it growing in any conditions is apparently not true.

I have about 1.25 wpg lighting, hard acidic water. Tried liquid carbon and ferts too.

 

[Teephphah]

In my experience, my java moss wouldn't grow AT ALL. It did nothing. Didn't really anchor to anything, didn't fluff up, just stayed exactly the same as how I placed it on some wood.

I took it out because it looks rubbish unless it properly grows thick and bushy. As a sort of experiment, and because I wasn't sure what to do with it, I put it in the window, in a cup of cold water straight from the tap and it has grown nice and bushy in the cup. Weird. Not sure what it doesn't like about my tank, but the stories about it growing in any conditions is apparently not true.

I have about 1.25 wpg lighting, hard acidic water. Tried liquid carbon and ferts too.

Sounds like your experience with Java Moss is about the same as mine.

But, I guess if I were to try to look on the bright side . . . while it never grew or spread our or did anything but collect random debris, at least it didn't die.

 

[Rex740]

Would shrimp keep the java moss trimmed down?

 

[Rex740]

Here's the moss. Now look at the pictures to answer the question. As you can see, the moss isn't really attached to anything, it only being anchored down by a few small pieces of gravel, barely any. I would like this to carpet around that area. It's also a few inches upward due to it not being pulled down too much. Is it advisable I throw a bunch more gravel on it or actually bury the moss into the substrate? Also, should I spread the thickness out more?

 

[Theplayboy]

TBH if you want to make a carpet out of it i would say your best bet is to use some wire mesh or tie it to some slate. That way its going to stay in place and will be easier for maintenance i.e. trimming, gravel vac, etc.