Java moss as foreground plant?

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tfish

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Java moss as groundcover plant?

I am setting up a 10 gallon low light level tank (15 watts). I have had success with java fern and crypts but am looking to try something a little bit different. I am looking for a low growing groundcover plant. I have seen pics of people using java moss to do this and so I am thinking of trying it in that way. Here is a pic that I was looking at:

http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/pdubyana.html

So I went to my LFS to price some java moss and was lucky enough to get some for free! (The salesperson says he is constantly pruning some out and just throwing it away! He was quite happy to give me some. :D ) So anyway, I have a handful of java moss and am not quite sure how to use it. (The tank is currently inhabits just a lonely crytp ciliata. I have some dritwood that I am thinking of adding.) Any advice on how to use this plant would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
 
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An LFS near me uses is it in the substrate and I like the look. I never figured out how to vacuum around it so it didn't work when I tried to reproduce it.

I think I'd tie it onto some small flat rocks so that it was portable, but yeah, seems like a neat idea.
 
You could just leave it, it will sink and quickly wrap around gravel. The problem with this option is that java moss grown this way always looks like a tumbleweed, not as attractive as the pic on the site you gave. Therefore, tying it to something is best. You can tie it with dark cotton thread (which will eventually disintegrate but by then the java moss should be attached to the object), with fish line or elastic (permanent or removable, your choice, but once the java moss grows over they are virtually invisible). The object will have to be rough, something for the moss to get its ‘feet’ into, driftwood is good I’ve heard, or it can be wedged between rocks. I use rough stones. I would suggest it be something you will be able to take out for trimming, as a foreground plant it will often need trimming. I guess it could be trimmed in the tank with the right tool but all those moss threads floating around afterward would be a nightmare. I take mine out, turn it upside-down in a basin of water, pull it straight out and then give it a haircut.
 
I grew java moss as a ground cover in my 55 gal planted tank. I had a strip 8 inches wide and 48 inches long. If you do want to use it as a ground cover, simply spread a bunch of it out in a thin layer over your gravel and push a couple places of it into the gravel a bit. It won't take long until it takes hold of a few pieces a gravel and it will stay put.

While it did look quite nice it was a hell of a lot of work. It constantly needed prunning and pieces broke off and clogged the filter intake. Also, I found it very difficult to keep it clean as all the detrius would fall under the moss making it impossible to vacuum up. I eventually had to remove it as I got a little lazy trimming it and it got 3 inches deep. When it was this thick it shaded the lower portions of the moss and they died, starting to rot. I much prefer java moss attached to driftwood now, easier to take care of. :)
 
Oh wow. I didn't quite think of the uptake that it would require as groundcover. Thanks for the input! Maybe I will rethink it and just use it on my driftwood.
 
yeah, i've also found that java moss is a lot more work to maintain at large sizes; traps more dirt and requires more frequent trimmings to remain uniform. i've since limited moss to only a few pebbles in the substrate, regardless of tank size.
 
My Java moss grows different due to the amount of light it receives. In my high light tank, it grows rather flat, like a thick mat. Its about 4"x10" and about 1" thick.

In my low light tank, it grows normal and tumbleweed looking. What looks nice in that tank is when I tie it around some flat rocks and place about 4-5 rocks in the front of the tank. Once it starts growing out a little it looks like its all one piece. Cool... But then after a while it will start looking a little ragged. I then either trim it flat or retie them back on the rocks and start over. This process take about three to four months or so. No too bad maintenance wise...

I had some growing on my driftwood but it got pretty wild looking. What I do now is to pull out as much as I can but leave a few stragglers hanging on and let them grow out. Looks good this way too.
 
I tried using java moss as groundcover in a 3.5 watt per gallon tank and had a nice 1" thick carpet in short order, but cleaning it was all but impossible.

Stick to the rocks, coconut shells, and driftwood, it's a lot easier to manage.
 
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