# Need Advice: Java Moss in Walstad?



## Moledude (Aug 27, 2015)

This is my first Walstad tank I just set up yesterday evening, a 5 gal Fluval Chi with a 75W LED light.


















*Plants:*

Pygmy Chain Swords
Crypt. Parva
Anubias Coffeefolia
Bolbitis heudelotii
Vesicularia montagnei
Blyxa Japonica

*Water Readings:*

pH _7.2_
Ammonia _1.0ppm_
Nitrite _2.0ppm_
Nitrate _160ppm_
KH _71.6ppm_
GH _More Than 214.8ppm_
My question is: *Should I add java moss to this tank?*

I did a test run of this setup with the same soil mixture (50% Scott's Organic Miracle Gro + 50% Safe-T-Sorb) and some generic plants I got for free and the tank was doing okay. But when I added some Java moss the plants began pearling rapidly after about 3 days. I believe pearling is a good thing, evidence of the plants producing Oxygen. My fear is the Java Moss will "out-do" the other plants, or I might be adding too many plants.

Also, Nitrates and General Hardness are off the charts. I live downtown of a major city, so water is as hard as can be. I am hoping 50% water changes over the next several days with Seachem-Prime-treated water will help stabilize the tank specs.

I have a Hydor Koralia Nano 240gph powerhead behind the log, but I thought not to turn it on until the Anubias attaches to the wood.

Any advice is much appreciated, thanks!


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## LittleTinGod (Sep 15, 2015)

Do you not have a layer of gravel on top of that 50/50 mix? You need a cap of at least 1". You can use straight Safe-T-Sorb, 2-4mm gravel is the gold standard cap but Safe-T-Sorb will work for a cap from my understanding. Maybe i'm just blind and you do have one but it doesn't look like it.

I just started my own 10 gallon using the same mix but i have small gravel over it.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Welcome to APC!

It won't hurt to try some Java moss, as long as you realize that you will probably need to do a lot of thinning later of all the plants. Pearling is a sign that the plants are healthy and photosynthesizing rapidly, but it is probably just a coincidence that the pearling started after you added Java moss to your test tank.


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## JG06 (Nov 5, 2006)

I think Diane Walston would probably advise you to toss it in and see what happens. If I recall correctly, she advocated allowing you aquarium to find its own balance and commented that some plants would eventually out compete others. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk


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## Moledude (Aug 27, 2015)

Great! I'll put it in and keep monitoring.

And yes, I do have a cap using tube sand, it's just some of the substrate mix accidentally dusted on top of the front part of the tank after being stirred up from adjusting the log. I will have to gently vacuum it out


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