# Moss Balls?



## GoldieCrazie (Oct 2, 2010)

My LFS just got in some floating moss balls. No one there really knows anything about them, I am hoping someone here can help me decide if I want to give them a try or not. 

1. Can I add these to replace my large mass of floating hornwort? 
2. Do they tend to become a headache or are they maintenance free? 
3. Will they grow large or produce other balls?
4. A few of the balls at the store have some moss growing and sticking out of the ball like a bunch of little arms, is this normal? 

Thanks!


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

"floating moss balls" could refer to a lot of different things in the crazy world of LPS marketing.
could you please search though http://www.google.com/imghp? and provide a link to a photo
of anything that even closely resembles what you are talking about 
I promise we can give you precise information once we can agree on what it is you saw to buy.


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## Franco (Jun 25, 2010)

Are they just styrofoam balls covered in java moss? Our petcos and petsmarts sell those. Or are the marimo algae balls? Those should sink unless they are pearling.


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## GoldieCrazie (Oct 2, 2010)

Spy pet, I will look through the link and post a pic that resembles what they have. 

Franco, I should ask them if they are the styrofoam, I did think the little 'arms' reaching out looked an awful lot like the java moss pictures I have seen.
The balls were all at different levels in the tank a few at the top some in the middle and most on floor of the tank. 

Are the marimo balls better than the 'moss balls'?


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## GoldieCrazie (Oct 2, 2010)

This picture looks exactly like what they are selling. 

Thanks for the help!


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## Lizzz (Nov 28, 2010)

looks to me like its java moss wrapped around a styrofoam ball. My petsmart sells them as well.


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## GoldieCrazie (Oct 2, 2010)

ah, okay. I think I will pass on them then. I don't want to start battling moss in my tank. 
Thank you Lizzz!


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## dmartin72 (Oct 9, 2004)

You can never never have too much moss!


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## GoldieCrazie (Oct 2, 2010)

LOL Dmartin72, 
Moss is beautiful and I do plan on starting a moss only tank someday, but for now I don't have the time to ensure it doesn't get out of control in my tanks. 
I am looking for a more eye catching and hassle free replacement for my floating hornwort.


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## dmartin72 (Oct 9, 2004)

Red Root Floaters are nice.


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

floaters make it easier to manage a nitrate sponge, assuming that's your application.
let them flourish, then dispose or compost them outdoors when they get too numerous.
giant duckweed, red root floaters, frogbite, water lettuce, all work well here.
http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?liveplantsf
I would avoid the small duckweed and riccia because their tiny size is harder to manage.
if you don't want half your tank in the shade, then tying up hornwort may be preferred.
I would avoid large floaters like water hyacinths as they can melt in low nitrate/lite tanks.


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## GoldieCrazie (Oct 2, 2010)

Spypet, I used the hornwort to help cycle my tank, now that it is cycled I really want to toss it. But, I do need a little extra something to help keep things under control. 
Thank you for the link and info, I am going to look more into the red root floaters, they look pretty cool.

Merry Christmas!


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

well, if your plan is to stock the tank with a lot of fish,
then floaters is a good way to keep the nitrates in check.

if you find anyone willing to ROAK you a few floaters cheap,
plz let me know - as I'd like to experiment with them too 
years ago I used to send floater samples to people in
regular first class envelopes, and they did just fine.


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## GoldieCrazie (Oct 2, 2010)

Spypet, I will let you know if I find some. If you happen across any before I do, please let me know! I am surprised this plant is so hard to find, it is beautiful.


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

it's not hard to find, at least among tank hobbyists here.
it's just a bother to mail such a prolific plant during winter,
that's why it's worth the risk to stuff into an envelope,
or wait to buy a plant package with just a bit included.
just reduce your hornwort till the right opportunity comes.


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## Franco (Jun 25, 2010)

Its freaking cold here right now so I wouldn't even think of having plants shipped to me but I found some cool stuff at a local greenhouse. Hitchhiking in their pond plant pots were creeping jenny and mosquito fern. The jenny makes a good stem plant and the mosquito fern has replaced the duckweed in my tanks. It is much easier to control than the duckweed was and the feathered roots are great for baby shrimp to rummage through. I use a cage made out of plastic drinking straws stuck end to end to keep my duckweed and mosquito fern from blowing around the tank. Its practically invisible and I still get the benefits of the nitrogen loving floaters.


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## peskar (Dec 20, 2009)

GoldieCrazie said:


> 1. Can I add these to replace my large mass of floating hornwort?
> 2. Do they tend to become a headache or are they maintenance free?
> 3. Will they grow large or produce other balls?
> 4. A few of the balls at the store have some moss growing and sticking out of the ball like a bunch of little arms, is this normal?




1. Check this out: http://www.plantgeek.net/plant-199.htm
Called "Cladophora", colony type of the plant. Origin: Russia, Japan
2. No maintenance is needed, just once in 2 weeks remove it from tank and squeeze gently.
Its loved by shrimps and little fish. Also it is a very good bio filter.
3. It doesn't grow large, but appearing of baby Cladophora is observed from time to time.
4. This plant is smooth without anything sticking out from it. Just a smooth ball shaped.

Also in day time the colony is floating on top and in the night time it sinks to bottom.

THERE IS NOTHING ARTIFICIAL INSIDE.


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

peskar said:


> Also in day time the colony is floating on top and in the night time it sinks to bottom.


I've seen no evidence of this cycle.
I know they roll around in current,
but that's as animated as they get.

I suppose if you have compressed Co2
and the ball gets full of bubble beads,
it may float and sink from that issue.


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## peskar (Dec 20, 2009)

spypet said:


> I suppose if you have compressed Co2
> and the ball gets full of bubble beads,
> it may float and sink from that issue.


Maybe because of CO2, but I was observing it in one of my aquariums
which doesn't have CO2, just 0.7 Wt of light per Liter.

Also if you cut Cladophora into pieces you can join it to your wood 
with the thread. Same way you do with mosses.


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

peskar said:


> Also if you cut Cladophora into pieces you can join it to your wood
> with the thread. Same way you do with mosses.


doubtful - I see no evidence of this actually working.
moss fronds have barbs that eventually dig into wood,
marimo cladophora has no means to adhere on it's own,
so eventually it may just bead up and float away again.
don't be deceived by pretty pictures of tank wood with
marimo attached to it - it's all for show - not tankkeeping.
marimo would have to be netted down similar to riccia,
but even then, you would probably end up with a mess,
since riccia grows up and out, while marimo colonizes.


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## Lizzz (Nov 28, 2010)

spypet said:


> doubtful - I see no evidence of this actually working.
> moss fronds have barbs that eventually dig into wood,
> marimo cladophora has no means to adhere on it's own,
> so eventually it may just bead up and float away again.
> ...


The only time I've ever had success with cutting them, is making a carpet and laying it on top of the rocks on the waterfall in my paladarium to help cut back on the splashing. I assume it stays there from the force of the waterfall as it's definitely not attached to the rocks, and never will.


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## jclee (Aug 24, 2009)

spypet said:


> doubtful - I see no evidence of this actually working.
> moss fronds have barbs that eventually dig into wood,
> marimo cladophora has no means to adhere on it's own,
> so eventually it may just bead up and float away again.
> ...


I am pretty sure that marimo moss can affix to things. I recall a thread on a fish forum wherein the OP was worried about this algal growth on his driftwood centerpiece. It was a mat of what I am fairly certain we all agreed was marimo moss (or if not that, looked exactly like it), and he had had marimo balls in the tank that had gone unturned for a while.

Frankly, I thought it looked beautiful, and I would love to try to do that deliberately some day. (I believe the OP removed the driftwood and began cleaning/sterilizing it.)


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

jclee - what we could be seeing is discussed here;
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plant-id/75955-cladophora-sale-ebay.html
if an auction of this algae goes off at a few bucks
I may experiment if only to put this issue to rest.
I don't have compressed Co2 so I don't expect it
to thrive, but if it doesn't try to migrate around my
otherwise algae free tank, that would be progress.
I'm also curious to see if it's actually adhering to
that rock, or simply glued and/or netted against it.
you can just call me the "AquaScaping MythBuster"


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