How Often Should I Trim/clean Java Moss...

[VidVid]

I have java moss growing on a piece of driftwood and i was wondering how often should i trim it??? Is there a particular size that i should trim it to (say like everytime it gets over 2-3 cm)...If i dont actually trim it, is there a possibility that the lower layers will die off and then become separated by the driftwood or will new layers take its place??? Also, i want to trim it but may have a hard time collecting the trimmed floating moss, do you have any tips on how you neatly trim your moss??? And also, i noticed both my moss on wood and a moss ball attached to one corner of my tank is getting a bit brown and collecting a lot of debris. In reference to the corner moss ball (which i have left untouched for a couple of months), will it be safe to gently take it out and squeeze the excess debris under running water, or should i just siphon it the best i can...Should i take the black, dead moss out or can i just leave the dead bottom layers on because if i take it out, then the new layers will end up dying...
Thankyou very much for any replies...

 

[Liam]

It does trap lots of debris; I give it a shake and a hoover with the gravel vac during water changes. Even when it grows away from the wood it still stays alive and stuck as long as it gets even a little light it tends to spread out so that it gets light. If it does start to die off on the wood you can just retie the new growth. To trim it you can either take out the wood and put it in a bowl of water so that you can see where you are cutting or cut it in the aquarium and use a net to gather the clippings, just do a bit at a time and you will get most of it. Haven’t grown the moss balls.

 

[VidVid]

Ok thanks...the wood is about 2 feet long so i would just trim it in the tank itself and gather the clipping by net...btw, the moss ball isnt just a ball like the one tied up by string and left floating, it is the the leftover moss that i just stuck into the side of the tank and it grew up (as long as 3 inches) towards the light collecting debris in the process...Im just going to take it out and run it in running water and try to attach it to treated wood i found at the park for my other tank...
P.S. the wood i got from the park will be soaked for a few weeks, boiled and scrubbed numerous times then soaked for another few weeks and have the water tested a number of times until i really know its safe to put it in the aquarium...I will repeat the process just to make sure...