Java Moss - detrius, excess food trap

[The Aquarium Home]

Today I did a 75 % water change on my 5 gallon tank. I disturbed the large java moss in the tank which then released loads of accumulated debris from feedings and from detrius/fish waste. Major clouding of tank was the result.

In this tank, a use a large sponge filter as the sole filter in the tank. I clean the sponge filter about every 4 months.

What a mess. I will need to do several 75% water changes to remove the resulting debris.

If you have java moss, I recommend removing it every 3 months or so and swishing it in tank water to remove accumulated debris. Then place it back in the tank.

Anyone else have issues with Java Moss in their tanks?

I have java moss in all my tanks but it's never grown to that size before. What are some tips to get lots of growth with java moss?

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I actually have a bigger problem with java ferns. The root tangles get huge, and any time they are disturbed they release an enormous amount of crud into the water. If I'm going to trim them (or moss), I try to do it right before or during a big water change. And then I clean the filter afterward.

I like the idea of a "detritus of the month" contest...But it would be hard to judge because it all kind of looks the same.

 

[MaloK]

I actually have a bigger problem with java ferns. The root tangles get huge, and any time they are disturbed they release an enormous amount of crud into the water. If I'm going to trim them (or moss), I try to do it right before or during a big water change. And then I clean the filter afterward.

I like the idea of a "detritus of the month" contest...But it would be hard to judge because it all kind of looks the same.

I lived that problem. My 2 observation to solve the problem where 1: overfeeding 2: lack of microfauna.

I cut back on feeding, tried to target feed as much as possible. And promote microfaunus as much as possibilus.

At the moment from all the ones I could have, seed shrimps are doing very well, their population made me realize how much I was overfeeding and at the same time took care to break down every left overs, leaving clean roots, wood, glass and decor. But created a lots of nitrate when exploding. loll. They are a lot more discrete than other pods and worms. And do a lot better job.

For a couple months I been relying on that to gauge my excess of nutrients.

I don't know what fish are in the tank, But. You could also trow a handful of shrimps in there. They will move that mulm into your filter for you.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I lived that problem. My 2 observation to solve the problem where 1: overfeeding 2: lack of microfauna.

I cut back on feeding, tried to target feed as much as possible. And promote microfaunus as much as possibilus.

At the moment from all the ones I could have, seed shrimps are doing very well, their population made me realize how much I was overfeeding and at the same time took care to break down every left overs, leaving clean roots, wood, glass and decor. But created a lots of nitrate when exploding. loll. They are a lot more discrete than other pods and worms. And do a lot better job.

For a couple months I been relying on that to gauge my excess of nutrients.

I don't know what fish are in the tank, But. You could also trow a handful of shrimps in there. They will move that mulm into your filter for you.

I agree about microfauna, but that's tough to maintain in a tank with angelfish, rosy tetras, and farlowella. Whenever I put frozen or live anything in there, it's like piranhas on a dead cow...

 

[GaryE]

I like the idea of a "detritus of the month" contest...But it would be hard to judge because it all kind of looks the same.

I wouldn't say that. My German Blue Detritus has a certain je ne sais quoi to it, and glo and blood parrot detritus heaps are potential discussion pieces. As for the java lava, no one wants to go there.

Yeah, I know. I taught Grade 9 boys for far too long...

 

[MaloK]

I agree about microfauna, but that's tough to maintain in a tank with angelfish, rosy tetras, and farlowella. Whenever I put frozen or live anything in there, it's like piranhas on a dead cow...

Make a little mount of small (3-7 mm) gravel in a pretty good water circulation area and feed it with powdered food.

Build it, they will come. And they work nigh shift.

Also it can take many attempts to make them conquer a filter, but once done...

I like that. A lot. It prevents clogging while distributing live food.