How to reduce my moss without causing ammonia spike?

**Crystal Red Shrimp** · 4th Jul 2009, 10:39

i have got a big piece of moss in my tank and would like to remove it to make it into a moss wall.How do i remove it to prevent ammonia when all the debris float ups?Wouldnt want to endanger my crs's life so anyone can teach me?

**BEASTIEPENDENT** · 14th Jul 2009, 07:30

Hi there

What difference is there if the detritus floats or is on the ground? You can remove the moss without any danger.

If You have a pH above 7.5 it is possible that ammonium changes to ammoniac – but what should this have to do with detritus floating or laying in the ground?

**Jimmy** · 14th Jul 2009, 08:59

Is there a relationship between them?

**shanexu** · 14th Jul 2009, 10:59

you can use a lunch box and put it under water, scoop up the moss with the lid and minimum movement, and cover it up (while still under water and at the moss's original location) with the lunch box. then slowly raise it?

but i think removing the moss won't be much of a problem. unless your moss is like HUGE

**Crystal Red Shrimp** · 15th Jul 2009, 09:20

ya i have a moss turf in my tank length 38cm breadth 28 cm.so i have problems removing it.

**mozaqua** · 16th Jul 2009, 00:58

Originally Posted by Crystal Red Shrimp

ya i have a moss turf in my tank length 38cm breadth 28 cm.so i have problems removing it.

Sounds like a big chunk of moss!
Better be careful about moving it too quickly. This could offset the balance of bacteria, also the moss is doing some nitrogen reduction of its own.

What is your moss growing on? I have taken some moss out of my 100L shrimp tank, and found hair algae a week later. If you don't have any baby shrimp in the tank, take it out in small pieces.
Use a small siphon to suck out the debris under the moss ,on the substrate surface, as you take it out. To prevent the gunk from floating around the tank. Also dip the moss back into the water a couple times to get shrimp out that may be hiding in it.

If you have baby shrimp, just leave it in there! Don't want to have them sucked down the drain.

**Numbskull** · 16th Jul 2009, 04:20

i found moss are a hassle rather than a beauty. They thrived too fast and soon in another 2 months in given the right water conditions and temp, they boom like there is no tomorrow.

The bigger problem begins if you decided to trim them using scissors (like me) and hair algae will be produced. You cant take them out if you tied to DW due to ammonia spike.

I think growing US Fissidien or other kind of Fissidien are the way to grow for shrimp tank.

Maybe you can try to take big by bit each day. If your moss are not planted deep into the soil, ammonia spike will not happen.