I will set up a shrimp tank soon. Kind of new to aquatic moss. Have some in my current tank but slow growth.
Any pros out there can share some tips on how to grow the moss faster?
As with most plants, the combination of Co2 injection, ample lights, fertilizer dosing and good circulation can help to boost their growth speed... but all those factors (especially lights and ferts) have to be kept in balance, or else it'll boost algae growth instead.
Cooler water can also help improve the growth for some moss species, though most moss can adapt and still grow in warmer water.
How do I ensure that my ferts are balanced? sorry kinda new to the hobby
Plants need a combination of both macro and micro nutrients to photosynthesize and grow, the nutrients they get can come from nutrient-rich soil (ie. ADA amazonia aquasoil) and/or from the breakdown of waste material by the beneficial bacteria in the tank (ie. nitrogen cycle). If there is a shortage of certain nutrients, the plants will exhibit nutrient deficiencies which you will then need to dose fertilizers to compensate for the shortage.Originally Posted by neontiger92
Since we don't know which exact nutrients plants are short of on a daily basis (until they start to display deficiencies, which is not ideal), most planted tank owners will usually dose a combination of individual fertilizers (or all-in-one fertilizers) daily to ensure the plants get all the nutrients they need, then they do a large water change weekly to flush out the excess accumulated nutrients that are not used by the plants.
Light is the main driver of plant growth (and algae growth), but plants also Co2 and nutrients to use the lights to photosynthesize and grow... so to get more/faster growth with more light, you'll also need to increase Co2 and nutrients. Any shortage of either factor and the plants will stop photosynthesizing and the algae will utilize the excess light to grow (they have much lower requirements can thrive in conditions plants can't).
Therefore you'll have to increase all 3 factors in tandem to ensure that all are balanced, and that requires monitoring the plant (and algae) growth and adjusting the light, Co2 and fert dosing accordingly until you get your desired results.
Each tank is different so you will just need to test and trial various combinations to achieve the balance. Reading planted tank progress journals and seeing how they are setup and run helps alot. Initially you may face challenges but after observing how various combinations work (or don't work), you will eventually find the right balance.
How long does it take for moss to attach to a rock?
Depends on the type of moss and the texture of the rock... if its moss that cling on to objects readily (ie. fissidens, xmas/weeping moss etc) and tied to lava rocks with rough porus surface, they'll usually attach within 2-3 weeks (sometimes takes abit longer if the moss need extra time to transition to new tank conditions).
The key is to tie just a thin layer of the moss to the rocks, so that the majority of it has access to sufficient light to grow, it'll help avoid the situation of thick layers of moss with their bottom layer rotting away, thereby preventing the top layer from attaching properly.
Last edited by Urban Aquaria; 19th Aug 2014 at 22:29.
Important things is Co2 which will helps plant to photosynthesis . Chiller/fan to maintain a temperature
For Xmas moss what is the best temperature?
Java moss grows easily. CO2 and light. my water temperature is between 28-30 degree celsius. X'mas moss will need lower temperature 26 and below.
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