# Fissidens fontanus advice



## sushant

they accumulate lot of dirt if not taken care off and this results in algal growth. to keep them clean i use air tubing to siphon the dirt out but pushing it over the moss. lower temperature( around 24 C) also helps. As far as light is concerned it does fine in high a well as mid-low light levels.


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## Profound

sushant said:


> to keep them clean i use air tubing to siphon the dirt out but pushing it over the moss.


I do the exact same thing with the air line tubing. I pull little snails from the tank with it too. I'm still constantly pulling hair algae out of the moss every couple days though.


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## Profound

That's it huh? Nobody has any experience or advice to offer? I guess it's not a very popular plant....


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## Mujinfaye

I got 1 mat at around 3x3 inches. I think it just got stucked. no new growth after 3 months lol


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## Raymond S.

It tens to like current and does better(faster growth)min higher light, but then it gets GSA on the older part of the leaves. All but the tips. This grows very slowly. It took over a year for a 1" patch to get about 3" in my tank and it has med light but the plant was on the bottom. That part which I grew on wood was higher up in the tank and it grew faster.
Once it actually starts growing on wood it can take a fairly good current and that keeps it cleaner. I also have some over the water outlet for the filter and that grows well as it's at the top close to one of the bulbs. Porus rock it may cling to well, I don't know. But on smooth rock it has a hard time growing/ sticking well.
Also seems more interested in growing longer than spreading. The next of it I'll get will be the mini. I think it would look better on wood. One piece of wood I have it on you almost can't see what shape the wood is. No recent pictures but this one is a few months ago. Same spot from both ends of the tank.
























I changed it around lately and no pix yet as I'm not too happy with it yet.
Just ignore my obsession for rocks on my walls...it a work in progress.
The idea, not that particular tank. It was my first and will be history soon as I am working on collecting "things" for the next one to replace it/w.
Will miss it though as it is my first built in filter and my first coming back into the hobby tank. Started like this in late 2011.


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## TheAnswerIs42

I love Fissidens, but it gets really Malmy. When I do water changes I vacuum out the debris and poop. In areas where there is a higher current the moss does much better. I takes a little while to get established, but I have found that once it is established a growing in a spot it takes off and gets very fluffy and attractive.

For me, the best way to maintain and propagate Fissidens is to pull clumps from established spots and using my planting tweezers I shove it into cracks in driftwood and rocks. I find this method better than tying it down with mesh or cotton. The moss rebounds much faster and attaches much faster with fairly quick results. Additionally, By pulling pieces off of my established growths it keeps them tidy and clean.

I heard of trimming Fissidens once to keep it looking tidy. I tried it and it was a complete disaster. The little fluffy pieces floated all over my tank and lodged themselves in EVERYTHING including my DHG and now the stuff is growing everywhere in my tank 

I still love this moss though. It is really pretty and the CPDS love spawning in it and hunting for microorganisms.


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## sushant

the only secret to growing fissidens is clean,fast moving water and cool temperature(~24degree C).


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## kwheeler91

Good current and fish that like to graze out of it like plecos hillstream loaches etc. You should be dosng macros. At least phostphate and potassium. The moss likes at least med high light if you want it to spread at any rate. You can check out my double stumpy journal and see it can be done.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=470001&page=3&highlight=

I didnt document my recent scape with that tank but I literally just trimmed a couple pounds of moss off the wood. It was about 2.5" long all over. Unfortunately trimming is a necessary evil when you want to grow nice fissidens and plants in general. Just like any plant the old stuff gets shaded and will eventually grow algae or detach or both. Best way I have found is to pull the wood out if possible and trim. If not turn off all filters and allow the tank to settle. Use the hose from your gravel vac without the tube and siphon it out while you cut it off. You can plug the hose with your thumb in between cuts so you dont have water draining the whole time. Scoop it out with a net and use the net to grab any pieces floating around your tank.

Its best to let it grow out long and trim it all the way down. Easier clean up and it comes back thicker and healthy that way. Dont be afraid to give it a peroxide bath for algae. It holds up really well. Spot treating with excel, not so much


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## Fujiija

Hello

I have fontanus, Thailand, geppi, and mini fissidens. Fontanus and Taiwan by far grow faster than geppi and mini (which means geppi and mini are REAL slow - slow is a relative term). The folks that know how to grow this stuff are really the shrimp people - you see it in all their tanks which is how I purchased mine. They are obviously using shrimp to keep their moss clean and healthy, but since I don't have many shrimp in my fish tank, I have figured out a couple of things along the way:

Higher light, lots of water flow (I point my powerhead in the direction of the fissidens), Co2, and ferts make a huge difference. You think it's a moss so needs lower light - wrong! Mine is right up there near the surface under the LEDs which is probably near 80 -100 PAR. I learned this from another TPT member that grows this stuff. You need to fertilize too - it likes ferts and will green up immediately.

Downside to high light is hair algae and BBA. The high flow takes care of the hair algae - since I pointed my powerhead at the fissidens, hair algae is non-existent. I used get a toothbrush or spiral brush and constantly pull off hair algae every week - now I have none. I also get no mulm build up - before I increased the flow, I used to literally shake and squeeze out that ball of fissidens because the mulm build up was so bad. I spot treat Excel directly on the fissidens and it takes care of the BBA. Works like a charm. I am trying Excel on the geppi and mini fissidens right now as I see some algae growing on it too.

Higher light and higher flow will eventually make your fissidens grow shorter and tighter. I prefer that look instead of the long, feathery fronds that break off. When it spreads, it'll spread low and tight.

I think it grows better on driftwood instead of a screen mesh. Mine is spreading low and tight across my giant piece of driftwood, even in the lower light spots. I see small spots of BBA on some of the new growth but a spot dose of Excel takes care of that.

I also have fissidens on a long driftwood in a low tech, fert tank under a Planted Plus light. It's green, but not like under higher light. I also tend to get cladophora growing inside it which I haven't figure out yet how to eliminate other than tweezing it out.

Good luck!


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## JoraaÑ

Co2 is the key with high flow but toward gentle side...not jet stream.


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## Profound

JoraaÑ said:


> Co2 is the key with high flow but toward gentle side...not jet stream.


Makes sense, thanks! I set up my 46gal and put it near the output of a pump. It gets lots of light and co2, I just need to be diligent in pulling the hair algae and cladophora out of it whenever it gets a little fuzzy


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## Wasserpest

Profound said:


> <snip>dosing flourish comprehensive but no macros,<snip>My nitrates are low<snip>


Reminds me of Occam's razor, the simplest answer is usually correct. If your tank is out of NPK (macros), plant growth will be very slow, and hair algae are a pretty sure indicator of nutrient deficiencies. Lights and CO2 and micros, check, macros, hmmm.


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## Profound

Wasserpest said:


> Reminds me of Occam's razor, the simplest answer is usually correct. If your tank is out of NPK (macros), plant growth will be very slow, and hair algae are a pretty sure indicator of nutrient deficiencies. Lights and CO2 and micros, check, macros, hmmm.


Sounds accurate. I've never really had to dose EI in my smaller tanks, but maybe this one is inevitable. To be honest, I'm a little intimidated by the thought of maintaining macro-dosing on a tank this size (which is fairly large to me). I would love to vaporize the hair algae though, it's choking my willow moss and blowing from the driftwood in a few spots. Thanks for the reply [emoji111]


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## Profound

I'll be shopping for macro ferts this weekend... Any advice on brands/types/quantities? Should I go with dry or liquid?


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## Profound

JoraaÑ said:


> Co2 is the key with high flow but toward gentle side...not jet stream.


Your fissidens bushes look awesome! How did u start those?


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## Profound

Cool thanks lol... Guess this thread died


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## DennisSingh

Water changes should help out a lot. Since you've got pressurized co2, make sure there is enough circulation and o2 getting into the tank.


Fertilization, its not too much of a heavy feeder, when I upped my dosage of fertilization, I started to get some white algae on it.


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## Profound

StrungOut said:


> Water changes should help out a lot. Since you've got pressurized co2, make sure there is enough circulation and o2 getting into the tank.


Thanks! I've got a decent pump and a good canister filter. I'm not sure what my gph is as far as water flow. I've noticed a couple vortices and dead spots though, so I need to make adjustments. I definitely need to do water changes more often.
I'm curious as to how people do large water changes... I'd like to do about 15g weekly, but I don't have room to dechlorinate and age that much water. Any suggestions?


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## DennisSingh

Profound said:


> Thanks! I've got a decent pump and a good canister filter. I'm not sure what my gph is as far as water flow. I've noticed a couple vortices and dead spots though, so I need to make adjustments. I definitely need to do water changes more often.
> I'm curious as to how people do large water changes... I'd like to do about 15g weekly, but I don't have room to dechlorinate and age that much water. Any suggestions?


I use a hose, with a net where the suction is. You can do 50% 70% so on, your choice, I see no inhabitants in your tank or read about any, so you don't need to dechlorinate. I have a 55g shrimp tank that I do not dechlorinate, either the filter, plants, or i just have good water..


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## Profound

StrungOut said:


> I use a hose, with a net where the suction is. You can do 50% 70% so on, your choice, I see no inhabitants in your tank or read about any, so you don't need to dechlorinate. I have a 55g shrimp tank that I do not dechlorinate, either the filter, plants, or i just have good water..


I've got rcs, ember tetras, and peacock gudgeon in my tank. I need to dechlorinate for the sake of the shrimp. I have a 5g container and a couple 5g buckets, but I just don't have the space for all 3. I've been doing 5g changes with the container, but that's only about 10% of my water. I worry about temperature shock as well since the water sitting around will drop to about 50*F


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## richie_brave

hi, i just bought a fissidens, and i stick some it to a small rock..
since it's not recommended to stick a thick one since the bottow will be rotten, am i right?

so i only use small part from what i bought.. 
can i put the rest of the moss to a bottle and put in drawer?
will they die?

thanks


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## Krispyplants

richie_brave said:


> hi, i just bought a fissidens, and i stick some it to a small rock..
> since it's not recommended to stick a thick one since the bottow will be rotten, am i right?
> 
> so i only use small part from what i bought..
> can i put the rest of the moss to a bottle and put in drawer?
> will they die?
> 
> thanks


This thread is old. You should start up a new thread.


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