# java moss + high light = dead moss ?



## nemesis1337 (Feb 15, 2005)

what kind of light is it? maybe not the right spectrum


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## kenneth_kpe (Jan 25, 2005)

these are the bulbs above the tank now
1X 18W toshiba plant bulb dunno the kelving
2X osram daylight compact fluorescent at 15 watts each (6500k)
2X osram daylight pinlight at 9 watts each (6500k) 

its a roughly 14 gallon tank  with DIY c02 injected via a cyclone reactor


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## Marc (Oct 13, 2004)

Weird! Java moss can usually grow under low light levels. I've had java moss grow under 13watts of light in a 20 gal.


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## kenneth_kpe (Jan 25, 2005)

yeah that is why i am really wondering... a low light plant like java moss will in a way die when exposed to high lighting ? is java moss sensitive to temperature too ?


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## GraFFix (Feb 21, 2005)

I have a 10g with 6.5wpg and my java moss grows like a weed...it grows almost to much and starts overhanging off my drifwood so much that it blocks light from my ground cover plants. It definatly likes the light its getting in my tank...the main part of my java moss is directly under my light about 3 inches under the water surface...so its definatly getting a ton of light


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## Marc (Oct 13, 2004)

kenneth_kpe said:


> yeah that is why i am really wondering... a low light plant like java moss will in a way die when exposed to high lighting ? is java moss sensitive to temperature too ?


Kenneth- I just noticed but you are from PI. Nice to meet you, I was born there!  

Anyways back to your problem- So we know its not the light. What are your tank conditions like? Water Parameters? Is this new moss you put in your tank? or moss that has been in there and just recently started to die? This will help us narrow down the cause.


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## bgssamson (Mar 16, 2004)

kenneth_kpe said:


> is java moss sensitive to temperature too ?


If your temp. goes into extreme *specially in hot country like PI* yes, a lot of plants will.

Nice to hear that you both are from Philippines me as well was born & raise there. roud: 

-Brian


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## rayhwong (Aug 6, 2004)

My friend's java moss did better at lower temps. My java fern only grew at lower temps too. I had them at 86 and they would turn black. Dropped it to 80 and they were fine.


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## kenneth_kpe (Jan 25, 2005)

hey there guys  great to hear from fellow people from the phil  hehe
anyways i just measured a couple of significant levels

nitrates are a bit high now at around 30-40ppm ! 
PH is in the range of 7
KH is around 4
the temp of my water is at a scary 33 deg celcius ! almost 91!!! OMG is so hot here but its lunch time

its the temp of the water no ?

i have the moss in my tank for around 5 weeks now


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## bgssamson (Mar 16, 2004)

WOW....

Nitrate is too high im surprise that your fish is still alive. Do a 50% water change.

As far as the high temp. it is too hot for the plants (most plants) to flourish & live. Do you have it near the window? you might want to move it to a cooler corner with added fan & see how it goes.

p.s.

I miss PHILIPPINES hope to visit soon.

-Brian


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## Marc (Oct 13, 2004)

wow that is hot! Whats the air temp in PI? seems high? Maybe your lights are too close to the water. My tank temps got up to 86degrees untill I elevated them from tank.


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## kenneth_kpe (Jan 25, 2005)

maybe i should rise the lights a bit higher  will this significantly affect the light intensity for the plants ? the other plants are doing pretty well

here are the other plants in the tank
corkscrew vals
dwarf sag
crypto wendtii
bacopa monieri
rotala rotundifolia 
stargrass

the other plants are doing quite OK in fact  except the moss.... 

its pretty hot here right now ... hot hot hot hot

actually the nitrates im still kinda doubtfull if my nitrate test kit is doing its job... i have 7 cardinals 3 neons , 2 ottos and dunno how many shrimps in the tank  the 30-40 ppm reading has always been present for the longest time now, around since i started the tank  the fishes are doing pretty fine  

heres a pic of my tank around a month ago i think almost
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=88121&hl=
that time the moss was still green!!


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## kenneth_kpe (Jan 25, 2005)

i forgot something !!??!!? could it be that the java moss is turning brown because of the water column lacking the nutrient it needs ? you see im supplementing the other plants with root tabs because the sera floredepot under the tank is around a month old already... could it be the reason ?? im gonna dose florapride or florenette ... what do you guys think ?


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## Marc (Oct 13, 2004)

I think raising the lights 2 or 3 inches will help alot- It shouldnt effect too much.


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## sarahbobarah (May 20, 2005)

Hey guys,

Java moss _definately_ grows better in cooler temperatures. In high light, with added CO2, you'll get more compact growth, but with lower light, you'll get longer "threads" of java moss. :icon_bigg 

As for the fertilizers, it needs iron supplements in the water column, since it doesn't have roots, so you'll need to add it, and iron won't hurt your other plants either. That's what you need to turn it greener. 

So: lower temps, more iron. It will help if you can put it under the shade of a taller plant - like an amazon sword.

Sarah


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## kenneth_kpe (Jan 25, 2005)

ic ic, il try to raise my plants and cool the water down. im also gonna check if my fertilizer contains iron  hehe thanksthanks


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## sarahbobarah (May 20, 2005)

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention: I was born in Manila!


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## Marc (Oct 13, 2004)

sarahbobarah said:


> Oh yeah, I forgot to mention: I was born in Manila!


WOW another one! Are you from the Bay Area Sarah?


Good idea with the shade- but if the water is hot to begin with- he needs a way to drop the temps down.


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## sarahbobarah (May 20, 2005)

Totally Bay Area! 

You're in Pacifica?
Man..... this whole thread is Pinoy Pride?


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## newshound (May 9, 2005)

Hey I am N.O. Pride
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Northern Ontario Pride :icon_roll
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though the SF area is so nice.
I always said I would move my blonde haired sk8ing ass to Cali if it wasn't so darn far.


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## bgssamson (Mar 16, 2004)

almost! :tongue: LOL

-Brian


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## kenneth_kpe (Jan 25, 2005)

haha just had to laugh a lil bit  there are a lot of you guys in this forum  hehe


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## Ibn (Nov 19, 2003)

Drop your temp first and see how it does. I have a handful of this moss on top of one of my driftwood which is less than a foot away from the lights and the high lighting hasn't effected it much. The tank temperature is a constant 84F. It just continues to spread and is slowly covering the wood.


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## kenneth_kpe (Jan 25, 2005)

il try it one step at a time  i cant maintain putting in bottles of ice water in the tank right now because i just started working  (first 3 days) il try to up the nutrrient notch a little and then when the rains come, and the temp starts dropping, il see if the moss recovers


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