# Planted Tanks > Plant Talk > Aquatic Moss Club >  Finally - Erect Moss capsules

## Green Baron

Recently I noticed a few capsules on my Erect Moss that are growing near the water surface ! I have grown a lot of Erect Moss and this is the first time I have seen the capsules. In the past I have always grown them submersed but in this case I am growing them close to the water surface, which I presume allowed the 'sperms' from the male organs (antherozoid) to move on the water surface to the female organs (archegonia) and fertilise them.

This is the tank which has the capsules :


These are the capsules. According the Prof Tan, they are "_in their young stage, just elongating, with no differentiation of the terminal capsule yet._" 





== updated on 14 May 2004 ==
Added photo of the mature capsule.

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## kc

Hi Gan,
What is your secret? Moss never grow well in my tank!  :Opps:  
Is you fan on 24hrs? What type of fertiliser do you use?

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## Green Baron

> Hi Gan,
> What is your secret? Moss never grow well in my tank!  
> Is you fan on 24hrs? What type of fertiliser do you use?


I noticed most people who have problem with mosses usually have high bioload or have their moss growing in a 'community' tank with many other plants. In addition, they have SAE or too many Yamato shrimps.

I am of the opinion ( I think KL think so too) that mosses like minimal fertiliser, moderate light, clean water, low bioload, flowing water and <28C, conditions that are similar to their natural environment. Incidentally shrimps do well in such conditions as well!

I also find mosses do better in tank with few other plants. FYI, the above tank has mainly mosses and a few Echinodorus and Crypts at the back. I don't add fertiliser or CO2. Lighting is ~2W/G with temp ~24C (during office hour).

If you have a spare tank, try setting up a tank with no base fertiliser, no CO2 and 2W/G light. Keep temperature around 27~28C. Put in mainly mosses on driftwood with very few fishes ( Boraras :-) ) or even better just shrimps. Give it 2~3 months and I am very sure you will have positive results.

Suggest you try Java and Erect Moss for a start. They are the easiest to grow. Erect Moss actually grows faster than Java once it established its hold on the driftwood.


Gan

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## Green Baron

> Hi Gan,
> What is your secret? Moss never grow well in my tank!  
> Is you fan on 24hrs? What type of fertiliser do you use?


I noticed most people who have problem with mosses usually have high bioload or have their moss growing in a 'community' tank with many other plants. In addition, they have SAE or too many Yamato shrimps.

I am of the opinion ( I think KL think so too) that mosses like minimal fertiliser, moderate light, clean water, low bioload, flowing water and <28C, conditions that are similar to their natural environment. Incidentally shrimps do well in such conditions as well!

I also find mosses do better in tank with few other plants. FYI, the above tank has mainly mosses and a few Echinodorus and Crypts at the back. I don't add fertiliser or CO2. Lighting is ~2W/G with temp ~24C (during office hour).

If you have a spare tank, try setting up a tank with no base fertiliser, no CO2 and 2W/G light. Keep temperature around 27~28C. Put in mainly mosses on driftwood with very few fishes ( Boraras :-) ) or even better just shrimps. Give it 2~3 months and I am very sure you will have positive results.

Suggest you try Java and Erect Moss for a start. They are the easiest to grow. Erect Moss actually grows faster than Java once it established its hold on the driftwood.

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## hwchoy

do you think bolbitis would do well in such a minimal tank?

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## kc

> I noticed most people who have problem with mosses usually have high bioload or have their moss growing in a 'community' tank with many other plants. In addition, they have SAE or too many Yamato shrimps.


To say that my tank is high bioload is an understatement!  :Opps:  




> Suggest you try Java and Erect Moss for a start. They are the easiest to grow. Erect Moss actually grows faster than Java once it established its hold on the driftwood.
> Gan


I'll get to work on my new shrimp tank.
Thanks[/quote]

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## Green Baron

> do you think bolbitis would do well in such a minimal tank?


I have not tried bolbitis. Do you have any to spare ? :-)

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## timebomb

I agree with almost everything Gan said except that I think having CO2 injection helps the mosses to grow better. I also don't think having many other plants will in any way be detrimental to the growth of mosses. In fact, if you have too little plants, chances are there will be an outbreak of algae. I should know; I've been fighting BBA and Beard Algae in my tanks the last few months. 

Choy, _Bolbtis_ grows better if you keep them under shade and near the filter outlet.

Loh K L

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## hwchoy

> Originally Posted by hwchoy
> 
> do you think bolbitis would do well in such a minimal tank?
> 
> 
> I have not tried bolbitis. Do you have any to spare ? :-)


don't have but I heard Fish'n Fishes has a lot. ;p

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## RonWill

> Originally Posted by hwchoy
> 
> do you think bolbitis would do well in such a minimal tank?
> 
> 
> I have not tried bolbitis. Do you have any to spare ? :-)


Gan, a 1-gal plastic tank is as minimal as one can get and yes, bolbitis can grow, albeit sloooowly. You can have that tiny rhizome.

Self-collect either at Kwek Leong's place this Saturday 4pm or my place at CCK Crescent, 8th May or after. You game?

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## hwchoy

> Choy, _Bolbtis_ grows better if you keep them under shade and near the filter outlet.
> 
> Loh K L


mmm if I make a 1ft cube in the office it will be moss and bolbitis. water will be guaranteed cold, possibly yeast+sugar CO2, and maybe 18W lighting. Filter would be an Eheim Liberty 100 so can have plenty of current.

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## Green Baron

> Gan, a 1-gal plastic tank is as minimal as one can get and yes, bolbitis can grow, albeit sloooowly. You can have that tiny rhizome.
> Self-collect either at Kwek Leong's place this Saturday 4pm or my place at CCK Crescent, 8th May or after. You game?


OK. See you at Kwek Leong's palce.
Thanks

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## Green Baron

> I agree with almost everything Gan said except that I think having CO2 injection helps the mosses to grow better


I agree. All plants will benefit from CO2 but you don't need CO2 to grow moss well. With CO2, they will grow faster.




> I also don't think having many other plants will in any way be detrimental to the growth of mosses. In fact, if you have too little plants, chances are there will be an outbreak of algae. I should know; I've been fighting BBA and Beard Algae in my tanks the last few months.


Agree. Having many plants will not have any direct effect on mosses. However, in a fully planted tank, the fertiliser requirement for other plants is usually higher than that required for moss so when the other plants are doing well, the mosses usually ended up having algae growing on them. This is just my observation.

I always keep a few plants in my Moss tank. These are usually hardy plants such as Echi. sp , Java Fern and Anubias. I also keep some Hornwort and Duckweed to absorb any excess nutrients in the tanks.

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## hammy

> Agree. Having many plants will not have any direct effect on mosses. However, in a fully planted tank, the fertiliser requirement for other plants is usually higher than that required for moss so when the other plants are doing well, the mosses usually ended up having algae growing on them. This is just my observation.


I totally agree with Gan. That explains why my java and christmas mosses get all the algae.

Oh yes, I was wondering, will all mosses look the same when they are grown emersed?

Also, I know this question should not be here but oh well...anyone has erect moss to spare/trade/share with me? The local fish shop (LFS) I patronize don't seem interested in bringing it in. I have tried some other LFS in my vicinity but they all don't have it.

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## Green Baron

> mmm if I make a 1ft cube in the office it will be moss and bolbitis. water will be guaranteed cold, possibly yeast+sugar CO2, and maybe 18W lighting. Filter would be an Eheim Liberty 100 so can have plenty of current.


18W for a 1ft cube ? Won't you get alage with so much light ?
I only use 9W for my 16" moss tank !

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## hwchoy

I did not have algae problem with 18W in the cube initially, in fact don't even get much green spots. bba started appearing when bioload was too high (no place to keep all the fishes kind people donated for my shooting). I think if you keep the load low it would not be too much of a problem.

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## hammy

Does anybody know where I can find a list of 'cause and effect' on algae? i.e. too much of something will lead to certain algae.

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## zmzfam

Here's a start http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_algae.htm

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## hammy

Thanks alot Zul.  :Smile:  

By the way, I'm using Red Sea's PO4, NO3 and Fe test kit. For the PO4 and NO3, the results are ALWAYS the same, for 3 consecutive weeks. Anyone knows why? I've done all three testings at the same time, that is, 2~3 hrs after light and CO2 have been turned on (by timer).

For the Fe test kit, the readings are always out, WAY out from the color chart, i.e., the lowest range supposed to be blue color but I always get yellow, which is not in the chart.

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## Green Baron

I have updated my original post with a photo of the mature Erect Moss capsule.

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