# Getting a Moss Ball to stay put



## redclove (Feb 26, 2008)

Any ideas on how to get a moss ball to stay where you want it? In my tank it tends to roll with the current until it leans up against other plants, I'm wanting it to stay front and center on my 'beach' to look more like a sculptural choice.

I thought of skewering it with a wooden kabob skewer, but -

A. will skewering it harm it (doubtful)

B. the stick would get funky/rot over time. not good for the ball, not good for the tank

thoughts??


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

I have a moss ball in my 8g. if it doesn't roll, it starts to grow like algae. Well, it is algae... really. It's better that it rolls, wish mine did!

You can also cut it in halves to make new balls, it's just a mass of green inside, nothing scary.


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## redclove (Feb 26, 2008)

good point. I would have no trouble rotating it regularily, and my cleanup crew in the tank is on-par for algae issues..


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

BTW, Jungle Val is insanely huge, even for my 90g tank! I had some but in the end, decided not to use it because it over powered the entire tank. If you're looking for a Val for the tank I saw yesterday, one of my personal favorites I'd recommend is corkscrew Val . Be prepared for a little initial melting, but it does come back and spreads by runners.


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## redclove (Feb 26, 2008)

Tabatha said:


> BTW, Jungle Val is insanely huge, even for my 90g tank! I had some but in the end, decided not to use it because it over powered the entire tank. If you're looking for a Val for the tank I saw yesterday, one of my personal favorites I'd recommend is corkscrew Val . Be prepared for a little initial melting, but it does come back and spreads by runners.


Yeah hence why I am parting with mine, they are too big for my tank. Instead I am going with Cyperus helferi, I got the last one on friday at menagerie, and split it into two. hopefully it will do well. It has a nice firm bright blade, more like an ornamental grass you would get for a garden.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Those algae balls (marimo balls as known in Japan) are formed naturally because of their rolling action in the surf. It's funny to see a lake of them, just rolling around gently in the surf.
Your could always try to 'fence' it in with rocks, giving it a bit of room to roll about so that it can maintain some rolling behaviour, but still remain somewhat localized


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