# Moss, says who?



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

While cycling my new tanks in the shrimp room, I got really distracted by the beauty (to me) of the algae ;-) May not be everyone's cup of tea but I'm seriously thinking about having no moss in some tanks, only these.


----------



## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

Yes string or hair algae is good for fry and shrimp. I also think it looks cool.


----------



## BBXB (Oct 7, 2012)

Is there a way to grow algae without using sunlight or having lights on for long hours? Also, is there any type of algae that is bad for shrimp?


----------



## cape (Jun 18, 2010)

Hey Randy, is this the tank with the new product you're testing out...


----------



## Splak (May 1, 2013)

That actually looks really nice, I can just imagine how awesome it looks with shrimp all over it!


----------



## Jiinx (Apr 5, 2012)

soo not my cup of tea! lol I see that and I run for hydrogen peroxide! hahaha


----------



## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Didn't Igor have a tank like that at one time. I remember visiting him and he has this super cool floating green algae....however I believe later on he had to dismantle the tank because it got out of control....but it was SUPER COOL looking....floating out from the sides in a wave.

However after having to try to pick this stuff off my plants, I will pass on it.  Im with you Sarah....get the bleach.


----------



## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

Jiinx said:


> soo not my cup of tea! lol I see that and I run for hydrogen peroxide! hahaha


+1

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4


----------



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Lol, I wouldn't want it in a planted tank for sure, but I will experiment in one shrimp tank and see how it goes. So one tank I set up will have no moss but this. Some people say baby shrimps get strangled in them but I have to see it for myself. Update in a few weeks.


----------



## sucker4plecos (May 30, 2008)

I have a 10 gallon tank that is 3/4 full of nothing but string/hair algae that I use as a spawning talk for some livebearers and have tried it for shrimp, barbs and danios.... it is almost bare bottomed with a layer of dark marbles placed as I've found many new livebearers as well as shrimp get a chance to hide in between and find plenty of food to start out...


----------



## jumpsmasher (Oct 1, 2012)

I had it popped up in my OEBT; it covered my manzanita driftwood and fighting to keep it under control for months - every water change I would pull a handful of it out but it grew back within a week. The OEBT won't touch it.

A few weeks ago I transferred some Orange Neo's over and it was gone in a matter of days!


----------



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

I feel that I should add more background as why I'm doing this ;-) Definitely not for the looks only.

For your reference, check out this post (the way Ellen cycles her tanks). This lady Ellen is a well known breeder not only in Taiwan. Chris Lukhaup did an interview with her in his recent trip over there and if you follow Chris' FB you should've seen a lot about her. Here is the last picture in her post, the looks of the tank when it's done cycling.










And she says shrimps should clean the algae in the last pictures within days. Apparently the algae is a bit different from the regular hair algae, and that's why I wanted to experiment it myself. I don't easily take others' word for something like this, so I want to find out.

I will update in a few weeks and show the result.


----------



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

BTW, this is the tank I'll be experimenting with. Picture taken 10 days ago, now the algae has grown from substrate to the water surface (16" deep tank).

I'll add shrimps to the tank today and see what happens.


----------



## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

can't get on cool shrimp forum....can you copy paste the article so we can all read it.


----------



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

bettaforu said:


> can't get on cool shrimp forum....can you copy paste the article so we can all read it.


Let me ask Ellen if she is okay with me doing that. Referring to a link is one thing, I don't want any misunderstanding with copy & paste.


----------



## Splak (May 1, 2013)

Hey Randy, any idea where I could find a tank or two built with that divider in it? 

Or should I just buy a piece of glass cut and silicone it myself?

Thanks!


----------



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Splak said:


> Hey Randy, any idea where I could find a tank or two built with that divider in it?
> 
> Or should I just buy a piece of glass cut and silicone it myself?
> 
> Thanks!


I just silicon a piece of glass in for all my new tanks, even the star fire tanks ;-)


----------



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

randy said:


> Let me ask Ellen if she is okay with me doing that. Referring to a link is one thing, I don't want any misunderstanding with copy & paste.


I got Ellen's permission to translate her step-by-step tank setup. But it's actually more work than I expected as I try to translate exactly what she says, and some of the products need a bit more explanation as they are popular in Asia but not seen here in North America.

I'm 1/4 done, will try to find time to complete it.... but it's been really busy lately so it may take a few more days.


----------



## Vermino (Aug 25, 2013)

that actually looks pretty but I know the texture of that stuff in my hands and it just makes me cringe (doesn't have a moss like feel to it). Personally I love beard, brush and green spot (on rocks) for algae in tank as long as it doesn't get too out of hand


----------

