Subwasstang carpet..?

[jennesque]

I attached Java Moss to the rocks with louffa (sp?) and not only did I get pretty slow growth in this tank, the java rocks are all collecting a ridiculous amount of waste in the tank. My water consistently looked dirty and even if I would gravel vac around the rocks every other day they'd still look dusty and gross.. I was curious if the problem would go away if I got rid of the rocks and tah-dah, my water cleared up overnight. So, no more Java Moss on rocks.

I bought some subwassertang to try out instead. I'm trying to get a bushy look around the bottom of my driftwood and thought this might do the job. I just don't know how to plant it. I'm not sure I want to use the same method as I did with the Java Moss.. I do have some plastic mesh from the craft section and I'm wondering if I can just tie it down to the plastic mesh? Usually I see people putting moss and other similar plants in between two pieces of mesh and tying the mesh together - is this necessary?

Or does anyone have any other ideas? I don't know if just sticking it into the substrate a bit would work.

[gordonrichards]

You can tie it down with your louffa to stones/rocks. It will produce a ball and will slowly creep over time. You can pull the rock out and trim when it gets too big.

-Gordon

[ZLogic]

It never attached for me. I tried driftwood, rocks, and a coarse rope and nothing. Eventually it settled into a corner where the flow pushed it to and it became a large "pillow". I imagine it'd be great for fry. BTW, subwassertang collected debris like my java moss, amano shrimp cleared that up nicely.

[secuono]

I don't attach it, it rarely sticks. I just let it take over the bottom. Easy to scoop it up, rinse it, clean the bottom of the tank and then dump it back.
Great for shrimp, btw.

[Sake]

Sticks pretty well for me, Have a branch right in the flow of my HOB filter, gets stuck on stems, and even had to pull a piece off of an Assassin snail the other day O.o

[jennesque]

Hmm.. maybe I'll just see if it will stay put. There's not a lot of water current in that area of the tank.

I hope this doesn't gather too much crud. :/ I've already got amano shrimp and they couldn't keep up. The 'dust' was all over the tank.

[Monster Fish]

IME, if you don't have heavy flow, subwassertang will grow into a nice clump wherever it settles.

[RoyalFizbin]

I've got it in my shrimp tank and it has totally engulfed the piece of wood that i attached it to. There is no visible wood at all. I think it attaches great to wood and im surpised that the inside layers aren't rotting away and causing it to detach. The thickest parts might be 5 inches tall.

[STS_1OO]

That would be one tough carpet to maintain. I had a bunch that outgrew itself and then slowly decayed. When it did that, it disintegrated into small pieces covering my substrate.

This stuff breaks apart easy and any agitation (especially a water change) really shoots it everywhere. I see it difficult to maintain as a carpet and even then, I have a hunch that you won't like it so much as a carpet.

I would go with something that roots itself and/or clings to the substrate for a decent carpet.

[umdterps96]

i agree with Gordon. You can also use fishing line or thread. You can pull them out easily to trim. i like to rinse mine in the discarded water during water changes to get the debris out.