[TankPlanter]

My plants grow verrrrrrry slowly in my low tech tank. My Java moss goes nuts and must be trimmed *weekly*- which is more work than i want to do, gets it all over the tank, so then I have to coordinate trimming, waiting for it to settle, then water change...argh.

Problem is I can't remove it easily (dirted tank, and it's attached to hardscape that goes under substrate), plus my shrimp use it as a nursery.

I tried attaching a hose to the scissors, but couldn't get around the tank to trim with the hose attached, and would have to suck on it to get it started, which I really don't like doing...

Ideas?? Small diameter hose attached to scissors- how would you start the suction?

Thanks!

 

[latchdan]

Yeah im having a similar problems in my shrimp tank the moss is so over grown. it really just needs to be removed and re attached. Haven't figures best way to trim either.

 

[Turningdizzy]

Can you possibly drain the tank down below the moss? The shrimp only need enough water to cover them while you snip and lift it up and away. The moss should cling to the scissors via capillary action. The shrimp hanging out in the moss should follow the water level down, so if you snip above the water level, you probably wont get many hitch hikers. Keep a small container of tank water nearby to wash the clippings off of your scissors. Drain the tank water into a clean bucket or water bottle so that when you are finished, you can flow it back in. Just a thought.

 

[Nuthatch]

So far I grab it with my tweezers & cut with the scissors in the other hand. If the moss is long enough I wrap it around the tweezers a bit before I cut it.

 

[TankPlanter]

Hm. Interesting ideas. I can't drain the tank that far for some of the moss, but I can for the moss on the driftwood...and I hadn't tried the 'tweezer grab while cut two-handed' method. Does anyone do the attach-suction-tube-to-scissors method? And how do you start the suction? Thanks for the responses- I'll try the tweezer thing tonight!