Moss ball at bottom of aquarium

Do Moss Balls Help Cycle a Tank

In an ideal aquatic environment, whether it is the natural habitat of the ocean or an aquarium, aquatic plants play a crucial role in cleansing the water body and making it more suitable for the other species to dwell in it. One such case is that of the flowerless green moss balls which avert build-up of algae, release beneficial nutrients and itself is very easy to maintain for the purpose of cycling a tank.

A Natural Cleansing Agent

One of the most important utilities of moss balls are how effective they are at clearing out harmful pollutants and irritants in the water habitat. These can be organic by-products of living inhabitants like nitrates and phosphates or inorganic debris of rock or gravel particles in the surrounding. In fact, the action of harbouring debris may also attract shrimp and some other species which can feed sufficiently on these moss balls.

Furthermore, thanks to harbouring the nature of an algae, moss balls can prevent the accumulation of algae inside the water tank by cutting down and absorbing their nutrients’ supply. After all, getting rid of algae by investing in the healthiest source of algae, the green moss ball would always be recommended.

Moss balls do not stop functioning just by removing pollutants, but these go the extra mile to add something of their own for the natural sanitation of the water tank and its inhabitants. One of the most common benefits is the ability of moss balls to expedite and enhance the nitrogen development cycle. This action directly results in a greater production of healthy bacteria on the surface which can be utilised as seeding material.

Lastly, like all aquatic plants, moss balls are a completely parasite-free source of oxygen provider that can contribute a little to the respiration processes in your aquarium.

Easy to Maintain

The entire package of all the aforementioned benefits of cleaning your tank and providing healthy nutrients comes at a very little cost since maintaining the moss balls is not hectic at all. These can survive and thrive in almost any pH condition or salt level thanks to their resilience and rigidity. These need not be anchored and can flow freely leaving behind no dead fragments. The nominal amount of sunlight that you would choose for the fishes in the aquarium will suffice.

The only occasional chore required would be to temporarily remove the moss ball from the tank and give it a tight squeeze to drain it off the materials it will have gathered after a while. Place it back in the aquarium and it is ready to go again!

The Final Word

Moss balls are a versatile, parasite-free and easy-to-maintain source of oxygen and healthy nutrients. By placing a sufficient number of these in your aquarium, harmful substances in the freshwater are eradicated and replaced by useful ones, protecting the health of the aquatic inhabitants and the quality of the water in the tank.

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