xXInkedPhoenixX Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 Ok so I have an older mossball about the size of a small raquetball (2 years 4 days old in my house per my Aquarium App). One time while cleaning the tank they were in my siphon sucked it in and though I was able to pinch the hose and release it- it sucked a hole in my ball!! Anybody ever do this before? Someone ever repair it? It's been about 5 months or so since it happened and I've QT'd it (I don't want fish going inside the ball). Periodically I take it out and reshape it but the hole doesn't seem to close. I got the whacky idea of "stitching" it back together with either thread or fishing line...but before I get crazy thought I'd see if anybody else had done this before.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helan Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 On 10/9/2021 at 9:55 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: Ok so I have an older mossball about the size of a small raquetball (2 years 4 days old in my house per my Aquarium App). One time while cleaning the tank they were in my siphon sucked it in and though I was able to pinch the hose and release it- it sucked a hole in my ball!! Anybody ever do this before? Someone ever repair it? It's been about 5 months or so since it happened and I've QT'd it (I don't want fish going inside the ball). Periodically I take it out and reshape it but the hole doesn't seem to close. I got the whacky idea of "stitching" it back together with either thread or fishing line...but before I get crazy thought I'd see if anybody else had done this before.... Marimo moss is hollow so that might explain it, and I only did stitching for fake ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 (edited) The traditional Marino balls are started by rolling together. Some commercial sellers tack/stitch the ends to start them. I unrolled a bunch a few years ago to make a carpeting and there was a thread tack at the center. I actually removed the carpeting about a year later and stitched the center again so it was a ball for my niece. Edited October 9, 2021 by Guppysnail 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted October 9, 2021 Author Share Posted October 9, 2021 @Helan yeah they are definitely hollow which is why I took it out of the tank I don't want fish or snails to take residence in it. Since it doesn't seem to be growing together. So I thought maybe I could stitch it together and help it repair itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helan Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 On 10/9/2021 at 10:00 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: @Helan yeah they are definitely hollow which is why I took it out of the tank I don't want fish or snails to take residence in it. Since it doesn't seem to be growing together. So I thought maybe I could stitch it together and help it repair itself. I mean I don’t see a problem with trying 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted October 9, 2021 Author Share Posted October 9, 2021 (edited) I think I'll try stitching it back together and see what results. I just figured maybe it'd grow together eventually. I've seen when people undo them and make carpets or even mock bonsai but I kinda like my lttle ball. 🙂 Edited October 9, 2021 by xXInkedPhoenixX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helan Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 On 10/9/2021 at 10:07 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: I think I'll try stitching it back together and see what results. I just figured maybe it'd grow together eventually. I've seen when people undo them and make carpets or even mock bonsai but I kinda like my lttle ball. 🙂 I am kind of curious how this would turn out myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 The one I stitched for my niece I talked of earlier is still thriving. I would love to see a bonsai design though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helan Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 On 10/9/2021 at 10:33 AM, Guppysnail said: The one I stitched for my niece I talked of earlier is still thriving. I would love to see a bonsai design though. Something like this 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 That is awesome great job. Hmmm now I want one and gave all my old marimo balls to my niece 😞 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonske Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 I had a couple of marimo balls, they grew from 1/2" to 2" and then unrolled themselves into flat pancakes. Rolling them back didn't work. If I were smart enough to try stitching them, I would've definitely tried it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helan Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 On 10/9/2021 at 10:38 AM, Guppysnail said: That is awesome great job. Hmmm now I want one and gave all my old marimo balls to my niece 😞 It’s my fathers tank, I could never do that 🤣 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 On 10/8/2021 at 10:44 PM, Helan said: It’s my fathers tank, I could never do that 🤣 It reminds me of the Lorax Truffula Trees I love Dr. Seuss. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helan Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 On 10/9/2021 at 10:47 AM, Guppysnail said: It reminds me of the Lorax Truffula Trees I love Dr. Seuss. He was actually going for something more bushy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted October 9, 2021 Author Share Posted October 9, 2021 On 10/8/2021 at 7:31 PM, Helan said: I am kind of curious how this would turn out myself I'll post what I did later, success or total failure....warts and all! If all else fails Dr Seuss tree it is... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 On 10/8/2021 at 9:44 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: I'll post what I did later, success or total failure....warts and all! If all else fails Dr Seuss tree it is... I had "undone" a half dozen marimo balls, 2 months before they found the mussels in them🤦♂️ I would not have done it if I knew we wouldn't be getting anymore. It feels a bit like the beard algea when it is "unballed" and I am trying to figure out an artificial way to propagate... and not having much luck, lol. I did discover that it grows very well on plastic canvas craft fabric (I have to take new pictures tomorrow in better light), and it grows on the uplift tube of my fry sponge filter.😬 All but one of my moss balls had nylon thread stitching it together. It's not even a true moss, it's a specialized type of hair algae. So yes, you can sew it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted October 9, 2021 Author Share Posted October 9, 2021 @Torrey yeah nobody could see that mussel scandal coming. I had gotten 2 around the time that broke out but didn't see any reason to dispose of them since none of my tank water goes into public/natural waterways- it all goes to my container gardens. I haven't seen anything weird with either of them. I struggled with the whole "destroy" them thing, my plants are just as much a part of my pet family as the animals are. Kinda why I'm looking into performing my own surgery on my oldest Marimo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonske Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 I wish my marimo things had mussels in them, my poor bitterlings would finally have had a chance to spawn... but no such luck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted October 14, 2021 Author Share Posted October 14, 2021 Well I finally had time during some maintenance and QT setups. So I took my sad Marimo and some thread and needle and loosely stitched the hole. No guarantees as it's not like the ball can't/won't rip through the stitches. My hope is that it will just conform and allow the hold until maybe someday it grows together/over the thread. It's back in its own QT and I'm letting it expand back to its normal size. That will be test 1 to see if it stays together. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beccs410 Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 @xXInkedPhoenixX Frankenball!!! 🤣😂 I love it!!! Great job on stitching that bad boy back up! Love the diagrams!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted October 14, 2021 Author Share Posted October 14, 2021 Ha! thanks @Beccs410 I think Frankenball is its new name. Well frankly it didn't have a name before but I suppose it does now. Those diagrams I practice a lot as I do reviews for Amazon- I like to give detailed descriptions but visual aids are always helpful and sometimes humorous. (I have a very dry sense of humor that often skates past the Amazon gate guards). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beccs410 Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 On 10/13/2021 at 6:54 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: Ha! thanks @Beccs410 I think Frankenball is its new name. Well frankly it didn't have a name before but I suppose it does now. Those diagrams I practice a lot as I do reviews for Amazon- I like to give detailed descriptions but visual aids are always helpful and sometimes humorous. (I have a very dry sense of humor that often skates past the Amazon gate guards). Oh man, I love that about having a dry sense of humor...that's awesome--both about the diagrams and about slipping past the "review board of reviews". And I definitely think Frankenball needs to be a permanent name. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmhicks101 Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 So I’m a noob here with tanks. What’s the appeal of the balls besides being interesting? Is there a way to get anymore? My lfs had some small brown not so good looking ones. Also what about Franky? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 On 10/13/2021 at 9:46 PM, lmhicks101 said: So I’m a noob here with tanks. What’s the appeal of the balls besides being interesting? Is there a way to get anymore? My lfs had some small brown not so good looking ones. Also what about Franky? My niece thinks of them as a pet. Like a pet rock but alive. As far as I know you can no longer get them in the US because of zebra mussels. I liked that they were fuzzy and made cool shag carpet when unrolled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmhicks101 Posted October 14, 2021 Share Posted October 14, 2021 @Guppysnail the store still has the little light brown ones. Is I go buy them and pop them in my tank will they improve? How would I check for the zebra mussels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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