Marimo Ball

Light Needs

Medium Light to Low Light

Mature Height

6 - 11 Inches

Mature Spread

6 - 18 Inches

Feature

Pet Safe

The stunning, bright, velvety-green orb is neither a moss nor a plant but is a naturally occurring rare form of algae that grows spherically. They are found in a few lakes throughout the world, located in Iceland, Japan, Ireland, Scotland, and Estonia. They have been known to live for over 200 years so are handed down as family heirlooms.  

Best Locations For Growing Marimo Ball

To provide the ideal environment for your Marimo Ball, find a location that receives medium, indirect light. Because their native environment occurs in cold lakes, they do not require heated water. They prefer cool environments, so place them away from central heat vents or radiators. 

Marimo Ball Sunlight Requirements

Because Marimo Ball grows naturally at the bottom of lakes, they do not require special or high-intensity light. Regular household lighting or indirect natural lighting from windows is enough light for the Marimo to photosynthesize. Just be sure to keep them out of direct sunlight or away from higher-intensity LED lights because this will cause brown spots.  

Marimo Ball Care

Every time you do a water change in your aquarium, gently roll the Marimo Ball in your hands to maintain its round shape and ensure that all parts of the sphere get access to light. If you notice your Marimo Ball is starting to collect debris, take it out of the tank, remove any undesirable algae, and gently swish it in a bucket of aquarium water to clean. You can propagate Marimo Ball simply by removing it from the tank, squeezing out excess water, and cutting it in half with a clean pair of scissors or a sharp knife. Roll the new clumps in your hands to form new spheres. Aquascapers get creative and branch out from the sphere form, using them as lush green mats on rock surfaces, the aquarium floor, and other hardscaping elements in the aquarium. 

Watering Marimo Ball

Marimo Ball can live in tap water aquariums, but they will do best and will remain cleaner in reverse-osmosis water or filtered water. Water changes are important to prevent natural dirt or waste build-up on your Marimo Ball. The frequency of water changes is dependent on the environment. If your Marimo Ball lives by itself, a good general rule of thumb is a 50% water change every couple of weeks. Marimo Balls naturally grow in cooler water and prefer temperatures below 75 degrees. 

Feeding Marimo Ball

No fertilization is necessary, although if you notice your Marimo Ball developing small brown spots, it’s recommended to add a pinch of ocean salt to the container.

SKU:

Aqua_Marimo--HP