# my frog moss is turning brown!



## dendroguy23 (Jul 31, 2011)

hello i got forest moss and i put it into my viv and its not turning green but it turning a very light green almost brown i don't have frogs yet and i getting bromuliads soon can some one help?
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i also have a repti fogger and its running on low 13 times a day and i use a spray bottle twice a day.


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## 125 (Jun 22, 2011)

Well i can tell you have a exo terra terrarium...did u seal off the ventilation under the doors cause if you didnt it could be drying out ?


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## dendroguy23 (Jul 31, 2011)

yes i did seal it off im making sure its not drying off but ill keep trying any other suggestions?


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## c81kennedy (Dec 24, 2010)

The moss may need more light if you are keeping the humity high enough


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## dendroguy23 (Jul 31, 2011)

ok i have a coralife 6500k bulb so do i need more?


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

dendroguy23 said:


> ok i have a coralife 6500k bulb so do i need more?


what's the wattage and lumens?


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## dendroguy23 (Jul 31, 2011)

60 watt terrarium hood


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## Baltimore Bryan (Sep 6, 2006)

Is this moss you collected outside or "reptile stuff" bought in a pet store? The "terrarium moss" sold in pet stores is often just dried and dyed... sometimes it may die back and then rebound with new growth, but usually it's dead before it gets settled. If it's from outside, it will most likely not last since most native mosses need different requirements, such as a dormant period, that we don't have in tropical terrariums. 
Sorry, but I don't think you are going to have much success using moss unless you buy live tropical moss that does well in frog vivs, like some riccia that is sold by sponsors here. Other than that, it's fine to use moss, but personally I never expect it to live. It's good for retaining moisture when covered up by leaf litter though.
Bryan


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## dendroguy23 (Jul 31, 2011)

this is the second time i used "pet store moss" and the first time it grew really really good this is the moss from the same box and i think i used a bulb that didn't need 60 watts so today i switched to a 65 watt bulb and hopefully it will work but i think its just trial and error right now but thanks for the information next time ill buy live tropical moss.


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## Baltimore Bryan (Sep 6, 2006)

Ok well I don't know how critical the number of whats the light is, but at this point I would say just treat it like the last moss you had that you say grew well if they are indeed the same type. Unfortunately many times pet store mosses are just highly overpriced dried and artificially dyed sheet/pillow mosses which almost never live and grow. One time I used dried sphagnum moss under some leaves in a tank and under bright light and high moisture, some type of neon green moss sprouted up and spread very quickly... not sure if it is live sphagnum or something else, but it does very well in a frog tank. So you might get lucky, best of luck with it.
Bryan


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## dendroguy23 (Jul 31, 2011)

ok right now my layers are rock diet coco bedding frog moss "petstore" with leaves so may be it should be rock dirt the moss your talking about leaves


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 1, 2011)

125 said:


> Well i can tell you have a exo terra terrarium...did u seal off the ventilation under the doors cause if you didnt it could be drying out ?


The vent under the doors shouldn't cause enough air flow to dry out moss. For instance, I've got riccia growing nicely right up to the vent with no problems. I'd be more suspicious of the top screens not being sealed off since that would have a larger effect.

You can of course seal it off, but having it open (and say covered internally with a noseeum barrier to keep flies from coming in and out) also has the rather large bonus of helping keep the front glass clear of condensation.


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## dendroguy23 (Jul 31, 2011)

i have the top and bottom sealed off i just think its the moss im going to try a different layer.


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## Hoodsquirrel (Jul 28, 2011)

The same thing happened to mines.


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