# Alex's Moss Mix Trial



## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

Thought I would start my own thread on here and keep updating with some pictures.

I'm using an epiweb "vine" that I cut out of a piece of epiweb and put a stiff wire through (coat hanger). It is watered via wicking from the water feature in the tank.

On the background, I poked some holes in the tube that feeds the water feature so the treefern panel in the back stays a little moist. We'll see how it turns out.

For light, I am using a 96 watt power compact. I hope it does the trick.

Without moss mix:









With moss mix:









I found it was easiest to pour on most of the mix. It was a little gloppy but I got the hang of it. For little spots I used a shallow spoon.

Thanks for looking

Alex


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

lt us know how it grows


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

Good luck with it... Keep us posted


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

Occidentalis said:


> I'm using an epiweb "vine" that I cut out of a piece of epiweb and put a stiff wire through (coat hanger). It is watered via wicking from the water feature in the tank.


Alex, Epiweb is not known for it's wicking abilities and I suspect you will have to spray the vine to get it be damp. But the mixture itself may wick well.

Great job on the vine. Looks awesome.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

It is definitely staying moist from the water running down the back wicking down the vine. It's been (let me check) two days or so now and it is still staying moist.

Thanks for the compliments. I definitely had to load up the vine outside of the tank... it's mildly difficult to get an even coating on.


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

Alex,

Thanks for posting this. I finally am getting starting on giving it a go myself in the 110 gallon I have in the basement. 

Definitely the mix doing the wicking not the Epiweb.

Creative with the vines! They make vines (called liana's) which I am getting ready to try in my next order but looks like you have it nailed.

Great tank by the way!


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

Well, it's been three days, and I'm pretty sure I'm getting some green tint to the mixture. Nothing photographic yet, but as soon as it colors noticeably I'll be sure to post a picture.

*Edit* Hadn't looked at the tank since this morning. DEFINITELY have lots of little pieces starting to green up, as well as a whole patch on the treefern in the back. I suspect it will be visual in a photo in a few days. Stay tuned! I'm excited. 

Have others been getting this growth? Perhaps they aren't using enough light? I'm considering changing to less light for some of my plants or putting some diffusion in... I've burned out an orchid and my brom leaves have brown tips.


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

Alex,

I dropped some in my 110 gallon and am getting some growth as well. It is spotty at this point but seems to be doing best in the wettest area's of the tank. I have seen at least two different varieties growing so far. I will post some shots as soon as I get time.

Chris


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Alex,
In the future try using stainless steel wire for the center of the vine. Coathangers are made of a very simple carbon steel and rust very fast, to the point that they will often break in a few years (or even less). The cheapest way to get the right wire is to use 3-series stainless welding rods like 316, 320 etc. 

Not trying to bum you or anything, great job on the tank!



Occidentalis said:


> I'm using an epiweb "vine" that I cut out of a piece of epiweb and put a stiff wire through (coat hanger). It is watered via wicking from the water feature in the tank.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

JoshH said:


> Alex,
> In the future try using stainless steel wire for the center of the vine. Coathangers are made of a very simple carbon steel and rust very fast, to the point that they will often break in a few years (or even less). The cheapest way to get the right wire is to use 3-series stainless welding rods like 316, 320 etc.
> 
> Not trying to bum you or anything, great job on the tank!


Thanks for the advice! I figured as much. The epiweb material that I unrolled tended to return to its original rolled shape. I'm crossing my fingers that when the wire is gone, the vine will still hold its shape to an extent. I'm hoping plants, etc, will help with this. 
I'm out in the middle of BFE so it's difficult to obtain things without a bit of a drive. It's even harder to justify when I'm excited about adding something to a tank =) I will use stainless steel in the future though, or find some way to incorporate a strip of PVC/Acrylic that I can warm up and bend but not mess with the epiweb.


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## d-prime (Sep 29, 2008)

Whats the name of that aroid with the white veins under the red brom in the center?


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

d-prime said:


> Whats the name of that aroid with the white veins under the red brom in the center?


Looks like Anthurium crystalinum or clarinervium. Could also be A bessae.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

Anthurium clarinervium is correct... here's a link to the plant part of the build

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...ank-means-new-20-gallon-viv-2.html#post394945


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## Energy (Jul 17, 2009)

Very cool, I'm subscribing to this thread.


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Subscribed!


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## Brien (Aug 27, 2009)

Well I dont know why people dont have any results yet because they started their trials way before me but mine was started about 3 weeks ago and I have almost all it turning green and lots of sprouts.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

available light amount and quality is going to play a HUGE part in peoples results with this stuff, not to mention moisture levels.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

brien said:


> Well I dont know why people dont have any results yet because they started their trials way before me but mine was started about 3 weeks ago and I have almost all it turning green and lots of sprouts.


What light are you using? I'm using a 96 watt compact florescent. 
A lot of it is green, but no appreciable growth yet. Pictures are coming soon.


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## Brien (Aug 27, 2009)

I'm using one 42" shop light with two daylight bulbs which are 6500k each.


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

No photo's because my day job has me in Germany. I have what I would call "peachfuzz" growth. The lighting over this 110 gallon isn't so great but the growth is definitely better up high. The mix that was washed down by my dripwall hasn't grown at all.

I have seen at least three different types of moss and have some hitchhiker sprouts as well. 

My backgound is great stuff foam covered with cocofiber. The drip wall keeps everything soaked (riccia loves it) and has a streamlike flow in several places. 
I have yet to test the mix on Epiweb but it is clear the moisture and particularly high light is critical. This makes sense since it was developed by orchid growers.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

I think I'm using too much light. The stuff in the shade is growing well, getting a lighter green color all over.

The stuff in high light has started an algae colony... most likely cyanobacteria unfortunately. Not sure whether to let it spread and come under control by itself, or turn out the lights for a week or so.

Lots of little sprouts of leaved plants have started up.

Pics soon.


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## stitchb (Jan 26, 2009)

Occidentalis said:


> The stuff in high light has started an algae colony...


It could just be a stage of fern developemen-fern gametophytes look exactly like algae...
Keep the posts coming!


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

stitchb said:


> It could just be a stage of fern developemen-fern gametophytes look exactly like algae...
> Keep the posts coming!


I sure hope you're right! I'm not going to do anything to it but let what happens happen.


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

That is so strange.

What kind of lighting are you using?


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## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

I just started mine on the 16th and i am allready seeing small signs 
of growth. most of it near the top. i have a 24'' double bulb t12 light 
setup . One 20 watt 6500k Ecolux bulb and one 20 watt Ecolux plant and aquarium bulb. Only about a dollar diff between the two so i figured i try one.
Only problem with the plant light is it glows kida pinkish, but not a big deal.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

UmbraSprite said:


> That is so strange.
> 
> What kind of lighting are you using?


96 watt power compact from a saltwater tank. Seems to be overkill, as I've turned a few things near the top into crispy critters, not from heat, but from sheer light it seems.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

Here's an update. Also added some broms to the epiweb to see how they will do. You can see some green along the back wall, most of that is java moss and some moss that was already in there.










Here it is greening up along the back wall in the shade. You can see a few of the sprouts that are springing up as well. Sorry for the lack of focus on them.


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

Mine isn't anywhere near that grown in yet. That looks very different than mine as well. I did a lot on the back "drip" wall which is more like a waterfall. A lot of it washed away but I am getting patched of moss that are growing in albeit slowly.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

Here's an update... out of the blackness moss is starting to come in!


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

Alex,

Mikael happened to see this thread and gave me the following comments:

 "I looked on Dendroboard and saw a thread (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/45671-alexs-moss-mix-trial.html) Where the author post pictures of some branches and back walls with moss mix applied. On the last pictures he shows pictures where the moss mix have becomed dark. This usually happens when it is exposed with lots of light and algae start growing. The moss will evolve (as seen on the pictures) from this anyhow and outconcour the algaes. Less light will reduce the risk of this happening."


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

UmbraSprite said:


> Alex,
> 
> Mikael happened to see this thread and gave me the following comments:
> 
> "I looked on Dendroboard and saw a thread (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/45671-alexs-moss-mix-trial.html) Where the author post pictures of some branches and back walls with moss mix applied. On the last pictures he shows pictures where the moss mix have becomed dark. This usually happens when it is exposed with lots of light and algae start growing. The moss will evolve (as seen on the pictures) from this anyhow and outconcour the algaes. Less light will reduce the risk of this happening."


Glad he could confirm this for me! Thanks for passing that along. I've suspected that I have too much light. I've been considering switching to a T5 light strip instead. I think I'll do that in early December, as I don't want to change things up at this point. I'll give it some more time to grow in.

Alex


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## Brien (Aug 27, 2009)

I think your watering it to much mine is turning really green you can really tell from the pic and I have tons of sprouts.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

I'd be inclined to agree with you, but one part of my vine doesn't get as much water, and is just as tan as the rest of the vine.


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## Fungus (Nov 6, 2009)

Brien - Looking great! Whats your lighting set up?


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## Brien (Aug 27, 2009)

Its a $10 shoplight that we have a million of them at our warehouse and I just put daylight bulbs in it almost every plant loves them. It even more green today.


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