# API Co2 Booster for Moss growth



## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

I purchased 6oz of "moss slurry" from Genesis Exotics. Attempting to grow it out on a couple coco huts and leftover pieces from my Zoomed forest tile background for my replacement vivarium.

I hear that moss takes a LONG time to acclimate. 

Can I use API co2 booster (diluted) and mist my moss a couple times a week with it? Would aquarium plant fertilizer help growth?

It seems these products are safe for java moss in an aquatic environment, but nothing on terrestrial moss.

Thanks!


----------



## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

I'd be curious to see the results as an experiment, but what I suspect is that 
1) it won't be any advantage since the CO2 in the air is already freely available to the moss. Gluteraldehyde is used to compensate for the much, much lower concentrations in water when plants are struggling to get enough.
2) The higher concentration you'd have to use to make any difference might burn the moss back or stop growth, acting more like formaldehyde than an organic carbon source.

Oh, and the fertilizer hasn't harmed any mosses in terrariums I've used it in. They mostly don't seem to care one way or another as long as it doesn't build up and burn the tips.


----------



## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

dirtmonkey said:


> I'd be curious to see the results as an experiment, but what I suspect is that
> 1) it won't be any advantage since the CO2 in the air is already freely available to the moss. Gluteraldehyde is used to compensate for the much, much lower concentrations in water when plants are struggling to get enough.
> 2) The higher concentration you'd have to use to make any difference might burn the moss back or stop growth, acting more like formaldehyde than an organic carbon source.
> 
> Oh, and the fertilizer hasn't harmed any mosses in terrariums I've used it in. They mostly don't seem to care one way or another as long as it doesn't build up and burn the tips.


I appreciate the input.

1)I understand there is co2 in the air (or as much as possible in my cling-wrap covered shoe box). But many plants benefit greatly from raised co2 levels. 

2) Burning is what I'm afraid of. This stuff is strong the dosage is 1mL per 5gallons of water. 

My goal is to have this moss up and growing ASAP. I don't want to kill it since it is a "slurry" I am not sure how much co2/nutrients it is really consuming at the moment.

I like the idea of an experiment. Unfortunately I only have room for 1 shoebox under my light(it's sitting on top of my vivarium). If I spray half the moss, there's no telling if the closed environment would affect the non-sprayed half.


----------



## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

I also am trying to do research to see if Gluteraldehyde would be effective in dispersing co2 outside of an underwater environment.


----------



## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

Ha, I work to stop the moss from growing in my tanks. That stuff takes over EVERYTHING. Its ridiculous. But....I remember a time when I did want it to grow. Now I just think of it as invasive (except for one species I REALLY like)


----------



## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

FrogTim said:


> I also am trying to do research to see if Gluteraldehyde would be effective in dispersing co2 outside of an underwater environment.


Well, actually, it doesn't affect CO2 in any way at all... it's a carbon _replacement _ for CO2 (the API label is misleading that way) in the form of a different kind of molecule, which plants can absorb and break down inside their cells. (edit: If CO2 gets produced when it's outside the plant, it would be from fungi or bacteria breaking it down... but it kills most of those so I doubt that happens enough to count)

I've often wondered about running a little actual CO2 line from a planted aquarium setup into a terrarium, but I think levels would be much harder to control than they are in water.


----------



## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Contrary to what you might heard on Fox News, there is plenty of CO2 in the air for plants and they will be limited by other things (other nutrients, light, water) before they are limited by CO2.

I understand that the benefit of glutaraldehyde for planted aquariums is more likely low-level suppression of the algae that grows on the foliage of plants and it probably doesn't really provide much extra carbon to them. For aquariums plants, injection with pressurized CO2 is more effective for good, vigorous growth.

Unless you use at a very dilute concentration, that glutaraldehyde will probably just burn your mosses. 

Many mosses don't grow all that slow if you give them the right conditions.


----------



## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

pdfCrazy said:


> Ha, I work to stop the moss from growing in my tanks. That stuff takes over EVERYTHING. Its ridiculous. But....I remember a time when I did want it to grow. Now I just think of it as invasive (except for one species I REALLY like)


Haha well this is my first real vivarium set up and I don't quite have the stock pile of moss just yet.


----------



## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

dirtmonkey said:


> Well, actually, it doesn't affect CO2 in any way at all... it's a carbon _replacement _ for CO2 (the API label is misleading that way) in the form of a different kind of molecule, which plants can absorb and break down inside their cells. (edit: If CO2 gets produced when it's outside the plant, it would be from fungi or bacteria breaking it down... but it kills most of those so I doubt that happens enough to count)
> 
> I've often wondered about running a little actual CO2 line from a planted aquarium setup into a terrarium, but I think levels would be much harder to control than they are in water.


Well I just learned something. The wording on the bottle claims it "adds a source of carbon" that plants can use.

I've used co2 injection for plants and the environment has to be sealed, co2 levels are monitored, nutrients and lighting are maxed out and humidity is strictly controlled.

Guess I was hoping for too much thinking this bottle could replace all of that.


----------



## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

hydrophyte said:


> Contrary to what you might heard on Fox News, there is plenty of CO2 in the air for plants and they will be limited by other things (other nutrients, light, water) before they are limited by CO2.
> 
> I understand that the benefit of glutaraldehyde for planted aquariums is more likely low-level suppression of the algae that grows on the foliage of plants and it probably doesn't really provide much extra carbon to them. For aquariums plants, injection with pressurized CO2 is more effective for good, vigorous growth.
> 
> ...


Yes I realize there is plenty of co2. I was mistaken my bottle of co2 booster would actually add co2 to the atmosphere surrounding the moss. 

I was hoping for a 'jump start' to get this slurry going since patience is not one of my virtues.


----------



## itzkramer (Mar 10, 2015)

I've had my moss slurry from NEHERP in my viv for 3 weeks, I already have a small amount of new growth. It's under 2 T5HO bulbs and gets misted 3x day.


----------



## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Just keep it moist and in bright light (terrarium bright at least). It'll get going soon enough.


----------



## zerelli (Sep 14, 2009)

FrogTim said:


> Yes I realize there is plenty of co2. I was mistaken my bottle of co2 booster would actually add co2 to the atmosphere surrounding the moss.
> 
> I was hoping for a 'jump start' to get this slurry going since patience is not one of my virtues.


It would be super dangerous if it did. I was talking to someone recently that began shipping frozen items after having spent a lot of years shipping fish. The biggest change is that he uses dry ice now. Seems pretty inoccuous on the surface of things, but when you stack eight boxes packed with dry ice in a car and close all the windows you can get to a dangrous level of CO2 without any warning. He was lucky enough that he understood what was happening and got the door opened prior to his death. I guess what I am saying is please be careful when trying to increase the CO2


----------



## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

zerelli said:


> It would be super dangerous if it did. I was talking to someone recently that began shipping frozen items after having spent a lot of years shipping fish. The biggest change is that he uses dry ice now. Seems pretty inoccuous on the surface of things, but when you stack eight boxes packed with dry ice in a car and close all the windows you can get to a dangrous level of CO2 without any warning. He was lucky enough that he understood what was happening and got the door opened prior to his death. I guess what I am saying is please be careful when trying to increase the CO2


Thanks for the warning. I understand the dangers of high levels of co2 in confined spaces. I do not think I have to worry with this 250mL bottle of API co2 booster. 

Glad your friend is OK.


----------



## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

pdfCrazy--so which one IS your favorite??? I love mosses--inside and outside...seems as though the harder you try to cultivate them, the longer it takes...


----------



## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

Judy S said:


> pdfCrazy--so which one IS your favorite??? I love mosses--inside and outside...seems as though the harder you try to cultivate them, the longer it takes...


Octoblepherum


----------



## MangoMonster (May 8, 2015)

Gluteraldehyde in high concentrations is used to sterilize equipment and medical supplies. Spraying it on anything would probably kill it. As I understand it, there's more co2 in the air then you could ever hope for in an aquarium so I think you're done without it. 

I've been getting Cyanobacteria growing on my waterfall and will probably use flourish excel ( another co2 booster) to try and get rid of it by spraying some over it and letting it sit for a bit. It works on my drift wood in my planted tank. 

Also, if I recall correctly, gluteraldehyde starts to break down when it's exposed to light. One of the things it breaks down into is a carbon source. I don't think the plants are actually taking in the whole chemical and breaking it down inside the plants cells. Gluteraldehyde is C5H8O2. So when it breaks down you're left with carbon hydrogen and oxygen. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

MangoMonster said:


> Gluteraldehyde in high concentrations is used to sterilize equipment and medical supplies. Spraying it on anything would probably kill it. As I understand it, there's more co2 in the air then you could ever hope for in an aquarium so I think you're done without it.
> 
> I've been getting Cyanobacteria growing on my waterfall and will probably use flourish excel ( another co2 booster) to try and get rid of it by spraying some over it and letting it sit for a bit. It works on my drift wood in my planted tank.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the input. I've decided not to use it.

I've just coated my coco huts and backgrond pieces with the moss and put it in a shoebox with clingwrap over 90% of the top. It's sitting on my vivarium right under the light. It's only been 3 days but certain strands appear a brighter green already.


----------

