# Is there a way to boost moss growth with buttermilk?



## Guest (Feb 18, 2004)

I read somewhere a while back that it is possible to mix shredded moss, buttermilk, and water, and then spread this where you want moss to grow, and it works. I tried this in one spot and after about 2 months it is starting to LOOK green, but that may be just my brain wanting it to grow. 

My main question is this: Can you dilute buttermilk with water and put this in a spray bottle and spray the moss down with it, then spray again with clean water to clean the bottle out and also to wash this mix down a little "into" the moss. Will this boost the moss growth? Will it hurt the frogs? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I have spent most of my life avoiding buttermilk so I know nothing of it. Nasty smelling stuff!!  

Any comments will be truly appreciated. I posted this on kingsnake about 2 weeks ago and got nothing. 

Thanks again and sorry for being long winded!


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2004)

I have heard about this as well. I assumed it was the buttermilk pancake mix and not the liquid though.


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2004)

Just an idea, maybe powdered buttermilk sprinkled over and in can absorb in after a few mistings, I have no idea if the buttermilk work just my 2 cents on applying it


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2004)

*Moss info*

Here is a link that I had found when reading up on getting moss to grow using buttermilk. 
Hope this helps.
Rhonda

http://www.members.tripod.com/~NPK1/moss7.html


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

*Re: Moss info*

Has anyone tried this? I've wanted to try it a few times, but have not.



FrogByte11 said:


> Here is a link that I had found when reading up on getting moss to grow using buttermilk.
> Hope this helps.
> Rhonda
> 
> http://www.members.tripod.com/~NPK1/moss7.html


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

*Re: Moss info*

I don't know if it's the exact way they have written up... but I buttermilked some moss and it worked very well. I'll write it up over the weekend.

s



kyle1745 said:


> Has anyone tried this? I've wanted to try it a few times, but have not.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## MarkJ (Feb 15, 2004)

For the moss and buttermilk you need live growing moss right? And how bad does it smell? I want moss in my new golden mantella tank but don't want to have to order a bunch of moneys worth and I don't want it to smell bad because its in my closet? is this possible? Thanks!


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## Homer (Feb 15, 2004)

Mark, 

As I understand it (although I am no authority on Mantellas), Mantellas prefer a bog type setup. If this is the case, I recommend you just buy some Java Moss and be done with it. Set it in the water spread thin, an in a few months under adequate lighting, you'll have all you need.

It beats the heck out of paying ridiculous amounts for sheet moss of an unknown species and variety and wondering whether it will survive. Plus, not all mosses will reproduce from severed portions of old pieces. You may have success, you may not.

Kyle,

How is your Java doing?


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

So far so good, I have a large piece in a olf fish bowl, and it seems to be growing slowly. I also have some in 2 tanks. It is starting to grow up out of the water, but not across the land yet. We will see, has not been too long.



Homer said:


> Mark,
> 
> As I understand it (although I am no authority on Mantellas), Mantellas prefer a bog type setup. If this is the case, I recommend you just buy some Java Moss and be done with it. Set it in the water spread thin, an in a few months under adequate lighting, you'll have all you need.
> 
> ...


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## Homer (Feb 15, 2004)

When it gets happy out of the water, it will start sending up sporophytes. About a month later, watch out . . . little green shoots will start showing up in places you never imagined would hold Java!


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

I'm hoping. I've seen a little bit of that I think in my 20gal.



Homer said:


> When it gets happy out of the water, it will start sending up sporophytes. About a month later, watch out . . . little green shoots will start showing up in places you never imagined would hold Java!


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## MarkJ (Feb 15, 2004)

I put java about 6 months ago into my azureus tank just a tiny clump and it has almost taken over the entire water area and has started to venture on the land covering the pillow moss up. I have power compacts in there while my mantella tank is just crappy 10 watt bulbs for now so the java in there hasn't grown much I was just wondering if this owuld be a good alternative.


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