# How to grow moss over tank bottom?



## Yungair23 (Nov 16, 2006)

What would you all suggest for growing moss for a substrate? I right know just have spaghum moss for a substrae and am thinking of switcing over to some thing that grows. I have only plants that are in little containers so they dont need to be planted. Will i need drainage or can i i just put a substrate down and then add the moss? What do you all suggest for a substrae, type of moss, light? Thanks for any help that you can provide. Black jungle is in my area should i check them out?


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## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

You will definitely want a drainage layer for any viv long term with a variety of choices (false bottom, LECA, gravel etc.) being your choices. Most individuals choose to utilize some type of substrate for their plants although there are hobbyists who go for a more stripped down look.

Getting good moss coverage in the viv can be tricky and you can find multiple posts in the Plants section of the board on moss. What I find it that the long fiber sphagnum moss tends to come back to life and provide a pretty interesting moss layer over time.

Good luck.

Bill


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

Hi, I`ve been to Black Jungles store a few times, trust me they will have everything you need, and help you along the way. John


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## back2eight (Dec 19, 2005)

> I right know just have spaghum moss for a substrae and am thinking of switcing over to some thing that grows.


Sphagnum moss grows. It comes back to life and does well - the problem usually is that it needs a lot of light. I have lots of sphagnum moss growing and doing well in my tanks. I can't help you with any other type, I don't know anything about them. But you definetely need a drainage layer.


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## slaytonp (Nov 14, 2004)

Try Java moss. It will grow about anywhere, either under water or over it, creep up onto waterfalls. It's a little straggly and can get out of control if you don't trim it, or even rip it up once in awhile, but it's no worse than the come-alive sphagnum mosses in this regard. Unfortunately, the really cool, collected-together pillow mosses that look like a putting green on a golf course, only do well where the light and everything else suits them, which isn't all areas of a tank. They are especially susceptible to calcium dust from fruit flies dumped upon them. If you grow mosses, have an area with just some gravel or leaf litter to dump in the dusted fruit flies.


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## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

Also a petri dish (bottom or top) turned upside down makes a nice FF drop off place to help keep the calcium dust off the moss...plus it is transparent (at least until it gets all covered with junk) so it lets light through for the moss below.

I use this approach in a few of my vivs....

Bill


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

My friend Youngair23 you are near BJ, correct? Definately call and set up a time to stop in and talk with Rich or Mike.

I would invite you also to send a message through the New England Frog Group....We have a thread in the meetings section.

I am fond of florida pillow moss, java moss, riccia and live sphagnum with the majority of my viv's covered in moss. I admit I am trying the leaf litter thing lately also :wink: 

Take care,

Shawn


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Java or ricca will grow the best, and as already stated a good drainage layer is needed.


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## rickmcdole (Oct 1, 2006)

> I am fond of florida pillow moss, java moss, riccia and live sphagnum with the majority of my viv's covered in moss.


I would kill to get my hands on some riccia. Unfortunately, the only place I've found it offered for sale is on aquarium sites, where it sells for a bunch of money per teasponfull...ack. The stuff is as expensive as gold, and I want quite a bit.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

I have various mosses, and ricca growing in most of my vivs.

some mixture of bedabeast or something similar (ground coco fiber) along with the more chucky coco fiber, peat moss, spagnum moss will work well usually. Also moss will generally grow on the coco mats if you can keep them moist enough. You could actually lay one over your substrate (if u can keep it flat, since they often come rolled), and moss would likely grow well on it. 

I generally seed my takes with as many mosses as i can and have been throwing ricca into the mix lately also. I use the tropical mosses from T & C, and black jungle...i find the T & C mosses to be better and more likely to thrive atleast in my setups. 

I also use some local mosses that i've found here in oklahoma that seem to do well, along with a moss that came with an orchid i bought at home depot, but i've never seen them sell another potted orchid with the lawn of moss growing around it ;( But i have kept that moss going and used it to seed many tanks over the last year, its a great moss whatever it is. 

Additionally i've used the kyoto spores and a sample of flordia moss that a guy from this board was selling awhile back (still growing).

There is a risk of contamination especially with wild collected mosses, but i've had good luck. 

Be sure to give any mosses a good chance to get established. Some will dye back slowly then eventually come back a few months later and do well from then on. Many do better when transplanted in larger pieces also. If you can manage to keep the humidity high and still have good air flow that will help also.

Dont buy into the native mosses need a dormant period crap....its probably true for some especially the further north u are but many will do just fine in your viv, and i know of atleast one person on this board who supposedly found good viv moss as far north new york.

To seed a tank, i usually use small square inch(roughly) patches of mosses and space them an inch or so apart, and as many kinds as i can....then let them fight it out 

Its a good idea to have some grow tanks for mosses too if you plan on contructing several vivs. That way you have a replenishable source to draw from.

Above all....be paitent, many mosses are slow growers.


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