# Best moss?



## deadsea60 (Sep 15, 2012)

Just wanted to ask what moss grows most effectively with moderate misting and good light. I am at uni but have a terrarium slowly growing while I am away from home, this means that when I get back I will have a 3 year grown in terrarium . However, it also means that my mum is misting and quite often forgets so was wondering what moss to stick in so that while I am away I get good moss growth.
There is already some java in there but without often misting it is starting to die off but oh well.

Terrarium:
45(w)x45(d)x60(h) Exo terra
UV light which has led to explosive growth in everything in there
Super rain misting system
Glassed over top to keep in moisture

Thanks


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## wriggles (Apr 5, 2014)

A moss slurry would probably be worth trying if it were me. Especially if you arn't in a rush to see instant greenery.
Neherp came out with some recently New England Herpetoculture LLC - Terrarium & Vivarium Live Moss
This way the mix will grow whatever likes your tank conditions from spore, instead of buying live moss and killing it trying to figure out what it needs  (my specialty)


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Not sure OP is in USA, at least I don't recognize the location. If that is the case hard to suggest specific vendors... but my geographical knowledge is suspect at best 

In general the best moss is whatever you can get that grows. I favor the " as much and as many kinds as I can throw in there" approach, and letting them fight it out.

So whatever vendors are available, I'd try several sources if possible. A lot of the times though the best stuff comes in with mounted or fern pot grown plants from greenhouses or hobby growers.

If you can find anything sold specifically as "tropical moss", I'd try that probably. Christmas moss and the other aquatic mosses are options, as is ricca, but java is one of the least nice looking IMO, so last on my list usually.


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## deadsea60 (Sep 15, 2012)

I'm in England but can source most of the ones you can get in the us. Will try mix again but never really dies anything when I use it even with loads of watering. 
James


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

deadsea60 said:


> I'm in England but can source most of the ones you can get in the us. Will try mix again but never really dies anything when I use it even with loads of watering.
> James


What substrate/hardscape materials are you using?

Tank dimensions and lighting?

Long fiber spagh makes a good bed for many mosses. And half buried or consistently moist drift wood and cork also. Basically if moss doesn't eventually show up on that stuff you must not have enough light, or something is wrong like bad tap water, over watering, to much supplement powder being dumped in the viv... or you have incredibly bad luck when it comes to sourcing moss.

A pic might be helpful in troubleshooting the problem too.


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## deadsea60 (Sep 15, 2012)

The lights and dimensions are in the description (but measurements are in cm should have said). Using a expanding foam background (obviously covered), and the substrate is a mix of eco earth, sphagnum moss, orchid bark and jungle bedding. Tank is seeded with springs and woodlice (dwarf whites and tropical greys).
Using bottled spring water for my misting system.
Have an old pic but looks really different and now am at uni so cant get another one for a while.
Thanks
James


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## ameratsnake (Nov 2, 2014)

If you have relatively wet conditions ie a waterfall, drip wall, ext. Than I would use java moss. This moss can look amazing if grown emersed.


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## ameratsnake (Nov 2, 2014)

Java moss grown emersed on waterfall.


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## deadsea60 (Sep 15, 2012)

wow that is nice! don't have a drip wall/waterfall just semi regular misting unfortunately. Never done well with waterfalls before so stopped trying.


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## ameratsnake (Nov 2, 2014)

I have had bad luck with waterfalls in the past as well. I now use the sub bottom of the vivarium as the reservoir for waterfalls. Drainage is key to success.


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## SpaceMan (Aug 25, 2013)

Java moss is probably one of the easiest mosses, but it requires very wet conditions to prosper. So yeah -- it's best around water features/drip systems, or areas that get misted frequently. 

I've had Sphagnum moss (the dried kind you get in bags) that I used to fill cracks/holes in my background flourish into living moss. It took about a year though to come back to life. I also don't know what conditions it likes, because it went from a vibrant green to a yellow. It's either getting too much light, or too much water.


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