# Best ways to grow java moss



## Sitting_Duck (Sep 28, 2008)

I searched, and I couldn't find much on this.

What are some of the best ways to get java moss growing terrestrially. not aquatically..

I heard that you can blend java moss and yogurt(?) together and then spread it over the surface of your substrate. Correct me if I'm wrong, and please, share other ways


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Best thing to do is give it plenty of light and keep it soaked until it acclimates and then you can start to ween it off of the constant moisture by reducing the misting gradually over time.

The yogurt/butter milk thing I think is used for terrestrial mosses but I guess it could work for Java Moss too. Shouldn't need to do it though, this stuff is pretty tough once it acclimates.

Edit: I meant to say that you should visit, Brian's Tropicals b/c last time I was there, he had pics of some of his tanks that are basically 100% covered in Java Moss. Pretty neat looking.


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## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

When im trying to grow it on top of substrate, like coco bedding or something, this is what i do:
-Fill the larger half of a petri dish up about 3/4 of the way with coco bedding
-Add water until it completely soaks the coco husk just to the point where it is starting to puddle on the top
-Spread a thin layer of java over top of it
-mist regularly

This way, the java is in constant contact with a moist surface, but the only way it really has room to grow is up... it has worked well for me so far.

Really though, the key is just keeping it very moist until it starts to adapt and grow upwards. You'll see a definite difference in the appearance of the moss when it gets to this stage.

hope that helps!

oh and Antone I think Brian's Tropicals is mostly riccia fluitans that he has covering the tanks


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

carola1155 said:


> When im trying to grow it on top of substrate, like coco bedding or something, this is what i do:
> -Fill the larger half of a petri dish up about 3/4 of the way with coco bedding
> -Add water until it completely soaks the coco husk just to the point where it is starting to puddle on the top
> -Spread a thin layer of java over top of it
> ...


Its been a while since I been there but if you go to his "Building a Terrarium" link, you'll see the Java Moss covered ones. It does look like he's switched over to Riccia now though on some of the more recent ones.


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## Geckoguy (Dec 10, 2008)

About how long does the Java moss take to start adapting to the "land life"? I recently got sum and have spread it in my viv just wondering if its weeks or months before I should see some new growth? Just thought Id add another question to this thread


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