# Thoughts on moss slurry recipe



## AbeV (Jul 12, 2015)

I recently tried out a DIY moss slurry recipe that I found online. I spread it on some random rocks, sticks, vines etc in a greenhouse tank to see how it does.

I'm curious if anybody has tried the moss/water crystal/H2O method? Basically just a blend of the three ingredients. The online instructions called for dry water crystals, but I only had hydrated on hand. It came out fairly thick, but it adhears well to all that I've spread it on.

Any thoughts or concerns about this particular recipe? The water crystals blended up really well, but I'm still a little apprehensive about using it in a vivarium with frogs.

Any thoughts, opinions, comments are welcome


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

There's really no need to mix the moss with anything.... I've had excellent results just blending moss and water together and putting it where I want; or just placing live moss in and allowing it to spread.


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## sumer (Dec 14, 2012)

When I was planting my live wall, I did not have any tropical moss (I still don't). I only had a bunch of christmas moss in my aquarium. I put it in grinder with some water. Made a nice slurry and painted it on the spyra layer. It is growing so nicely now.


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## sumer (Dec 14, 2012)

Since I was planting it on my wall where it will be gettiong water spray every few minutes, I did not mix anything else. But when I (and many other aquarium hobbyists) do this in my tank during "Dry State Method" (where they don't fill the water initially and let the plants grow emersed), I usually mix a little beer or yogurt in the mix. A general conscience is that the starch present in this substances will give moss some extra energy to kickstart. I haven't seen a scientific explanation though. A small amount of beer or yogurt won't hurt anything anyway.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

"moss / water crystal / H2O method"
I do not know this method. Could you give me any details?
I simply put acquatic mosses on the background.


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## AbeV (Jul 12, 2015)

rigel10 said:


> "moss / water crystal / H2O method"
> I do not know this method. Could you give me any details?
> I simply put acquatic mosses on the background.


I did a Google search for moss slurry mixes. I was specifically looking for one without the buttermilk, yogurt, or beer when i came across the moss/water crystal/H2O mix. I didn't know if it would smell up the vivarium since mine is in the living room. I'll try to find the article and post the link.

So far I'm not too hopeful about this method. The water crystals and moss have made a gel type glob, plus I'm not sure how safe it will be with frogs, but we'll see how it turns out.

What I'm curious about now is the aquarium type mosses mentioned in some of the other replies. I take it that they don't need to be submerged?


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## inka4040 (Oct 14, 2010)

Apart from fontinalis and maybe some species of fissidens, all of the mosses in the aquarium hobby will happily grow above the water line.


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## Veneer (Nov 13, 2012)

sumer said:


> Since I was planting it on my wall where it will be gettiong water spray every few minutes, I did not mix anything else. But when I (and many other aquarium hobbyists) do this in my tank during "Dry State Method" (where they don't fill the water initially and let the plants grow emersed), I usually mix a little beer or yogurt in the mix. A general conscience is that the starch present in this substances will give moss some extra energy to kickstart. I haven't seen a scientific explanation though. A small amount of beer or yogurt won't hurt anything anyway.


No unintended fungal growth risk with these additives?


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

If this water crystal is the same stuff for the growth of some plants in "cup", it is better not in viv with frogs. When I use mosses in "cup", because they are free of snail or pests, I always take off this gel.


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## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

Instead of using the commercially available water crystals, have you considered using agar?


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## Tptp279 (Jul 29, 2014)

I know it’s an old thread but did you figure out an alternative?


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