# Growing Moss on backgrounds



## Guest (Jun 26, 2007)

hello all,

Would like to find out if it is possible to grow mosses on backgrounds. And if so, how is it done?
For my next trick... I mean viv, I would like to have a background lush with moss. This is going to be a big vertical tank and I want to do it right and put in lots of research. Thanks.


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## spydrmn12285 (Oct 24, 2006)

I was actually thinking of this too. Are you trying to do it like andy's viv? http://www.dendroboard.com/coppermine/d ... t=0&pos=30

I think he got the moss from black jungle, and it seems to be working for him.


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## bellerophon (Sep 18, 2006)

This is a bad example picture but I have a moss in my 10g verts that loves to grow on tree fern. Its to the point now that I have to trim it back as its overgrowing large 1" gaps and 2" round holes that I drilled into the background for hide holes. I cant ID the type of moss it is but its very easy to get it to grow and within a few months it starts to take over the entire viv.










Here are the tanks that my moss is pilfered from (Alan Z)


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## spydrmn12285 (Oct 24, 2006)

Very Nice, could you get a close up pic of the moss? How's your lighting and misting?


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## bellerophon (Sep 18, 2006)

I can tonight, lighting is just a regular old 2 bulb shoplight. I've found vigorous hand misting during the first few months helps to spread the spores throughout the viv and onto the walls. once its well established the automatic misters keep it happy and thriving.


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## littlefrog (Sep 13, 2005)

And more importantly, where can we get some of this magic moss? 8)


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

Has anyone used Riccia as a background?


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## bellerophon (Sep 18, 2006)

littlefrog said:


> And more importantly, where can we get some of this magic moss? 8)


well there is quite a premium on this stuff.... :lol: postage plus tip should do 

Only problem is I don't have that much to spare at the moment and none of it is frog free (tanks are clean though). When I remove it from the floor of the tank the moss takes a good half inch of substrate along with it. I've had to resort to trying to kill it on the ground level by covering it in leaves. On the plus side though it only takes about a half a film canister of the stuff to cover a 10g in 4 to 6 months.


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2007)

Wow nice results. 
Do you think it might be Java moss?
Riccia would be a nice alternative. 
I asked because I wanted to know if automatic misting would be good enough or if I would need a drip system and all that.


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## bellerophon (Sep 18, 2006)

It definitely doesn't look like java or riccia to me. The most information on this stuff I've gotten is that it was sold a long time back by a guy called "mossman" or something similar. apparently he disappeared and hasn't been seen since, likely swallowed up by this stuff at the rate that it spreads :lol:

The moss seems quite happy being lightly misted twice a day though it did grow right up to the waterline of my ponds do it probably could handle a drip wall. Not sure it would thrive under one though, I don't believe its aquatic.


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

I use Riccia myself. Tree fern panel....coco fiber...whatever.
I set up a drip line by running some airline tubing at the top edge and cutting some small holes. If you keep the Riccia wet and give it good light it goes crazy.


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## bellerophon (Sep 18, 2006)

Here's a few pics


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## Guest (Jun 27, 2007)

Nice lush growth!!!


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## bellerophon (Sep 18, 2006)

lol, yeah I'm not kidding! this stuff is the shag carpet of moss


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## Tripod (Jun 5, 2006)

Looks like the carpet from the house I grew up in the 70's... :roll: 

I bet there are quite a few members here that would love to get their hands on some of that. Why not set up an individual tank/rubbermaid for growing the stuff in quantity? You could periodically sell "frog free" clippings to the rest of us.

I'm sure you would have no trouble unloading the moss (unlike your imi...). :wink: 

Steven


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## xfrogx (Jul 5, 2006)

I just oredered 2' by 2' of this stuff, so ill let everyone now how it does and im sure within the next couple of months ill have more than enough, and ill sell some of it.


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## npaull (May 8, 2005)

I've had really good luck growing moss on a "peat-crete" background ("Flevopol" method with peat moss/coco mix) by just rubbing some pieces of moss all over the background after it's dry, right before I plant, and then keeping the background moist. It takes time, but eventually stuff sprouts everywhere.


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## bellerophon (Sep 18, 2006)

xfrogx said:


> I just oredered 2' by 2' of this stuff, so ill let everyone now how it does and im sure within the next couple of months ill have more than enough, and ill sell some of it.


really? where did you find it? I'd love to find out what this is exactly.


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## xfrogx (Jul 5, 2006)

I got it from a vendor here (indiana) that got it from black junlge a long time ago, Its pretty dang pricey though.


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## bellerophon (Sep 18, 2006)

oh ok, yeah this is different than the black jungle stuff. I have heard that moss is great though.


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## Guest (Jun 28, 2007)

Thanks all!! I think my plan will be a coco fiber on background, misted two or three times daily by automatic misting system, and a waterfall in the background 
I can't wait to get started!!


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