# Making a soiless "Moss Carpet"



## dwdragon (Aug 14, 2008)

Ok the title may not make any sense but let me explain what I am going to try to do...

I have a desktop waterfall at work and I'd like to actually grow moss in it. Here are the hangups: I need to be able to remove the moss if needed to take the waterfall apart to service the pump as the pump sits under where the moss would be. I also don't want moss growing in the resevoir of the waterfall where it is likely to clog the pump. I can't use soil, peat, dirt, or anything else small particle that may get into the pump and stop it. Water has to be able to flow around or through the moss to get back to the resevoir to be pumped back up as it is recirculating.

Here is the waterfall I have (not actual picture taken off the net but same product):









Here is a really cruddy picture of where I want the moss to be (sorry I'm not a good artist):









Now I had an idea but I would like to know a few people's opinions if they think this will work.

Cut an old t-shirt or other very thin cloth material in the shape I need to fit in the waterfall. prop it up on something at the top of some water so that it soaks up water and stays constantly wet. Spread riccia all over it (I know riccia isn't a moss but will work and I have some) and try to get the riccia to root thru the cloth so that it won't move off the cloth and create a type of "carpet". The other thing I have at my disposal is Kyoto Moss spores which I could spread on the cloth and add white rice to the water to raise the PH level. What I mainly need to shoot for is to get whatever it is rooted to the cloth so that it doesn't wash off once I turn the waterfall on. It will really never get dry even if the waterfall is off simply because once the waterfall is off it will be sitting in water.

Also this is for my office (current setup):









As you can see I have a grow light so light is not an issue.

Thoughts?

EDIT: I forgot to mention I already tried to start cutting coco fiber mat to fit in there and it's simply too thick.... So then came the thought of cheese cloth and in the absense of having cheese cloth I thought of an old t-shirt worn enough you can almost see through it...


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## MJ (Jun 16, 2005)

have you looked at capillary matting?


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## dwdragon (Aug 14, 2008)

Thank you for the suggestion MJ I didn't even know that stuff existed. Going to look into it more tonight when I have a bit more time but it looks like it would be good.


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## dwdragon (Aug 14, 2008)

Ok I thought I would just post this tid bit of information on the capillary matting. I called a place back east that carries it (yes I live in a place that sucks for shopping none of the hydroponic / garden / hardware stores had it).

The guy there was very helpful and informative. I originally called to find out if I could have just 1 sheet (which they do sell by the sheet) shipped to me via USPS as their standard shipping is FedEx and would cost $8 for a $1 sheet of fabric. He said there really was no need if I can't find anyone in my areas that specifically sells "Capillary Matting" to just go buy white felt it's pretty much the same thing. 

So.... I'll be off to find some white felt when I get off work as that sounds like it would work great!

Afterthought: He said white felt because there is less chance of having dyes and what not in it for contamination.

I do wonder tho how well this might work to incorporate into backgrounds and such. Plants "should" grow great in it. I'm going to have to try some stuff out with it starting with the waterfall. 

Thanks again MJ for the suggestion it got me on a track that has a half decent chance of working!


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## MJ (Jun 16, 2005)

I've used it in a couple projects (still growing in and a weird one so wont share haha) and it works well for java and ric


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## dwdragon (Aug 14, 2008)

MJ said:


> I've used it in a couple projects (still growing in and a weird one so wont share haha) and it works well for java and ric


LOL!  I wouldn't exactly call my project normal  I'll let you know how it goes.


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## MJ (Jun 16, 2005)

What I'm up to makes yours look run of the mill lol I'll PM ya


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## sNApple (Mar 19, 2007)

your title makes perfect sence... lots of moss doesnt grow on soil.. why not get some epiweb or filter media, cut out what you need then just lay the moss ontop, but make sure its aquatic moss


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## AlexD (Sep 19, 2007)

I had a waterfall just like that for years. I just stuck chunks of moss in between the cracks in the rock. They grew great, it was beautiful! I even had several different kinds to add interest.


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## dwdragon (Aug 14, 2008)

Well, hehe the reason I'm so worried about getting to the pump is this waterfall is about 10 years old. It's been in storage for about 7 years. It has a tendancy to come on when it wants to. It doesn't have an on and off switch like the newer ones it just plugs in and turns on. I've got everything hooked up to a power bar which I turn on in the mornings and off in the evening before I leave for work so the water does evaporate so fast out of the waterfall and run the pump dry (been there done that).

Sometimes I turn on the powerbar and the waterfall comes on right away other times I turn it on at 7:30am and it doesn't come on until the afternoon. I've had a couple days it didn't come on at all. So I think it's safe to say that the pump will be shot soon. The nice thing about the older models is the bowl is deeper and so is the resivoir so it's easy to replace with like a small reptile pump and even if it's off the moss will still be wet.


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## AlexD (Sep 19, 2007)

Yeah, I bought mine at a yard sale and it was heavily used then. The pump ran out after about 3 years.


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