# Moss questions.



## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

i have a zoo med cork tile background, and i am wanting to get a moss to cover it up. the tank is a 18x18x24. i am wanting it to cover the back with cork tile and a little on the floor of the tank that has plantation soil,sphagnum moss and oak leaves for the substrate. i will have 2 surinam cobalt's once the tank is a little more established. pics/links would be greatly appreciated.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

here is a link tot he tank that it is going in.
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/be...pics-all-input-advice-welcome.html#post613881


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## candm519 (Oct 15, 2006)

If you can keep it constantly moist at least for a while, I would borrow pinkie-nail sized bits of different mosses from your cousin's tanks, and mush them into the crevices in the cork. Really squash it in so it stays. Crushing it is okay.
It should grow and cover naturally, finding its own microniches. 

I find it is easiest to use real tropical moss already proven to thrive in tank conditions. Or purchase from sponsors / vendors. You might also experiment with kyoto moss spores (offered on eBay sometimes)grown flat outside your tank, and then transfer pinches to your vertical walls.

I don't like bringing in 'wildcaught' moss.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

my cousin has the exact substrate in mine, and that's it. no plants or no backgrounds on any of the walls.


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## martin (Feb 4, 2007)

Get some tropical moss and blend it in a blender with water or beer into a slurry. Spread/fling this mixture onto your background. Keep it moist with bright light and it should start to grow in about a months time.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

best place/website/vendor to get tropical moss?


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## Zorloc (Apr 6, 2011)

I to am new to the moss growth.
So far what I learned

Lots of light and obsurdly wet surface (Wood, rock or soil)
Riccia is pillowy
Java is stringy
I just put in some Frogmoss yesterday (package states will come back to life)
T-Rex Frog Moss - Earth - Substrate & Bedding - PetSmart
Ill let you know how that goes.

Tropical moss only native to the US and Canada moss needs dormacy period.

Hope I helped in some way.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

looks like the t-rex will grow and reproduce? let me/us know how it comes along.


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 1, 2011)

Zorloc said:


> Riccia is pillowy
> Java is stringy


My java is actually growing fairly densely. The frogs seem to mat it down as it grows so it's not getting tall like I've seen in other vivs. I actually like the way that it looks.

I've got riccia in mine as well and I wouldn't say it's pillowy. It reminds me most of fresh-cut grass more than anything.

Let us know how the frog moss works out. I've seen it, but I'm just not super sure that it will actually come back to life...


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

Zorloc
any updates/pics of your moss?


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## MA70Snowman (May 18, 2010)

Zorloc said:


> I to am new to the moss growth.
> So far what I learned
> 
> I just put in some Frogmoss yesterday (package states will come back to life)
> ...


I put some of that frogmoss in mine.. turned yellow then to mush. but my sucess rate with mosses is pitiful


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

had mine in for 3days and still green so far.


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## aboznut (Jun 19, 2011)

I have a brown thumb when it comes to mosses too...unless they are growing in my yard on their own. I'm pretty sure I did not keep them damp enough (not in a frog vivarium).


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

i'll report back in a few days hopefully with good news.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

moss is still green, doesn't seem to be spreading, but it is still alive.


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## candm519 (Oct 15, 2006)

Moss takes a while and a lot of patience, but it will grow...

Started with 3 pinches of mixed indoor mosses, pressed (mashed) into dents, and wet down once a day.
About 3 weeks later:










And 6 weeks after that:


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

candm519








Member

where did you buy these mixed mosses from?


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## candm519 (Oct 15, 2006)

I did once buy and sprinkle Kyoto moss spores (from eBay); and I also got some of Black Jungle's true tropical moss, which they carry sporadically, which was several kinds of moss growing together.
I stuck fingernail-sized bits of it everywhere I hoped it might thrive. And I made sure each bit got wet once a day. Some grew, others didn't. 

Mostly over the years, a lot have just kind of popped up. Some may be still growing from my initial inoculations. I'm sure many were transported via soil mixes, from greenhouse pots, from purchased plants, from spores in the air or on wood. (I believe that fungus gnats, millipedes and other little guys spread some spores around too).

You could place a wanted ad in the Marketplace section of this forum, and check classifieds and sponsors. Check bonsai sites; they may have some suggestions for moss. Ebay can be a source too, but read carefully to be sure it has been grown indoors.

While waiting, (and remember moss never hurries) try to get some little viney ficus and peperomia etc, to grow up the back, and create moss-friendly high humidity zones between tiny leaves.

I hugely recommend (to everybody) this not-boring book about moss, and find out what totally cool plants they are: 
"Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses" 
by Robin Wall Kimmerer 
Available at Amazon.com and other places.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

all the above info is greatly appreciated, i did see some flame moss-any experience with that. I'm kinda Leary of moss on ebay, some sellers are only concerned about the money and will tell you want you want to hear to make the sale, unless you have any trusted sellers you use.


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## candm519 (Oct 15, 2006)

I believe flame moss is aquatic.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

you are correct, if it is kept wet don't you think it would grow with the high humidity and the constant moisture.


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## candm519 (Oct 15, 2006)

This was a good thread with lots of experience and ideas.
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/63491-favorite-moss.html
Aquabid.com sometimes sells moss that will work.


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 1, 2011)

Flame should work fine if you can keep it moist.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

i thought so as well, always good to hear it from another.


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## johnyrocks (Jun 25, 2011)

i put a tiny chunk of cork bark in a sealed container and filled it with water. I left and forgot about it in my attic lol. 2 years later well, it STUNK, but it was covered in green.


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## ConFuCiuZ (Jul 13, 2011)

I bought my moss from BlackJungle. It ran about 10 bucks a zipblock bag and i bought three. My first lid i had for my 60 gallon was 1/3rd screen. After, i replaced it with an all glass lid to have maximum humidity. It is growing and getting greener everyday. So im guessing having good humidity helps out alot.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

ConFuCiuZ said:


> I bought my moss from BlackJungle. It ran about 10 bucks a zipblock bag and i bought three. My first lid i had for my 60 gallon was 1/3rd screen. After, i replaced it with an all glass lid to have maximum humidity. It is growing and getting greener everyday. So im guessing having good humidity helps out alot.


 
it's probably IMO the most vital part of your tank!!


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## c81kennedy (Dec 24, 2010)

The only moss that has done super well for me is ricca i keep it on a drip wall and it grows like crazy it is even going onto the side of the background where there is no dripping water.


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## GRIMM (Jan 18, 2010)

Sally, if you have some roughness to your background try a moss mixture. Blend 50-70% dried shpagnum, then add a bunch of water and 30-50% live tropical/aquatic mosses. Blend it up, cram it into any background crevice you can, then keep it well watered and brightly lit. The sphagnum helps retain moisture, so it can work much better then live moss by itself which sometime dries out to quickly. Also, another good addition to the mixture might be a little peat moss.

I just added a test mixture to my tank about 10 days ago. The surface is now green and has bits of moss popping out everywhere. After seing positive results I pretty much covered every surface that gets a good amount of light and is within reach of the misting nozzles. Looking forward to a carpet of green


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

GRIMM said:


> Sally, if you have some roughness to your background try a moss mixture. Blend 50-70% dried shpagnum, then add a bunch of water and 30-50% live tropical/aquatic mosses. Blend it up, cram it into any background crevice you can, then keep it well watered and brightly lit. The sphagnum helps retain moisture, so it can work much better then live moss by itself which sometime dries out to quickly. Also, another good addition to the mixture might be a little peat moss.
> 
> I just added a test mixture to my tank about 10 days ago. The surface is now green and has bits of moss popping out everywhere. After seing positive results I pretty much covered every surface that gets a good amount of light and is within reach of the misting nozzles. Looking forward to a carpet of green


thanks for the info!!!


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