Aquarium Moss

[lflores]

Hi all!
I have a big question.
I want to get aquarium moss, I have seen some pictures from fellow members and they grow a bed of green moss thorough the whole aquarium.
I want to know how to do this, and what kind of moss is it. I also want to know if it is difficult to take care of it, what happens to the substrate, and how to clean it.
I tried attaching a picture of a tank that I’ve seen.
Help Please!

 

[DeirdreHoyle]

I love the look of aquarium moss so I bought some java moss and it just wouldn't stay put and clogged up my filter. I would love to learn about how to do moss the right way.

Although I have a pleco so maybe I'm not meant to have moss...he displaces all my plants!

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

That's not moss. It's actually a high light plant called Riccia. You'll need high-tech conditions like moderate to high light, CO2 injection, and micro/macro ferts (pps-pro or EI dosing). Riccia won't attach itself like moss. In fact, it will float. So in order to achieve your example tank there, you'd have to tie Riccia down to rocks, stainless steel mesh, or DW using fishing line or nylon mesh netting (i.e. cut pieces from a loofah).

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/myPlants.php?do=view&p=106&n=Crystalwort_Riccia_fluitans

But if you're not ready for the challenge of a high-tech planted tank, there are good examples of moss tanks. You can use mosses like mini pellia, mini Xmas, flame, mini fissidens, and some even use Marimo moss balls in which they pull them apart and use them as flat rugs here and there.

 

[lflores]

That's not moss. It's actually a high light plant called Riccia. You'll need high-tech conditions like moderate to high light, CO2 injection, and micro/macro ferts (pps-pro or EI dosing). Riccia won't attach itself like moss. In fact, it will float. So in order to achieve your example tank there, you'd have to tie Riccia down to rocks, stainless steel mesh, or DW using fishing line or nylon mesh netting (i.e. cut pieces from a loofah).

Crystalwort (Riccia fluitans)

But if you're not ready for the challenge of a high-tech planted tank, there are good examples of moss tanks. You can use mosses like mini pellia, mini Xmas, flame, mini fissidens, and some even use Marimo moss balls in which they pull them apart and use them as flat rugs here and there.

Hi, and sorry for the late reply
So, what would you reccomend? I have a few plants, the picture that I attached wasn't exacly what I had on mind. I saw a post from a fellow aquariumadvice user, and he had like a green carpet of three leaf clover, but it is very tiny, and it was spread all over the substrate, making it look just like a green carpet.
I really want to know how to do this is it moss? or is it just some other plant?
If so, how hard is it to keep the moss like that? I would like moss to take over rocks and everything to make it look as natural as possible. Do you have any ideas?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Well anything we would recommend depends on what the conditions of your tank will be. That's why in my response I laid out two options: high-tech vs low tech. Do you want medium to high light with CO2 or are you limiting this to low light no CO2?

Look of videos and threads of how people tie moss or riccia to rocks, mesh, and DW.

Here's an example of flame moss I tied to a river rock using mesh from a loofah bath sponge. The flame moss eventually grew out to the point you don't even see the mesh anymore.


Some people even crazy glue moss to surfaces.

You just have to research species and determine your available or desired lighting.. just remember with higher light you'll need to consider a carbon source (co2 or glut) and a comprehensive fertilizer regimen (i.e.. PPS-Pro vs EI).

But clover looking carpeting plants...

Could be hydrocotyle sp. Japan, marsilea minuta or crenata, glosso, etc.

 

[wildroseofky]

To make a carpet of moss you just attach the moss to mesh, plastic canvas, or some other structure with holes that the moss can grow through. They lay it down on the substrate. It is like making a moss wall but you lay it down instead of standing it up against the tank wall. I tried the ricci fluitans tying down thing and it just would not stay for long. Nothing I tried kept it attached.

 

[lflores]

Well anything we would recommend depends on what the conditions of your tank will be. That's why in my response I laid out two options: high-tech vs low tech. Do you want medium to high light with CO2 or are you limiting this to low light no CO2?

Look of videos and threads of how people tie moss or riccia to rocks, mesh, and DW.

Here's an example of flame moss I tied to a river rock using mesh from a loofah bath sponge. The flame moss eventually grew out to the point you don't even see the mesh anymore.


Some people even crazy glue moss to surfaces.

You just have to research species and determine your available or desired lighting.. just remember with higher light you'll need to consider a carbon source (co2 or glut) and a comprehensive fertilizer regimen (i.e.. PPS-Pro vs EI).

But clover looking carpeting plants...

Could be hydrocotyle sp. Japan, marsilea minuta or crenata, glosso, etc.

Hi again!

I looked over all the mosses you recommended. I decided that I would go with the Flame Moss.
I have a question though, How do I prevent getting undesired algae on my tank?
My brother got Xmas moss through the mail, and he added it to the tank and got a bad Black Bearded Algae all over the tank.
About the light, I don’t have anything fancy, I have a 36" Aqueon T8 Full Spectrum Freshwater 25 Watt lamp. Just the regular old-school lamp, not LED.
I don’t leave it on all day, I turn it on before I go to school, and off after I come back. I have an assortment of plants, which I don’t keep track of the names, and they are all growing just fine. I have an air diffuser on the bottom of the tank, with a whisper pump, and two fluval filters running.

Any tips?
I am very new to planted aquariums, I just have my plants because I know my fish like them.
Will my other fish be ok with the moss? What is exactly the care of Flame Moss? How do I make sure I wont get algae?

Thanks, Brian_Nano12g