How to grow java moss fast???

[ICoolGuy]

So I live in UAE and aquarium and aquatic plants are not common here so I want to buy some java moss which is approximately 2 hours away from where I live and it is really expensive. Instead of spending more than I will spend on the fishes altogether I want a way to grow more java moss from the barely filled expensive cup I will buy. I want to propagate enough to fill my 40 Gallon. Any advice is appreciated on how to grow it and faster and thicker. Any advice on bringing it home is also appreciated.

 

[Ruutah]

The stuff is bomb proof. I've heard of it living in tanks neglected and left alone for years then someone comes along and adds water to to the tank without changing the substrate and it sprouting up and growing again.

I ordered 6 pieces off of amazon that came attached to rocks 3 months ago. all of it is growing well, with the biggest ball almost as big as my fist. I just pulled it out and put it in my new tank. Original tank was mostly an inert sand substrate and gravel with root tabs thrown in along with dosing flourish for the first few weeks. I haven't dosed the tank in almost 2 months. Lighting is with the cheapest LED fixture I could find on amazon. (sub 20$US prime)

It's considered a slow growing plant and doesn't put down roots per say. a piece tears off the "ball" and it will just start a new ball. Nutty stuff, hence the joke of once you put it in, you'll never get it out.

 

[ICoolGuy]

Do you think letting it float will help in the growing process as it will be closer to light and moving a lot due to filter and surface agitation?

 

[Ruutah]

I actually did some reading on this subject this afternoon. Apparently leaving it balled up probably stunted it's growth.

that said, it doesn't really float. It more or less goes where the water tells it to. I'm likely going to pull my large ball this weekend, and attach it to the larger rock I've got it sitting on. Need to rescape some anyway to make room for the new sponge filter I just dropped in to help cycle it.