# Moss as a Carpet Plant for Iwagumi?



## dukydaf (Dec 27, 2004)

I could work, a steel mesh will likely provide a better distribution for the plant. 

The main difficulty with moss as a carpet is that is very good at gathering debris but really difficult to clean without taking it out

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk


----------



## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

I agree with @dukydaf since moss grows very thick any debris will get trapped in it. So the success of using it will depend on how well maintained your tank is as well as how much stock (fish) is in it.


----------



## SquigglyThing (Oct 15, 2017)

Thanks. I think I will go for it with a small tank (10g or less), and no fish, at least to start with.


----------



## caseym (Jun 23, 2015)

Check these threads out 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/1199754-2-5-gal-nano-nightstand-tank.html

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/1078913-klibs-20-long-moss-carpet-rcs-haven.html


----------



## Nigel95 (Mar 5, 2017)

Could also use lava rocks and tie moss to it or use blender method with (fissidens / riccardia). Lava rock is pretty cheap to cover the whole substrate.To keep the moss clean get tons of shrimp and a turkey baster can help ya to.


----------



## klibs (May 1, 2014)

caseym said:


> Check these threads out
> 
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/1199754-2-5-gal-nano-nightstand-tank.html
> 
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/1078913-klibs-20-long-moss-carpet-rcs-haven.html


lol I came to post the link to my 20g but looks like you beat me to it

unfortunately i don't think I have pics prior to it growing in. basically i took a ton of xmas moss that I had in other tank (like you) and tied it to some filter foam with fishing line and a sewing needle. the foam fit snug to the tank and that covered the entire bottom of the 20g. i did not use any substrate below the filter foam.

while it worked pretty well I probably wouldn't do it this way again. the underside of the foam got really nasty and it is basically impossible to clean. a thin sheet of stainless steel over substrate would probably be a better way to go


----------



## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Here's one I did a while back. The moss is over stones. It eventually become more than a carpet as I let it grow very thick. Just for the record, there is exactly 2 months growth between the 1st and 2nd pictures. For full disclosure co2 was used.


----------



## Bananableps (Nov 6, 2013)

klibs said:


> lol I came to post the link to my 20g but looks like you beat me to it
> 
> unfortunately i don't think I have pics prior to it growing in. basically i took a ton of xmas moss that I had in other tank (like you) and tied it to some filter foam with fishing line and a sewing needle. the foam fit snug to the tank and that covered the entire bottom of the 20g. i did not use any substrate below the filter foam.
> 
> while it worked pretty well I probably wouldn't do it this way again. the underside of the foam got really nasty and it is basically impossible to clean. a thin sheet of stainless steel over substrate would probably be a better way to go


If there were no hardscape, would it be practical to clean a tank like this by periodically removing the moss covered foam and rinsing it in the sink?


----------



## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Just for the record. There's a big difference the way a moss foreground looks when you let it fill into the space on a mesh or rock and it grows into and around the hardscape or even with no hardscape compared to just taking a bunch of moss and shoving it into the foreground space. The moss grows in a more unified manner as opposed to the strands just going every which way. 

You can really just take the head of python and suck out alot of nasty stuff from it.


----------



## dukydaf (Dec 27, 2004)

houseofcards said:


> Just for the record. There's a big difference the way a moss foreground looks when you let it fill into the space on a mesh or rock and it grows into and around the hardscape or even with no hardscape compared to just taking a bunch of moss and shoving it into the foreground space. The moss grows in a more unified manner as opposed to the strands just going every which way.
> 
> You can really just take the head of python and suck out alot of nasty stuff from it.


You are right, I recently noticed this with freely floating X-mass moss.The moss actually stratifies itself. However I had a box with freely growing Weeping Moss where I did not notice any structure. I guess it is also a function of moss type or light levels ?

I want to try some similar setup for my RCS colony. I can buy steel or aluminium mesh. Is one better than the other ?


----------



## klibs (May 1, 2014)

Bananableps said:


> If there were no hardscape, would it be practical to clean a tank like this by periodically removing the moss covered foam and rinsing it in the sink?


not really. it makes a MESS when you disturb the stuff (in my case shrimp poop) that builds up within / under the foam. i don't think you could remove the foam without stirring up a ton of crap into the water column


----------



## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

dukydaf said:


> I can buy steel or aluminium mesh. Is one better than the other ?


I've only used stones with the moss. You can use different height stones as well to create depth, etc. Someone else might know about the mesh.


----------



## SquigglyThing (Oct 15, 2017)

dukydaf said:


> You are right, I recently noticed this with freely floating X-mass moss.The moss actually stratifies itself. However I had a box with freely growing Weeping Moss where I did not notice any structure. I guess it is also a function of moss type or light levels ?
> 
> I want to try some similar setup for my RCS colony. I can buy steel or aluminium mesh. Is one better than the other ?


Aluminum is poisonous to fish and may kill them. Inverts tend to be even more sensitive to metal poisoning than fish. Steel is not poisonous, but will rust. The best choice would be stainless steel or some kind of plastic.


----------

