# Encouraging Taiwan Moss to grow



## Gnomecatcher (Sep 8, 2011)

Did you change anything else? Sometimes water hardness can stunt growth, or if you lowered your lights/change CO2, it would also change growth.

Moss likes low light and good CO2 saturation.


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## DennisSingh (Nov 8, 2004)

How did you trim it?


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## austin.b (Feb 9, 2012)

StrungOut said:


> How did you trim it?


Im not trying to be sarcastic, but would It matter how you trim it? is there a specific way for moss?


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## DennisSingh (Nov 8, 2004)

austin.b said:


> Im not trying to be sarcastic, but would It matter how you trim it? is there a specific way for moss?


I believe conditions didn't change, and if he trim it with scissors instead of plucking fronds out it might take longer for it to grow back in...I have heard doing it this way would make it grow in thicker. Just another theory, it'll take longer to bounce back. But if conditions changed I'm totally wrong. Sarcasm or not you'll still get an answer:tongue:, And to try and encourage it try adding oxygen somehow via flow, surface agitation, or airstone.


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## austin.b (Feb 9, 2012)

StrungOut said:


> I believe conditions didn't change, and if he trim it with scissors instead of plucking fronds out it might take longer for it to grow back in...I have heard doing it this way would make it grow in thicker. Just another theory, it'll take longer to bounce back. But if conditions changed I'm totally wrong. Sarcasm or not you'll still get an answer:tongue:, And to try and encourage it try adding oxygen somehow via flow, surface agitation, or airstone.


Oh, wow! I didn't know that! Lol plucking it would make it grow back thicker?


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## DennisSingh (Nov 8, 2004)

austin.b said:


> Oh, wow! I didn't know that! Lol plucking it would make it grow back thicker?


No snipping it would. Plucking is just the way I propagate. Once plucked, whatever is leftover I just get rid of as that bottom layer would take a lot longer to bounce back.


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## idris (May 18, 2011)

It was cut with scissors and (as tank access is problematic) I just cut away growth from the surface. 

I didn't changed anything else at the same time, like lights or CO2. That said, I used some liquid ferts before I cut it, and I'm not sure when I stopped - I've certainly not used any recently. How well do mosses respond to ferts?

I've got some Round Pelia as well, and that grows really well (or too well!). Is there anything specific Taiwan Moss needs more than Pelia?


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## Gnomecatcher (Sep 8, 2011)

Well if you've stopped fertilizing, that will certainly do it. Plants grow more slowly if there is less concentration of nutrients in the water column (rate of reaction in chemistry correlates to concentration of reactants).

Some plants take up nutrients faster than others. Weedy stem plants are better at taking up nutrients than HC, for example.


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## idris (May 18, 2011)

Will Taiwan need more nutrients in the water column than Pelia, Vallis and algae, as they seem to need no added ferts?


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## Gnomecatcher (Sep 8, 2011)

I don't actually know, but possibly; moss is a non-vascular plant, meaning it cannot absorb nutrients in one part of the plant and transport them to the rest of the plant. It's every man for himself. Or maybe every cell for itself.

Eventually you will see your lack of fertilization catch up to your vals and pellia. If you have low light, this will be a while before you will see signs of nutrient deficiency since the plants are growing slower and take up nutrients at a slower rate. Also lack of nutrients will make it harder for the plants to compete with algae. Yes, algae does not need fertilization to thrive, and can adapt much more readily in nutrient deficient conditions than vals and pelia. When the plants are starved for nutrients and are growing sickly, the algae can then take advantage.


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## idris (May 18, 2011)

Sounds like ferts are are certainly worth a try. But the Vallis has been growing better and better in the 8 or 9 months since I ran out of ferts, and the Pelia ain't slowing down either. LOL!


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## Gnomecatcher (Sep 8, 2011)

Do you have high or low light?

There is the "transition" period. If you were fertilizing during the transition period or during cycling, your plants may have been growing much slower than they are now. In which case now that the system is stable, they are growing much faster.

Other than that, I have no idea what's going on.


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## idris (May 18, 2011)

Low light.
I was fertilizing when the tank was set up (over a year ago now) but it's been a very long tim since I stopped. I can't remember whether growth rates have changed (other than the Taiwan) and what was going on at the time.
Anyway, I've ordered some ferts so we'll see what happens.


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## jakesebastin (Jun 20, 2012)

idris said:


> Low light.
> I was fertilizing when the tank was set up (over a year ago now) but it's been a very long tim since I stopped. I can't remember whether growth rates have changed (other than the Taiwan) and what was going on at the time.
> Anyway, I've ordered some ferts so we'll see what happens.


Thanks for sharing.


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