# Safe plastic mesh for moss wall?



## EvilFish (Oct 15, 2013)

Hi, 

What kind of plastic mesh is safe for tank? 
Can I buy it in hardware store? 

Thanks


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## infinity8x3 (Feb 27, 2014)

I had a hard time finding this stuff at first. Seems I was overlooking it and going to the wrong places.

You can sometimes find it at wal mart in the craft section it's called "plastic canvas" it will be in the yarn section.

Also michaels craft store has plastic canvas to with more color options.

So stay away from the hardware store and head to the craft stores.

Here is Pics of me using it for a moss wall I set up last week.


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## EvilFish (Oct 15, 2013)

Something like that?
http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/plastic-canvas-34-x-265-cm/6000079337453


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Jan 16, 2013)

Yes that stuff. I've used it a ton of times, and it worked just fine.


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## leafofgrass (Dec 19, 2013)

What kind of moss did you use for your wall?

I've tried plastic canvas multiple times, trying to make a christmas moss wall. I think one thing to take into account is that those plastic canvas sheets come with holes of different sizes. The first wall I tried I didn't know this, and bought "7 mesh" black plastic canvas (7 squares per inch) and all of my moss died from not having enough light or water circulation. I then tried five mesh and three mesh before switching to something else, I tied some Xmas moss to a rock in my tank to compare the growth and health against the Xmas moss behind the mesh. The moss on the rick did better for some reason.

Growth was so slow and I got sick of looking at white mesh that I switched to a plastic mesh fabric that I found at a hardware store, as a bag holding a set of clamps. I also switched to Taiwan moss, as it looks similar to Xmas moss but is supposed to be hardier and a fast grower, with smaller fronds that are a better fit for my tiny 2.6 gallon.

I put the moss on a 5 mesh plastic canvas sheet and overlayed with the thin plastic mesh "fabric" I found, sewed it together and have been getting more growth over the last couple weeks than I did in months in my prior experiments 

So yeah, find a plastic canvas with larger holes! Or try the mesh bags that oranges or lemons come in, for example.


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## EvilFish (Oct 15, 2013)

I want to try Flame Moss or Christmas moss. Can I try different mosses together?

How much Christmas Moss I need for 30x14 wall? 
How many 2.5x2.5 inch portions? 

Do I need to put the mesh like a sandwich? 

Xmass moss demand a mesh with big holes? 

Thanks


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## leafofgrass (Dec 19, 2013)

Yeah you can mix mosses, maybe just choose mosses with similar growth rates so it grows out more evenly and they call get enough light instead of a slow grower being overshadowed by a fast grower. 

Get enough moss to cover your whole sheet, but it doesn't have to be a thick layer. If you lay it on too thick you'll have parts that die and rot from not getting enough light.


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## EvilFish (Oct 15, 2013)

Thanks

But what kind of mesh is good for Christmas moss? Do I need to put it like a sandwich?


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## leafofgrass (Dec 19, 2013)

There are different techniques, a common one is the sandwich. Some people use one piece of mesh and wrap the moss onto it with fishing line. I tried that but the some moss came off when I put it in the water, so if you go that route wrap it really well.

Do a google search for tutorials. I would use a larger mesh regardless of the moss you choose


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## EvilFish (Oct 15, 2013)

Plastic canvas in Walmart has small holes... I don't think it's enough for Xmass moss.

I also found a mesh for leafs (in garden department). No idea if it's safe for tank:


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## Subtletanks91 (May 29, 2013)

Go to michaels and go to the craft section your fine plastic mesh for like 97 cents. And it's safe to use


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## infinity8x3 (Feb 27, 2014)

Subtletanks91 said:


> Go to michaels and go to the craft section your fine plastic mesh for like 97 cents. And it's safe to use


I already suggested that.
And posted pics of proof that it works. That is one week of growth pictured in my moss wall. It's java moss.

I have noticed the clear plastic canvas works better than any other color. I guess it being clear allows more light to get to the sandwiched moss.


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## EvilFish (Oct 15, 2013)

I'm in Canada, there is no Michaels


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## lochaber (Jan 23, 2012)

Try any sort of sewing/crafts store, it's a fairly common item. Even some of the larger chain/bigbox stores will have it if they have a dedicated crafts/sewing department. I think it's used for needlepoint, but I'm not certain.

I was told the Michaels stores in my area don't carry it, but I did find it at a Jo-Anne's fabric store, all different colors and sizes. Pretty useful stuff for various DIY projects.


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## waterspider (Nov 9, 2013)

I was going to try using plastic canvas for something similar. Feels a bit rigid for the sandwich method imho - was going to hold it on with hair net. Hadn't even realised you could still get them. Think my gran used them in her hey day. Found them in a pharmacy (drug store).  

Flame moss doesn't seem to form a mat for me, so I'm not sure I agree with planting it too sparsely. First time I tried it on a flat rock, and ended up with increasingly long strands that never spread wide, so had big gaps between them. I've replanted them in a tighter mat, and while I did get some die off, they're coming back better now.


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## GoodOldDays (Mar 24, 2014)

Craft stores have it in various colors including black


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## EvilFish (Oct 15, 2013)

How to prevent fishes going to behind the wall?


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## waterspider (Nov 9, 2013)

I'm a newb at this, so can't offer definitive advice. If I was planning a first wall, I'd start with a mesh covering about a 1/4 of the tank width (or less) to start with, while I sussed out growth rate etc. It could even sit proud of the tank wall at this stage to let fish swim clear through behind it. 

But plastic canvas should sit tight enough for most sized fish just braced into the substrate at the base. If you have a tall tank, you could always add a temporary clip/weight on thread hanging over the side to balance it at the top. Airline hose cold be split and added to the vertical edges to seal gaps. 

If you're less cautious than me, then EpoPutty is a two part adhesive that works wet and would hold it permanently to the glass. There are also aquarium silicone sealants available.


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## infinity8x3 (Feb 27, 2014)

Mini suction cups is what I used. In the mesh take the tip of scissors and cut out a single section in the center of where 4 squares meet. Take any metal off of the smallest suction cups you can find and plug them into the section to made in the mesh. Did that in 4 corners of the moss wall.


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## waterspider (Nov 9, 2013)

I confess I'm following this thread because I'm curious about other's ideas, but I tried mini suction cups and plastic canvas as a cross tank barrier to segregate M/F guppies (kind of out of curiosity) - even the full adult males could get through behind the suction cups. Neat idea to hold the mesh to the tank wall, but I'd want the mesh to fit neatly horizontally and laterally to the full wall to make sure small fish don't sneak behind the gap the cups add.


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