# Xmas Moss, Emersed Growth: Update/onclusions on page 2



## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

I would think you would suffocate it with the saran wrap. You would probably have better luck with just a lid to keep humidity high.


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## 99problems (Feb 24, 2012)

Thanks for the advice- since its in a bucket (what a DIY  ) do you think an improperly fitted lid would keep enough moisture in to keep humidity high, or would it be better if I poke some holes in the saran wrap to keep air flowing?


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## klaus07 (Nov 23, 2011)

I think the key is to keep the contact area evenly moist. I would recommend against poking holes in the saran wrap. You could use a gladware container covered with saran wrap, unless you can find one with a clear top, then use it. Every time you open the container, then you can mist before closing the top. I have Taiwan moss growing in an inch of water in a humidome and it is sending fronds out of the water.


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## 99problems (Feb 24, 2012)

Hmm so using the lid, the moisture seems to leave very quickly (I won't be able to spray the moss every hour, since I have class). Suggestions on how to keep the humidity high with the bucket and lid (or saran wrap)?


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

You should be fine if you mist then cover the bucket with the wrap. just dont leave any openings and when you open it to look, mist it before replacing the top.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

I tried with mosses but gave up after being impatient. lol. Covered the rocks with panty hose instead with all my chopped up moss on the lavarocks and filled the tank. lol. It's already starting to poke through the panty hose.


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## DennisSingh (Nov 8, 2004)

I agree the key is keeping it moist, I dont' think you can suffocate the moss. I'll see if I can't find a pic of xmas moss.


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## 99problems (Feb 24, 2012)

sorry to ask so many questions, but would covering the moss with a single layer of paper towels help keep the moisture in? will enough light make it to the moss through the towels?


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

i just happened to put my leftover xmas moss on the top soil of my emerse crypt setup
update this often please
i want to know more


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## raven_wilde (Jul 12, 2006)

I'm actually getting ready to do this same experiment but with leftovers of fissidens, peacock, xmas, weeping and flame moss. I spent yesterday scrubbing rocks and later today I think I will start setting it all up... I'll post a link to my documentation thread when I write it up.

Looking forward to seeing your results as well


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## BIG_Z (Dec 7, 2011)

moss + emersed = fantastic growth if done correctly. They all seem to take a bit to adapt but once they do its game on.


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## 99problems (Feb 24, 2012)

Day 2 Update:

So I decided to use saran wrap to cover the bucket, with heavy misting (whenever I get a chance) and about 1 inch standing water at the bottom. There's a pretty strong desk lamp over the bucket (23W!!), I'll switch out for a much weaker light if the moss isn't taking it well. 

Obviously, the moss hasn't changed in appearance/taken hold yet, but at least it isn't drying out!


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

new emersed growth will be light green
at least it happened to my java moss back then
lighter green


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## BubSsnooki (Mar 14, 2012)

anyone know where i can get some xmas moss in here thanks


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## Mike Hawk (Mar 9, 2012)

BubSsnooki said:


> anyone know where i can get some xmas moss in here thanks


Swap and Shop middle of the forums im sure you can find someone with some.


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## toksyn (Aug 15, 2011)

Speaking from personal experience, I find that growing Christmas moss emmersed is fairly easy provided you keep it evenly moist and in bright light. I have some intense 6500K LED spots that were strong enough to bleach out some plants - the Christmas moss thrived under them and took on a reddish orange hue.

I find that growing moss in a sealed environment is less successful for me than an enclosure with some airflow - my trials with full sealed tanks with no forced airflow resulted in a lot of mold and dead moss, whereas the tanks where I had even the slightest passive airflow (which did sometimes let the moss dry just a bit) had the best growth.

I've tried flame moss as well and, interestingly enough, it grows vertically while emmersed for me.


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## 99problems (Feb 24, 2012)

So it's been about a week since I first set up the emersed Xmas moss... there seems to be little to no new growth, and the moss has not attached any better to the lava rock (tested by rubbing my finger along a small region of the moss). Luckily, the moss is not browning or rotting though!

I've been giving the moss about 12 hour photoperiods (covered w/ a LED light), misting 2-3x daily- any suggestions, or is this completely normal (and Xmas moss take longer to anchor than fissidens)?


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## DennisSingh (Nov 8, 2004)

Mist less, 1x daily, it doesn't take much. R u using tap to mist? N how bright them leds?


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## 99problems (Feb 24, 2012)

So it's the standard MarineLand LEDs that come with a 5g tank (I think they're .2 W/bulb X8 bulbs). But I just switched back to the LEDs today, previously had a 23W 10K CFL on it- I think it was too much light! I'm filling up the spray bottle with water from my (non-fertilized) aquarium.


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## 99problems (Feb 24, 2012)

Would crushing up root tabs and putting small pieces in the spray bottle help? I realized a limiting factor may be fertilizers...


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## 99problems (Feb 24, 2012)

Update: I didn't end up adding ferts- but there's quite a bit of emersed growth starting up! Very small green fronds coming up across the entire rock; I think I'll give the moss another 1-2 weeks, because I think it is just now adjusting to emersed growth and growing.


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## HiepSTA (Aug 23, 2011)

can we get an update pic?


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## 99problems (Feb 24, 2012)

You can't really tell from this awful phone pic, but there is some significant growth (lighter green) than the rock first had. I'm going to submerge this now (after a few rinses). I'm just hoping the spotty areas will fill up! What do you think?

From my experience, I got the best results from:
1) Misting less frequently (i.e. just 1x per day), but keeping the emersed moss covered.
2) Keep low-medium light on the moss.
3) Spread the moss more densely, rather than less densely. I didn't do this, but I think this will give better coverage of the rock.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Picture isn't bad at all. Growth is visible!

I think this will grow fine, and after a while the moss that is covered underneath new growth will die, and a while later it will float off the rock... then you repeat this exercise. :wink:


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## DennisSingh (Nov 8, 2004)

nice, free sailing from here. R u positive its Christmas moss though? The true stuff is pretty hard to find these days and people mistakenly sell it as is...


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## 99problems (Feb 24, 2012)

I hope it's Christmas moss- does it not look like it?


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## DennisSingh (Nov 8, 2004)

I can't tell yet, if ever, but it should come in real nice and thick compact and still christmasy.


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## 99problems (Feb 24, 2012)

hmm ok. I hope it's not Java moss- I don't like how stringy that ends up looking


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## 99problems (Feb 24, 2012)

As an update: 
Even though the moss was solidly anchored when I added it to the tank, it has quickly become detached in the water. I'm slightly let down with this; there are pretty large patches without moss now, and the detached moss is now randomly located in the tank.


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## philemon716 (Aug 14, 2011)

Sorry to hear. I was following up on this thread hoping to replicate. Looks like it'll be back to the fishing line.


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## DennisSingh (Nov 8, 2004)

Moss grown emmersed will attach but you gotta give it time. But with most mosses exception most taxiphyllum sp, they'll eventually detach if not anchored tied down. Give it another shot.


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