Moss Growing Setup

[drewsuf82]

So I've been wanting to do this project for FOREVER!!!!! I've been growing different kinds of mosses in glass cups and bowls for MONTHS and I kept putting it off and tonight I said ok I've got an extra 20 minutes let me stop by that evil empire land WALMART so I can put my evil plan to work!!!!

Anyway, here's a list and a project total and materials!
4 x 6 Quart clear storage bins - .97 each -- 3.88
2 x Clip On Desk Lamps - 7.97 each -- 15.94
1 x 4 pack DAYLIGHT GE CFL bulbs -- 7.00
1 x 25' Airtubing (mine was all dry ) -- 3.12 (BTW $3.12 most random price ever seen at walmart...)
1 x 2 pack Airline T Valve (I only had one...) -- 1.38
1 x 4 pack of Airstones (had them already but got them from petco -- $1.58 (on sale)
1 x 40 Gallon rated air pump -- NO IDEA I've got airpumps out the ear somehow.... -- $9.99 (lets estimate this)
1 x space -- Priceless
----------------
Total (not including sales tax) - $42.89 (price to expect all new parts), $31.32

Here's the space before:


Here's most of the materials in one place


Initial Placement


Lights Off


Lights On


Airstones working properly (These will be on at night to provide circulation to keep water from getting stagnet (I may switch and have them on all day not sure this is a work in progress)


Lights on with Airstone off


And BAM now you've got a moss growing setup, well we'll see how the setup goes here in a few weeks.

Current Settings/Water
The water comes from my 55 Gallon tank while the CO2 is indicating Green. I'm planning on swapping out the water every day or every other day and I'm hoping for the best with not getting algae.
Light will be on the same timer as my 55 Gallon tank. (8 hours daily)
Air pumps will run when the lights are off.


Let me know what you think! I kind of feel like I'm flying by the seat of my pants with this setup, it's total self came up with DIY which is something I've never done! Comments and suggestions are always welcome

Thanks for Stopping By!!!!

[jhays79]

That's pretty cool! Since you live in Florida, couldn't you do this setup outside somewhere, as long as their was a plug to plug the airpump in?

[drewsuf82]

Yea more than likely you could although it does get down to the 40s which I'm sure isn't all that great for the moss. I do know people down here worth similar setups for fish breeding in their garage.

If it wasn't for all those tricky apartment complex rules I'd be in business

If this pans out I've got another idea brewing similar to this but on a bit larger scale

[GreenBliss]

This is very cool. Subscribing.

[drewsuf82]

Originally Posted by GreenBliss

This is very cool. Subscribing.

Thanks! I will be actually moving more mosses here this week, I'll have some better organization then too

[drewsuf82]

So I did some organizational work tonight....

I have a few more things that I am going to be adding for the experimentation here most of which will be on 2x2 mesh (just to keep things organized) although some I will leave out free floating to see how that works


Mystery Moss | Mixed Moss | 2 x Weeping Moss 2x2, 1 x Xmas Moss 2x2 | Xmas Moss

Mystery Moss - We're getting closer to identification but I will see if it continues to blow up it's already greened up a lot today

Mixed Moss - Combination of Xmas, Java, Weeping, Mystery, Fissidens ... if it's a moss I have a small piece of it has to be in there

Other mosses are self explanitory

Currently swapping out water daily once at the height of my CO2/Photoperiod in my 55 Gallon which is also ferted.

I will probably have one more update later this week then we will let it sit for a while to see what happens

[jimmytruong87]

You should tie them on driftwood, it can help them grow faster

[RobMc]

Cool - interested to see what kind of growth rate you get.

[Saxtonhill]

wow...really interesting Keep us posted

[GMYukonon24s]

Nice setup!

[drewsuf82]

Originally Posted by jimmytruong87

You should tie them on driftwood, it can help them grow faster

Thanks for the tip! I've got some cholla soaking and more ss mesh on the way (thanks h4n)

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I'll have one or two more shots later this week and then we play the wait game

[drewsuf82]

OK so Final testing setup and then it'll be no pictures for a while

Final Setup of the mosses is below under the first picture.

Future Ideas (prolly soon):
*Add one more desk lamp (I just thinking the way the lights are angled, etc... one more light may be better)
*Making plans for a more larger scale setup if this works well

Here's the total overall shot:

Mystery Moss | Subwassertang | 2x Weeping Moss 2x2, 2 x Fissidens, 1x Flame Moss 2x2 | 2x 2x2 xmas moss, 1x cholla xmas, free floating

Mystery Moss: I will figure out what it is when it fills out it seems a bit under lighted


Subwassertang - Doing free floating for now I will eventually figure out stuff to tie it to -- maybe


Weeping Moss (Top), Fissidens (Middle), Flame Moss (Bottom) Note how you can pick up the dark corner from being in between the two lights (far outside)


2x2 Xmas Moss (Top). Free Floating (Middle Right), Cholla (Bottom Left), Rock holding other cholla down


Thanks for stopping by! This will be the last update for at least a week maybe a few wanna let it settle...unless of course I get some explosive growth

[newbieplanter]

I would like to see how this goes my moss is in the window with water from one of my tanks the other declorinated water from the sink no air stone hook up tho seems like a good idea.

[drewsuf82]

I have one update for now:



Xmas moss has been doing well and I wanted to get a shot before I packed up and shipped a few out of here (I need to make room as you can see the moss has been growing pretty well )

[newbieplanter]

Originally Posted by drewsuf82

OK so Final testing setup and then it'll be no pictures for a while

Final Setup of the mosses is below under the first picture.

Future Ideas (prolly soon):
*Add one more desk lamp (I just thinking the way the lights are angled, etc... one more light may be better)
*Making plans for a more larger scale setup if this works well

Here's the total overall shot:

Mystery Moss | Subwassertang | 2x Weeping Moss 2x2, 2 x Fissidens, 1x Flame Moss 2x2 | 2x 2x2 xmas moss, 1x cholla xmas, free floating

Mystery Moss: I will figure out what it is when it fills out it seems a bit under lighted


Subwassertang - Doing free floating for now I will eventually figure out stuff to tie it to -- maybe


Weeping Moss (Top), Fissidens (Middle), Flame Moss (Bottom) Note how you can pick up the dark corner from being in between the two lights (far outside)


2x2 Xmas Moss (Top). Free Floating (Middle Right), Cholla (Bottom Left), Rock holding other cholla down


Thanks for stopping by! This will be the last update for at least a week maybe a few wanna let it settle...unless of course I get some explosive growth

Did u use any ferts or do water changes