"exotic" mosses

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Inka4040

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Mar 31, 2008
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Flame, weeping, christmas, peacock, etc... Are they generally as hardy as good old java moss? I really want to try something different in the vaillanti setup, but don't want to put down on something that's not gonna end up growing. So sick of looking at clumps of java moss though, it's not even funny. Do you think the weeping and flame type of mosses would do well in a blackwater setup with just over 1 wpg and maybe some excel now and then?
 

-KT-

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Jun 4, 2007
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I just got some Christmas moss, threw it in my 3gallon betta tank because I wasn't sure what to do with it and it's actually growing pretty nicely. I'd say it's not much different from my java moss.
 

Inka4040

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Mar 31, 2008
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The tank is a 30 long so it's not very deep, and it's being lit by a 36 watt CF light. I don't plan to upgrade the lighting since the tank's more about the fish than the plants. If you guys don't think it'll work, then I'll just hold off for now. Thanks for the input everyone.
 

Bk718

No Monkey Business
Nov 29, 2007
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From reading online, these "exotic" mosses need medium/high light. I actually have some Christmas moss which i got last week. Its under 2.5wpg. We will see how it goes, if it grows well ill pass some along to you to experiment.

And with lighting you dont have to spend any big cash on it. Can simply do a retrofit with screw in cfl.
 

Yadokari

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Feb 10, 2008
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These "exotic" mosses grow in low-lights, just really REALLY slow. But then again, that's the same for Java Moss too.
In any case, I have peacock, christmas and java in under 1 watt per gallon in a 20G high. They grow, just really slow.
 

jmhart

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Sep 8, 2007
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In my experience, as a whole, the more exotic mosses require high light. There are exceptions, but at least for mosses like Taiwan and Fissidens, they need high light or they'll start to brown and die.

That said, I have a bit of a moss farm on my desk sitting next to a window. I have a 4 jars of different mosses. They get sunlight and that's it. I refill the water with tank water every other week or so, and they just sit in front of the window. To be fair, this is definitely a "high light" environment, but, my point is I give them no other care. The mosses are growing slowly, but growing well.
 

Inka4040

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Mar 31, 2008
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I've been selling off my 10g nano reef by the piece to finance this project. DeeSeven is picking up the fish and LR this weekend, so I'll be recycling the 20" long fixture for the 30g, just suspeding it. The light can't be that bright anyway, as the vaillantis are blackwater fish by nature. Guess I'll just stick with java moss then. What about something like pellia?
 
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