Moss-An Experiment in Terra

[terrestrial_man]

There's a new blog entry added:

Moss-An Experiment in Terra

Seems like everyone likes the Green! Green plants, green money, green beer on St. Patties day! Yet putting the green of ole Ireland into a bottle or a box takes much more doing than just tossing some in and watching as it turns into a nice brown wet mass!So then, what I will be doing over the course of time is setting up an old aquarium as a moss terrarium of sorts. I plan to subject the green to different sets of environmental conditions just to see what will work best. So bear with me as I slowly get it all together. Got the moss, got the aquarium, need soil, need lighting and whatever else to be determined.

[Tindomul1of9]

excellent. I look forward to any results. As of now, I have a batch of local temperate moss growing in a deep glass plate/finger bowl. I keep it one inch away from some run of the mill flourescent lights, and it is covered by some parafilm. Well I just checked on it and its not doing so well. The green seems to be more algea looking than moss, and the moss is all brown. This might have something to do with the fact that its been living off its own evaporation for months. Oops

[terrestrial_man]

Originally Posted by Tindomul1of9

excellent. I look forward to any results. As of now, I have a batch of local temperate moss growing in a deep glass plate/finger bowl. I keep it one inch away from some run of the mill flourescent lights, and it is covered by some parafilm. Well I just checked on it and its not doing so well. The green seems to be more algea looking than moss, and the moss is all brown. This might have something to do with the fact that its been living off its own evaporation for months. Oops

Tindo!
Take the cover off!
Drain off any excess water.
Put in a bright but cool spot in the house or out on
the porch.
Most natives except for sphagnum and a few other genera will not tolerate excessively wet substrates. Moist yes. Wet and soggy NO!!!

[Tindomul1of9]

Thats strange. This is the same moss I have in other tanks growing in water. Maybe it is java moss. Is java moss native? Or introduced?

[terrestrial_man]

Originally Posted by Tindomul1of9

Thats strange. This is the same moss I have in other tanks growing in water. Maybe it is java moss. Is java moss native? Or introduced?

Java Moss is an aquatic moss and grows in water or at the edge of water but generally out of water growing onto the shore line.

Java Moss is probably not introduced into the wilds in your area as it prob. would die during the winter. if this is Java Moss take the cover off and submerge the moss into water.

[Tindomul1of9]

I didn't think it was java moss either. I find this moss in wet soil, not muddy, just damp/wetish. I find it year after year, though I have only collected once. And it seems to love growing in water. I wonder what it is.

[terrestrial_man]

Originally Posted by Tindomul1of9

I didn't think it was java moss either. I find this moss in wet soil, not muddy, just damp/wetish. I find it year after year, though I have only collected once. And it seems to love growing in water. I wonder what it is.

I wonder too!!
But I am trying to find out what mosses grow in Georgia.
You need a good series of images of close ups of the moss.
But I think what is important is to get it growing happily.
You may want to check the temperatures you have it under and perhaps find a cooler spot for it. At this moment all I can do is shoot in the dark.

[terrestrial_man]

Since Java Moss has been brought up here is a link to an image I just put up in the gallery. It shows Java Moss and an aquatic plant. The moss is very small. Part of it can be seen in the right center hanging on the aquatic plant. If you know what Selaginella kraussiana looks like this moss looks like that but smaller. The capsules are the tell-tale sign of it. I am happy that I managed to get as good a shot as I did of this baby!
http://www.vivariumforum.com/communi....php?photo=247

[Tindomul1of9]

That is a good picture. My moss has never thrown out any capsules though.

[terrestrial_man]

I have put up two images of the moss in my gallery.
One is a close up and the other a view of the tray (on next page).