# Attaching moss, ferns, anubias, after......



## kineticcomfort (Aug 5, 2010)

attaching ferns, anubias, and moss after you have a full aquarium a couple months into it, do you need to drain all water out and do this dry??? anyone have any tips??

I have some very small java ferns that I was just trying to tie to one of my branches that are pretty low and it is not really possible to drain out enough to get to this not underwater without it being a huge pain

tips and or methods
please???


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

Usually it is better to attach these type of plants to wood prior to filling up the aquarium. Doing it out of water allows you to work easier with the plants and your attachment method. In your case, with the aquarium already filled, I would think that using these plastic twist ties would be an easier attachment method than cotton thread.

http://www.amazon.com/Orchids-Us-Inc-Sturdy-Plastic/dp/B000YHB4UO


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## gBOYsc2 (Nov 26, 2010)

For the anubias and ferns you can tie the roots to inconspicuous smaller rocks and use them as weights and try to place them where the rocks won't be very visible. I'm thinkin like a golfball size rock. I have personally never done this as I never kept these plants but I have read of others doing so.

For the mosses what I like to do I even prefer this over tying is start some moss on a small piece of wood. Once that moss has attached you can simply prop it up against whatever you want the moss to spread to. I find the moss naturally attaches itself much faster this way. All you need is a single 1 inch strand to attach itself and snip it off from the 'starter' piece of wood and move it to another location. Of course if you really want to speed up the process you can do this with several 'starters'. I also find when you do it this way you don't get any undergrowth die off which sometimes happens when you tie too much to one area and you get a much cleaner looking spread of moss.

Hope this helps!


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## BBradbury (Jan 30, 2011)

Here's a comment from someone relatively new to the heavily planted tank hobby. I have several tanks and have experimented with a number of plants. That's really the only way to find out if a plant's going to thrive in your tank. I've found Java Fern does very well in an old 55 G tank I have that has some kind of smoked glass divider in it. It's difficult, but I've tied Java Fern to just about everything that's natural. The best is drift or bogwood and lava rock with long pieces of black sewing thread. Old, dried pieces of wood you pick up along the local riverbeads, with rocks for weight works too. 

All that aside, I wait until it's time to do a water change and add plants or replant then. I do a 30 percent change, so the water is considerably lower than normal, but you still have to spread out the towels to soak up the water spills and to dry off. Never wanted to try to drain too much water out, would stress my fish. Useful comment or not, that's how I do things.

BBradbury


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## WRabbit (Dec 13, 2010)

I use Super Glue Gel to attach Anubias and Java Fern to rocks, driftwood, etc. I assume it would work with moss, as well. 

Jim


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