# Best moss for carpet look



## Harry Muscle (Oct 17, 2007)

I'm planning on a low tech nano tank and since most carpet plants don't do well in low tech I was thinking of using a moss. What moss would look best as a carpet? The plan is to attach it to stainless steel mesh or plastic mesh (would that float?).

Thanks,
Harry


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Probably flame moss since it tends to have a bit of definition unlike most other types of moss.

Use a steel mesh since it will sink for sure.


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## jmontee (Feb 7, 2008)

I would suggest using a fissidens, it will grow nice and short. I actually am doing something like this now. Thw only problem is that it may grow very slow for you in a low tech tank. 

You could also use something like marsilea minuta that would grow OK in lower light too.


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

regular moss would do. Trim them so they would be nice and bushy... they also grow low for a while before you need to trim them down again.


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## zeneo (Jul 10, 2005)

I have made mine with fissidens, you can just attatch it to some small rocks and then it will spread over the bottom.

You can see mine here:
http://zeneo.spaces.live.com/?_c11_BlogPart_BlogPart=blogview&_c=BlogPart&_c02_vws=1&partqs=cat%3dKids%2520Place


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## dollface (Mar 17, 2009)

Flame moss will give you a nice 'grassy' look, I liken it to microsword.
Fissidens is sort of like HC, it has a really cool delicate texture.
If I were to continue the metaphor, most of the other common mosses would be glosso, Idk, they grow low and bushy. Not as delicate as Fissidens, but nice. 
And finally, my favorite 'moss' carpet is marimo algae, It's like dwarf hair grass in that it has a soft, plush look. Here's a tank done with a marimo carpet by Oliver Knott.

Oh, and as to how to actually make it, there's a few methods.
One is the horizontal moss wall, usually done with steel mesh. (plastic mesh will not be heavy enough)
Another method (as seen in Oliver Knotts tank) is to tie the moss around small rocks, like riccia. this gives you a gentle 'rolling hills' look.
And finally, if you want to evenly cover a large area, you can tie the moss to a slate tile.


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

I was going to suggest flame moss also. That is what I am mainly using as the ground cover for my Poison dart frogs tank. Even emerged from the surface of the water it grows the same way. Fissidens would be really cool also but it grows so slowly you would need to have a bunch of it to start with to get the effect you are after.


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## CrimsonBlush (Sep 8, 2008)

Harry Muscle said:


> I'm planning on a low tech nano tank and since most carpet plants don't do well in low tech I was thinking of using a moss. What moss would look best as a carpet? The plan is to attach it to stainless steel mesh or plastic mesh (would that float?).
> 
> Thanks,
> Harry


If you do you steel mesh, make sure you don't use the kind that is black and is used for screen on windows. It stained my white sand gray.


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