# How to grow 'Fluffy' looking Moss?



## John N.

How do you folks do it?

I can never get my moss (taiwan, weeping, java, etc) to look fluffy and layered. You know, the ones that look nice and almost bushy... similar to this photo from the APC aquascaping contest.










I've laid them out on driftwood, tied with string. I've even tried mesh and still ended up with 1 single layer.

What's the trick? :-k


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## nap83

probably the light. i had to tie my java moss several times to hold it back from growing upwards but to spread out, every week or so i would tie it back down, seem to work pretty well for me, now i have a nice bush...


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## bpm2000

Is this similarly true for all the mosses? I can NEVER get java moss to do the fluffly look, while my taiwan moss did it all on its own.


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## mlfishman

*trimming*

I think alot to do with the moss looking fluffy and full is trimming it. Dont be afraid to trim it down. Once you trim down the longer branches, the other ones will catch up, and look fuller. Plus as you trim it branches off and fills in. This is what helped mine the most.


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## nap83

yeah i trim down the ones that shoot up then tie em back down, this will help the growth as well...


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## bharada

If you just grab a clump and tie it onto the wood it'll take a while to get it to grow out.

What I've done is tie the moss on like I were making diorama trees. Start at the end tip of the wood and tie a few pieces of moss on. Then work your way backward adding a bit more moss to cover the previous section, but wrapping the thread only on the bottom half of the new addition.

The idea is to leave the top half of the new moss section free so that it'll cover over the previous layer's thread while still fluffing out. You continue working your way down to the bottom of the wood.

Or better yet. Think fly fishing fly tying.


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## hir0

interesting posts. I've just covered a bunch of wood with weeping moss, so I'm hoping it will fill in nicely.


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## houseofcards

I've started using hairnets instead of thread for moss covered rocks, just like I do with riccia. It is much easier and I think the moss grows more uniform. 

Moss is a funny thing. Not depending light or fert wise, but it seems to require very clean water or gunk get's caught up in it slowing down growth. Obviously a light fish load and fish/shrimp that will clean it helps.


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## John N.

I've been listening and taking down your advice. I started by laying down a thin layer of java moss and weeping moss on top of two separate stainless steel meshes, and wrapped them with fishing wire.

The layer was paper thin, and now that a month has gone by, the moss is layered up to about an inch on the mesh, and looks fluffy. 
So patience is the key here I think!

-John N.


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## Pseud

bharada said:


> If you just grab a clump and tie it onto the wood it'll take a while to get it to grow out.
> 
> What I've done is tie the moss on like I were making diorama trees. Start at the end tip of the wood and tie a few pieces of moss on. Then work your way backward adding a bit more moss to cover the previous section, but wrapping the thread only on the bottom half of the new addition.
> 
> The idea is to leave the top half of the new moss section free so that it'll cover over the previous layer's thread while still fluffing out. You continue working your way down to the bottom of the wood.
> 
> Or better yet. Think fly fishing fly tying.


Great tip. I just tried this method and it already looks good, before there's even been any new growth to fill out.


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## JerseyScape

The best aquatic moss site:

http://aquamoss.net/


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## Jane in Upton

Wow, Bill - what a great technique for tying mosses! I'm going to use that technique next time!

And John, I'd agree with the trimming tip - I recently moved a piece of driftwood with java moss that has been growing on it (no CO2) for over a year, and trimmed it while I had it out of the water. In the new tank, it responded by getting really nice looking as it filled in. Its now extended nearly horizontally off the driftwood in a nice fluffy layered shelf, or canopy. I wish I'd known to trim it before - part of why it was ousted from the first tank into this one was it was looking scraggly, LOL! Doh!

-Jane


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## jude_uc

I found that adding a clarifier wreaked havoc on my mosses. The gunk just bonded to the strands of moss. Now, even though a long time has passed, it still looks 'gunky' and hasn't grown much. Any ideas?

-Adam


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## DJKronik57

Can someone please explain the proper way to trim moss? My christmas moss looks like a big poofy mess on my driftwood and I'd like to trim it, but just cutting the tops of with scissors seems like it would make a big mess, with tiny pieces going everywhere. Thanks!

DJK


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## John P.

Would this be considered "fluffy?"








(Taiwan Moss, by the way)


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## Gumby

jude_uc said:


> I found that adding a clarifier wreaked havoc on my mosses. The gunk just bonded to the strands of moss. Now, even though a long time has passed, it still looks 'gunky' and hasn't grown much. Any ideas?
> 
> -Adam


Gravel/hose vac it?


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## Pseud

John P. said:


> Would this be considered "fluffy?"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Taiwan Moss, by the way)


Man, that looks so good I just wanna lay on it.


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## John P.

Thanks! It does look rather comfy. Hmmmm ....


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## duzzy

Hi there, 

does fly fishing tie cotton/nylon work well?

Regards Darren


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## Robert Hudson

Cotton thread will dissolve, nylon will not.



> I've been listening and taking down your advice. I started by laying down a thin layer of java moss and weeping moss on top of two separate stainless steel meshes, and wrapped them with fishing wire.


Thats interesting because the weeping moss I am selling is tied onto steel mesh, but it is not "weeping" yet. I wondered how long it would take to grow out.


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## wet

> The gunk just bonded to the strands of moss. Now, even though a long time has passed, it still looks 'gunky' and hasn't grown much. Any ideas?


Never had that gunk but have had plenty of dirty moss. If you place live bloodworms on top of attached moss they tend to dig in there, then when fish try to pull them out they'll fluff the moss which will get dirt out.


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## Sunstar

Robert Hudson said:


> Cotton thread will dissolve, nylon will not.
> 
> Thats interesting because the weeping moss I am selling is tied onto steel mesh, but it is not "weeping" yet. I wondered how long it would take to grow out.


I have weeping moss that doesn't weep too. Not sure what it is anymore. Still nice though.


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## Jeff.:P:.

It should weep after the first trimming or so. I think when it regrows back thicker they start to weigh down each other.


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