Moss and bogwood

I bought a 20-30cm mopani and a few driftwoods with skinny legs.

I have qdded moss balls in the tank before and I can't say they stay very green, they get brownish overtime. Is that just the reality of things? Even my purple live rock over time is just brown. I took two of them out for ages and as they dried out in the sun, they were purple again so it seems over time everything gets covered in gunk. Is there plants that are easy to grow and stay green without much expert knowledge?

Which types of mosses and plants could help me get closer to this type of look from which I take my inspiration? lol

I am ambitious but I aim to learn. I do need hardy examples since I am still working out water hardiness and other parameters. Any beginner level plants which could start off well?

The easiest moss to start with is Java Moss but Willow, Christmas and Flame Moss are pretty close just a little slower growing. A lot of those pictures are using Coral or Crystal Moss which is a bit tougher as its quite slow growing. An other nice one is Fissidens sometimes called Phoenix Moss.

Something you could try to get the hang of it would be to do a moss wall which is where you wedge moss between two sheets of mesh and grow it up the back wall of your tank. Over time it will fully cover and you'll have plenty of moss to attach to your wood etc.

Wills

Wills said:

The easiest moss to start with is Java Moss but Willow, Christmas and Flame Moss are pretty close just a little slower growing. A lot of those pictures are using Coral or Crystal Moss which is a bit tougher as its quite slow growing. An other nice one is Fissidens sometimes called Phoenix Moss.

Something you could try to get the hang of it would be to do a moss wall which is where you wedge moss between two sheets of mesh and grow it up the back wall of your tank. Over time it will fully cover and you'll have plenty of moss to attach to your wood etc.

Wills

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Amazing. Thanks I have messh I'll have to see which moss is best but I like something that stays short but spreads. Because I had java moss and I just became a tornado inside the middle of the tank and it took me ages to unravel and remove pieces of it attached to every other stem plants, driftwood and everything else it could latch onto piece by piece! Never letting it back in again. It grows way fast and doesn't stay pretty in its place. No idea how to control it.

Divinityinlove said:

Amazing. Thanks I have messh I'll have to see which moss is best but I like something that stays short but spreads. Because I had java moss and I just became a tornado inside the middle of the tank and it took me ages to unravel and remove pieces of it attached to every other stem plants, driftwood and everything else it could latch onto piece by piece! Never letting it back in again. It grows way fast and doesn't stay pretty in its place. No idea how to control it.

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Tie it down

Or some people attach it to small metal meshes like these like when building a moss wall that Wills mentioned earlier.

Some people use the gel form of superglue to make those "trees" and things, I've done that before and it was nice for a while, but I used java moss and after a while, hair algae took it over and I removed too much moss while trying to clear the algae. The glue cures almost instantly when in contact with moisture too, so can make it tricky, and turns white when cured in water, so it's easy to make a mess while trying to attach mosses and plants like buce and bolbitis to hardscape, so caution needed when using glue!

Check out a few vids on green aqua's youtube channel - he put together this low tech scape with a lot of easy, slow growing, beginner friendly plants, and you can see how he put the whole thing together so that he'd be able to just wedge the plants in gaps, and they'd slowly grow and attach themselves. But the final design reminds me a lot of the inspiration images you shared, and gives some ideas for easy undemanding beginner plants you could use for a scape like this, that isn't just moss and java fern, you know?

Another one of his, using moss this time, so can see how the pro aquascapers do it
A more advanced one of his, I haven't seen the whole build myself, but I'm intrigued by the tape he was using when attaching moss to branches!

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

Tie it down

Aquarium: Tying down aquatic mosses - | Aquasabi

Fixing moss correctly in the aquarium

www.aquasabi.com

Or some people attach it to small metal meshes like these like when building a moss wall that Wills mentioned earlier.

Some people use the gel form of superglue to make those "trees" and things, I've done that before and it was nice for a while, but I used java moss and after a while, hair algae took it over and I removed too much moss while trying to clear the algae. The glue cures almost instantly when in contact with moisture too, so can make it tricky, and turns white when cured in water, so it's easy to make a mess while trying to attach mosses and plants like buce and bolbitis to hardscape, so caution needed when using glue!

Check out a few vids on green aqua's youtube channel - he put together this low tech scape with a lot of easy, slow growing, beginner friendly plants, and you can see how he put the whole thing together so that he'd be able to just wedge the plants in gaps, and they'd slowly grow and attach themselves. But the final design reminds me a lot of the inspiration images you shared, and gives some ideas for easy undemanding beginner plants you could use for a scape like this, that isn't just moss and java fern, you know?

Another one of his, using moss this time, so can see how the pro aquascapers do it

A more advanced one of his, I haven't seen the whole build myself, but I'm intrigued by the tape he was using when attaching moss to branches!

Click to expand...

Amazing. ! Thanks. lots to watch.

Divinityinlove said:

Amazing. ! Thanks. lots to watch.

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lol yep, sorry, didn't mean to give you like, homework
I think it's because I'm in a similar place right now, and wanting a similar look to your own tank! So when you said:

Divinityinlove said:

Is there plants that are easy to grow and stay green without much expert knowledge?

Which types of mosses and plants could help me get closer to this type of look from which I take my inspiration? lol

I am ambitious but I aim to learn. I do need hardy examples since I am still working out water hardiness and other parameters. Any beginner level plants which could start off well?

Click to expand...

I got a bit over excited to share the things I've been looking at too, and the plants I bought that so far *touch wood* I'm really liking! Like the buces, bolbitis, Hyrophilia pinnatifida and Myriophyllum mattogrossense, for simple, slow growing plants that will help give that "sunken, overgrown forest" look I was hoping for, and that you seem to want too, without being basic java moss or fern, and most of which need to be attached to hardscape rather than planted so I could stick them to the wood pieces I had. Here's my set up, still a work in progress! Ignore the hornwort at the top, that was just temporary to help make sure the fish were okay when they first transferred in to this set up:





I also have some weeping moss sitting in a tank waiting for me to tie to the longer branch on the right there, and I'm procrastinating on doing it because I'll be attempting to tie it down, and I'm new to doing that too, and dreading it a bit...!


I really wanted this wood chunk below because I want this tank to really be for my plecos and cories, and I knew they'd really love the cave part as a hiding spot:

On the front left is a small buce, on top is the Hyrophilia pinnatifida, and on the dragonstone the wood is resting on is a bolbitis, and I'm really liking how they're coming on and the look they give. Still need to add some more stuff and the weeping moss to really make it look mature, but, work in progress


Would love to see the tank/wood you're building! If you're happy to share.

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

lol yep, sorry, didn't mean to give you like, homework
I think it's because I'm in a similar place right now, and wanting a similar look to your own tank! So when you said:


I got a bit over excited to share the things I've been looking at too, and the plants I bought that so far *touch wood* I'm really liking! Like the buces, bolbitis, Hyrophilia pinnatifida and Myriophyllum mattogrossense, for simple, slow growing plants that will help give that "sunken, overgrown forest" look I was hoping for, and that you seem to want too, without being basic java moss or fern, and most of which need to be attached to hardscape rather than planted so I could stick them to the wood pieces I had. Here's my set up, still a work in progress! Ignore the hornwort at the top, that was just temporary to help make sure the fish were okay when they first transferred in to this set up:


View attachment 161957


I also have some weeping moss sitting in a tank waiting for me to tie to the longer branch on the right there, and I'm procrastinating on doing it because I'll be attempting to tie it down, and I'm new to doing that too, and dreading it a bit...!


I really wanted this wood chunk below because I want this tank to really be for my plecos and cories, and I knew they'd really love the cave part as a hiding spot:
View attachment 161958
On the front left is a small buce, on top is the Hyrophilia pinnatifida, and on the dragonstone the wood is resting on is a bolbitis, and I'm really liking how they're coming on and the look they give. Still need to add some more stuff and the weeping moss to really make it look mature, but, work in progress


Would love to see the tank/wood you're building! If you're happy to share.

Click to expand...

Wow, its dreamy! Ha mine won't look close to that. I have to move around (uproot and replant the stem plants and find a good spot for 3 rocks in the center. I'm awaiting delivery of bogwood (mopani) and will somehow find a good arrangement which doesn't come naturally to me at all, I have to copy a photo for inspiration.

I will absolutely share when I get a good picture.

I have tied down plants before, can't say it was easy. Fiddly as heck and then they were sort of diagonal or falling horizontal and not upright properly.

I have a question about glueing though, how do you glue without suffocating the roots or stem? Will a spot of glue to the root or stem base be fine?

Your tank looks beautiful! I'd like to swim in there lol

Divinityinlove said:

Wow, its dreamy! Ha mine won't look close to that. I have to move around (uproot and replant the stem plants and find a good spot for 3 rocks in the center. I'm awaiting delivery of bogwood (mopani) and will somehow find a good arrangement which doesn't come naturally to me at all, I have to copy a photo for inspiration.

Click to expand...

Oh believe me, scaping does NOT come naturally to me, at all! I made a thread about building this tank, and got a lot of really helpful tips from @Wills , @mbsqw1d and others, and I still struggled and whined for like, ten pages of photos and complaining that I couldn't get it the way I wanted it...


The tropica inspirations page is definitely helpful! Only tip I can really give is to try a few arrangements, and step back and take a photo before you move stuff around to re-arrange it again. I find I lose perspective while my head is inside the tank trying to work stuff around, so being able to step back and flick through the 2D images helps a bit. Plus that way if you want to go back to an earlier arrangement but can't quite remember how you had it, you can work it out from the pic.

Divinityinlove said:

Your tank looks beautiful! I'd like to swim in there lol

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Aaaww, thank you! I'm still working on it, not quite where I want it to be, but I hope as the plants grow in and I fiddle with it some more, it'll end up where I want it to be

Divinityinlove said:

I have a question about glueing though, how do you glue without suffocating the roots or stem? Will a spot of glue to the root or stem base be fine?

Click to expand...

When I've superglued, I've only used to a tiny amount, just enough to hold the plant down. Since superglue is strong, you don't need much, and since it cures white when underwater, you don't want it to show either, so just a small amount on a bit of rhizome/some roots doesn't seem to bother the plants much. A thick layer of a thick glue could probably rot or suffocate a plant, but you'd have a hard time even making a thick layer of superglue like that, and putting too much glue would just make an ugly mess of whatever decor you're trying to attach the plant too.
Tying down seems to be the way to go if you can - fiddly and annoying, but at least if you mess up, you can take it off and start again. When you mess up with glue, you've usually ruined the hardscape piece along with the plant, eeekkk!

Divinityinlove said:

I have qdded moss balls in the tank before and I can't say they stay very green, they get brownish overtime. Is that just the reality of things?

Click to expand...

As long as plants get all the nutrients they need to grow. they should stay healthy and green for a long time and will only need occasional trimming to remove the excess growth.

Some of the tank pictures you posted as examples of what you want to achieve are fertilized tanks. Once you get the nutrients right generally algae is not a problem . However Getting the nutrients right is the hardest thing about this hobby. Some people get good results with few issues. Others constantly struggle with algae and plant growth issues.

Each person has different water.Some people have water with nutrients while others don't. Additionally many fertilizer manufactures assume your water has nutrients. Then to save money don't include some nutrients or simply don't add enough. Or they use low cost ingredients that don't last long in the water. end result is often algae issues.

In other tanks people put in a loot of fish and then do fewer and smaller water changes so that the nutrients from fish waste to build up.

StevenF said:

As long as plants get all the nutrients they need to grow. they should stay healthy and green for a long time and will only need occasional trimming to remove the excess growth.

Some of the tank pictures you posted as examples of what you want to achieve are fertilized tanks. Once you get the nutrients right generally algae is not a problem . However Getting the nutrients right is the hardest thing about this hobby. Some people get good results with few issues. Others constantly struggle with algae and plant growth issues.

Each person has different water.Some people have water with nutrients while others don't. Additionally many fertilizer manufactures assume your water has nutrients. Then to save money don't include some nutrients or simply don't add enough. Or they use low cost ingredients that don't last long in the water. end result is often algae issues.

In other tanks people put in a loot of fish and then do fewer and smaller water changes so that the nutrients from fish waste to build up.

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Well I thought the last option was OK but on this forum I've taken advice to do bigger water changes so it doesn't seem like more fish and smaller changes is as OK option for the fish's health?

Divinityinlove said:

OK but on this forum I've taken advice to do bigger water changes so it doesn't seem like more fish and smaller changes is as OK option for the fish's health?

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Yes the general opinion is that no water changes i not a good idea. However that said you can find evidence of people doing it online and on this site. So I included that option in my post. However in my persoonal opinion is that in some cases small water changes may be OK. Each tank is different and in some cases a small regular water changes my not be enough while large water changes may be too much. But I don't know how to predict which tanks would be OK with small water change. So I generally recommend them.

Some time ago a guy at work had a small tank at his desk and on fish init. HIs regular maintenance was removed using the paper cups available in the office remove one cup full of water and then add one sup full of water daily. He had that fish for a long time (years) before it died.

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

Oh believe me, scaping does NOT come naturally to me, at all! I made a thread about building this tank, and got a lot of really helpful tips from @Wills , @mbsqw1d and others, and I still struggled and whined for like, ten pages of photos and complaining that I couldn't get it the way I wanted it...


The tropica inspirations page is definitely helpful! Only tip I can really give is to try a few arrangements, and step back and take a photo before you move stuff around to re-arrange it again. I find I lose perspective while my head is inside the tank trying to work stuff around, so being able to step back and flick through the 2D images helps a bit. Plus that way if you want to go back to an earlier arrangement but can't quite remember how you had it, you can work it out from the pic.


Aaaww, thank you! I'm still working on it, not quite where I want it to be, but I hope as the plants grow in and I fiddle with it some more, it'll end up where I want it to be


When I've superglued, I've only used to a tiny amount, just enough to hold the plant down. Since superglue is strong, you don't need much, and since it cures white when underwater, you don't want it to show either, so just a small amount on a bit of rhizome/some roots doesn't seem to bother the plants much. A thick layer of a thick glue could probably rot or suffocate a plant, but you'd have a hard time even making a thick layer of superglue like that, and putting too much glue would just make an ugly mess of whatever decor you're trying to attach the plant too.
Tying down seems to be the way to go if you can - fiddly and annoying, but at least if you mess up, you can take it off and start again. When you mess up with glue, you've usually ruined the hardscape piece along with the plant, eeekkk!

Click to expand...

Well I said I'd update with photos. I managed to centralize new mopani wood and rocks. I'm going to remove the stem plant around the tank and try to plant more central.. Just need to work out what to put where. I've bought some weeping moss, spiky moss, fissidens fontanus and Taiwan moss.. They come already on mesh, I'll just grow them along the back wall as suggested by someone here.. And over time, attach pieces to what I can. Unsure how to glue moss without killing it.

Anyway this is where I'm at. Phoenix, my girl is attention seeking because I'm paying attention to the tank instead of her lol




Obviously I'd love to have tall plants in the tank thriving. If I can work out fertilization.

May I ask what's your floating plant in the take photo you've shared? I love how the roots are curling and hanging down so long!

IMO,Iron is pretty much all the fertilizer you need. Chelated. I've found even the one sold at Home Depot in liquid for $11 a gallon does work. For all types of plants. A little a day keeps the yellows away.
So far its gotten some swords to just explode,mosses to deep green then ever before,Crypts to become weeds..on and on.
Iron.

Stan510 said:

IMO,Iron is pretty much all the fertilizer you need. Chelated. I've found even the one sold at Home Depot in liquid for $11 a gallon does work. For all types of plants. A little a day keeps the yellows away.
So far its gotten some swords to just explode,mosses to deep green then ever before,Crypts to become weeds..on and on.
Iron.

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Pictures?
And what measurements do you use? Like how much do you use per gallon?

My aquarium is 240 gallon and I add like 2 teaspoons worth about every day,some days I skip. Its really made a difference.the swords grow larger by the day.
This is the other day.
I tell you Ozelot 'red'? Is a true centerpiece plant for the larger planted tank.