Need more help from the experts ...

[missginger2177]

I have this lovely piece of driftwood that was originally sunk into my fish tank. Fish tank has since been converted into a FBT tank, and the driftwood has been left out because I wasn't sure what to do with it. Well the more I look around and check out viv pics on here I've been getting ideas.

My tank:



The back left is a piece of pothos I've been growing as a houseplant for years and in the water is a clump of java moss and a morimo moss ball, both re-purposed from my fish tank. I'd like to take the two artificial plants (back right beside the filter) out and replace them with the driftwood going across. Ideally I'd like to get some moss of some kind growing on the wood, more green can't be a bad thing right? BUT, have absolutely no idea what kind of moss (or fern or whatever) is going to grow well in this environment. I am very much an amateur at this stuff.

Any and all ideas appreciated.

[deranged chipmunk]

Pretty much any moss will grow on it as long as the humidity is in the high 70's or above. You can just place the java moss on it, leaving a few strands to venture into the water and it will eventually take over the wood. You could also use a tropical, terrestrial moss. Heck, you can even go find a stream and field collect some moss from some rocks and use that if you prepare it properly.

As far as ferns, they will grow on the log and you don't even need to root them in anything. A majority of ferns are epiphytic by nature. Just place some rehydrated long fiber sphagnum moss around the roots and you're good to go. Black jungle sells an azolla fern which normally is a floater (looks a bit like duckweed), but will grow up onto the wood and take it over.

Your options are many. It just depends on your taste.

[missginger2177]

Thanks again Bill. Confirmed my suspicion that this won't be an easy decision after all.

Now for the hard part, getting input from the SO other than, " just do whatever's cheapest."

[deranged chipmunk]

Cheapest sounds like a romantic day in the woods, field collecting moss.....lol

[missginger2177]

Cheapest sounds like a romantic day in the woods, field collecting moss.....lol

Actually that azolla fern you mentioned is actually Azolla caroliniana and since we happen to live in NC ...

Seriously though, how does one prepare moss and make it safe without simultaneously killing it off?

[deranged chipmunk]

It is actually very easy. I'll post tonight how to do it. I just don't have enough time to type it all out on my phone while at work

[deranged chipmunk]

Actually that azolla fern you mentioned is actually Azolla caroliniana and since we happen to live in NC ...

Seriously though, how does one prepare moss and make it safe without simultaneously killing it off?

That's the one. Just remember your plant guru when collecting it....lol

[deranged chipmunk]

I forgot about this, sorry. But i have the same question in the ultimate plant thread, so i'll post the stuff there