Question about Moss?

[GrahamWebb]

I bought triangle moss and Java moss at the auction...triangle moss I tied to malasian driftwood and placed in Krib tank-is this OK for the Kribs? (I think their eating too much of it)
Java moss seems to be doing better on one side of log than the other-Excuse my ignorance but is aquatic moss anything like moss you would find in the woods on a rock or side of tree which grows only on one side?

[Agnate]

I always assumed the "one-sided growth" had to do with lighting and whatnot.  It could be a combination of flow and lighting that is making it better on one side over another.

Personally, my Java moss grows like crazy.  You'll always have a little die-off when you transfer it, but after that, it's all growth. 

Java moss is pretty hardy, too, so you really shouldn't have too much of a problem with getting it to grow.

[dan2x38]

Tying moss is not always a good thing. If it is tied to tightly it will die. The side touching the wood usually dies off then this affects all of it. Java moss will not float. You can always just stick an edge of it under the driftwood to keep in place. If you really want to try and place it use hair netting. Loosely attach tha hair net with the moss inside of it. I attach mine with fishing line hiden on the back of the netting. You can tie it but not to tightly. This allows water flow through the moss some what. I agree with Agnate that water flow helps with growth. Food builds up, detris and mulm in the moss slowing down growth or even killing the moss. I have transferred some java moss never had an issue. Then transfer another bunch and it all die off or turn brown. I have my guess' what happen but not 100% sure. Moss does do best with CO2 and lighting but to much lighting can get algae build-up - like hair alage or even BGA with low flow and waste build-up.

[Fishnut]

I believe that triangle moss is one of the mosses that never roots to anything.  If you want to tie it down, start with a single layer so that it has optimum growth.  If the whole chunk is tied down, more if it will die because, as others have said, the water can;t circulate around it properly and the bottom layer doesn't get any light. 

Java moss is very hardy and it roots to things.  You can either tie a single layer to a bit of wood or a rock or do as Dan suggested and just anchor a small part of it under something so it doesn't drift away. 

I didn't think Kirbs ate plants...could be wring on that though.