There are a few java moss wall instructions out there on the 'net, here is how I make mine:



Materials list:

- Birdblock (used to keep birds out of shrubs and such)

- Cheap airline suction cups

- java moss



* Cut a section of the birdblock that is twice as big as the wall you want to make.







* Fold the birdblock in half and use the plastic airline suction cup holders to keep the birdblock in place. The suction cup holder has a peg that slips into a hole on top of the suction cup. Just put a strand or two of the birdblock over the hole and jam the peg in to hold the birdblock in place.







* Jam as much java moss as your conscience will allow in between the two layers of birdblock.







* Place the java moss wall in the tank and use the suction cups to hold it in place against the back wall of the tank.



As the java moss grows out, just snip it and tuck it in where you want more of it. The wall of moss is completely portable, just take it out and rinse it under the tap if it starts to get messy. If the bottom needs more light, take it out and flip it around.







I find that SAEs, ghost shrimp and American flag fish spend a lot of time preening and picking at the moss. It serves as a great background and hides filter uptake tubes and heaters very well.

It's gorgeous, CT.  And so simple...I might have to try it!

Holy cow!  It adds so much 'plant' to a planted tank too!  With one of those and a few other simple plants, you look like you have a million dollar planted tank!



I am so impressed!



Now...if I could just get my hands on some of that xmas moss!   

I also have a mat of Windelov java fern in another tank using the same principle, but without suction cups.  

Gir, I've not ordered from them so far, so I can't vouch for their products, but floridadriftwood.com has Christmas moss. It's under Plants for Sale > Other Plants (I know this 'cause I want some, too, but have hesitated because I haven't a lot of light. )



I love the moss wall, CT! I wonder whether I'd dare put something like that in a tank with atmospheric air-breathing fishies who love to play Where Do I Fit and court disaster by trying to cram themselves into the tiniest spaces they can find? Actually, that would be a fantastic way to hide dividers on the tanks that have separate filters in each section!

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Everything's better with penguins.

It looks so good CT! I don't have a lot of light either FM and have hesitated on ordering some java moss. I really want some though after seeing your pics CT! Thanks!



Kathleen

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" There are no shortcuts to any place worth going."

Beverly Sills

Kathleen, my java moss does fine with little light, but as I understand it, Christmas moss needs more, so that's why I've yet to try it. The java moss bed in Sir 'Enry's "wheelchair accessible" tank is doing very well, even where I have terrestrial plant cuttings growing emerged and shadowing it from almost all the light.

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Everything's better with penguins.

Some bettas will shred their fins on java moss. My blue betta named rudy (cuz he's always rooting around in stuff) has had to go without any JM for a couple of weeks, for this very reason.  

What a great idea!!! Someday I'll have to try that!

sweet...

now i know what to do with all of the java moss i just got...its been very rudely using the varisnalia to grow up...stuff is like weeds

i'm going to try using plastic canvas as the backing though, just because I have so much of lying around...hopefully the holes are large enough

Neat!  You say it hides heaters and filter intakes..the wall doesn't go OVER them, does it?

I can vouch for how great it makes your tank look, I just finished my wall last week and it is already looking great.  Thanks Mr. C for the great idea.  I had tried the plastic craft grid stuff you can get for making tissue boxes and it didn't go so well, I think I probably tied it down too tightly w/thread.  Plus, thread disintegrates after about a week, leaving big chunks of moss hanging all over the place.   (thought I was being clever, hehe, guess not!)

Use fishing line instead of thread...or the clear, plastic, thread (sold in the sewing section of most stores) that is really still fishing line.  

Yep, yep, figured that one out the hard way  

I really like the bird block method, I didn't need to use any kind of fishing line, I just used super small black zip ties to secure the edges and sprinkled through the center to keep the moss from falling down.  Talk about a fun project!

Oh yeah, and I ran out of suction cups so used wooden skewers that we have never used for anything else.    

oooh!  The wooden skewers sound like a good idea...then you can form a wall rather than a curtain...kinda stake it into the substrate.

I actually melted the edges of my birdblock so it kinda fused together.  It worked in some spots, and the plastic got too hot in other spots and melted away.

The skewers work great, I just shoved them into the gravel and snipped the tops so that they are wedged under the plastic frame.  The whole thing stays in place quite well.  Fortunately, I don't have any fish small enough to get stuck back there, so when I do, I will probably have to use suction cups to secure it to the back wall.

That does look nice.  How do you keep it from interfearing with the filter intake/heater?

The JMW is under the filter flow in this picture. The heater is off to the side. The JMW works great at filling any non-plant open areas in the background decor.
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UFOs are real. Bigfoot told me so.

That was a great idea!
I was wondering... I don't have bettas or anything but I do have a danio, a molly (i beleive), and oscar, a barb, and one fish that I can't seem to tag the name of ( it's silver,  b/c compatibility, with red fins). Can I use this tunnel for my fishes and if so, will it help one of the fish that seems a tiny bit picked on? Sorry for the long question.
 

What tunnel?
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UFOs are real. Bigfoot told me so.

Ct that is too cool! If anyone does try it with Bettas I want to know how it works!