I purchased 3 bags of Java moss, and have a couple of questions. What is
the best way to keep/grow it? Can I spread it over the gravel, or should
I use some kind of plastic squares underneath to sell it with. Has
anyone seen a good way for an LFS to sell Java moss. Also what size
should the squares be, to be useful to a buyer, and what is a low to fair
selling price?

Similar questions on Riccia fluitans. My supplier nill'ed me on my
order, but I still found a tiny bag of what I think is Riccia fluitans.
Planted it and it seems to be growing, but more like a fine stemmed plant
than a ground cover. I'm clueless on how I'm going to sell this, but it
seems to grow, looks pretty and you guys told me to buy it, so I did ;o)

ps: I bought almost everything the NG suggested. I'm waiting to see what
does best in my water to make comments. I have too many favourites to
mention right now, but it took me an hour to plant the Echinodorus
tenellus. It felt like I planted a lawn, 50 blades, one at a time, but
it will look sooo sweet if it catches on (do I need to mow it ? ;o)

NetMax

I can tell you about my own experience in purchasing a nice "bunch" of java
moss. I have no idea if it is practical for a retailer, but it worked for me
as a customer. I went to a local "fish only" LFS that has a great wide
selection of everything from Koi to sal****er species. They have several
tanks with low turbulence and free-floating plants including java moss. The
tanks with java moss were probably stocked with carnivores or something that
dislikes sampling java moss. I don't remember the species, but there were
small freshwater tropicals in the tank.

When I asked for some of it, they picked out a bunch and bagged it just as
if they were capturing fish. They bagged it the same way as they would for a
nice fish, and charged me the same kind of price (it was a healthy bunch).

The LFS took their time and carefully selected a very nice looking wad of
the stuff (maybe they were just avoiding giving me fry, but that is not what
it looked like). The attendant gave the impression that I was a valued
customer and wanted me to have only the best. The show was worth the premium
price.

Not only did I get a nice healthy bunch of java moss, but I was "forced" to
stare at a lovely group of beautiful tropical fish while the purchase was
being gathered.

I brought it home and carefully tied it to a "log" in my tank. It was
shredded by the fish in my tank and I couldn't keep it under control, but I
don't regret the experience (only my own inexperience).

chet


"NetMax" wrote in message
. ..
I purchased 3 bags of Java moss, and have a couple of questions. What is
the best way to keep/grow it? Can I spread it over the gravel, or should
I use some kind of plastic squares underneath to sell it with. Has
anyone seen a good way for an LFS to sell Java moss. Also what size
should the squares be, to be useful to a buyer, and what is a low to fair
selling price?

Similar questions on Riccia fluitans. My supplier nill'ed me on my
order, but I still found a tiny bag of what I think is Riccia fluitans.
Planted it and it seems to be growing, but more like a fine stemmed plant
than a ground cover. I'm clueless on how I'm going to sell this, but it
seems to grow, looks pretty and you guys told me to buy it, so I did ;o)

ps: I bought almost everything the NG suggested. I'm waiting to see what
does best in my water to make comments. I have too many favourites to
mention right now, but it took me an hour to plant the Echinodorus
tenellus. It felt like I planted a lawn, 50 blades, one at a time, but
it will look sooo sweet if it catches on (do I need to mow it ? ;o)

NetMax

NetMax wrote:

I purchased 3 bags of Java moss, and have a couple of questions. What is
the best way to keep/grow it? Can I spread it over the gravel, or should
I use some kind of plastic squares underneath to sell it with. Has
anyone seen a good way for an LFS to sell Java moss.

Around here they wrap a 3 inch (8cm) ball of moss with a rubber band so it is
smaller than a golf ball and sell it for $4-5 US.

Considering attaching it to driftwood and selling the planted driftwood at a
premium. Many folks would be happy to just pay a bit more to have it done for
them. Or they can buy the driftwood and moss and do it them selves for less.

I've got a pretty big wad of it in one of my tanks. As it continues to
grow, I rip out a couple of good handfuls and take it the LFS for credit
about once a month. They usually tear it into about 3 bunches and stick
them into the substrate of their tanks. Sometimes they sprinkle a little
gravel in the middle to keep it down. It kind of looks like Don King's hair
if you can imagine. They give me about $2 credit per bunch, and sell it for
about $4.

When I first got my original, rather large, bunch, I tried tieing most of it
to some driftwood, but it would never stick. Then I read that you need to
attach just a thin layer when doing this, and it works much better.

I think the best use is for breeding or fry grow-out tanks with a wad over
in a corner. In a heavily planted tank it tends to get caught-up in the
other plants unless it is attach to something.

Jody

"NetMax" wrote in message
. ..
I purchased 3 bags of Java moss, and have a couple of questions. What is
the best way to keep/grow it? Can I spread it over the gravel, or should
I use some kind of plastic squares underneath to sell it with. Has
anyone seen a good way for an LFS to sell Java moss. Also what size
should the squares be, to be useful to a buyer, and what is a low to fair
selling price?

Similar questions on Riccia fluitans. My supplier nill'ed me on my
order, but I still found a tiny bag of what I think is Riccia fluitans.
Planted it and it seems to be growing, but more like a fine stemmed plant
than a ground cover. I'm clueless on how I'm going to sell this, but it
seems to grow, looks pretty and you guys told me to buy it, so I did ;o)

ps: I bought almost everything the NG suggested. I'm waiting to see what
does best in my water to make comments. I have too many favourites to
mention right now, but it took me an hour to plant the Echinodorus
tenellus. It felt like I planted a lawn, 50 blades, one at a time, but
it will look sooo sweet if it catches on (do I need to mow it ? ;o)

NetMax

Riccia fluitans is a floating plant that is difficult to keep tied down.
Look at here for suggested anchoring methods
http://www.floridadriftwood.com/aqua...a_fluitans.htm

I have it as floating plant in all my tanks as it absorbs a lot of nitrate
and phosphate. A it has to be thinned out fortnightly.

Paul


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Ricca cost about £3.00 for a 3cm clump mail order in the uk. It aint cheap
but grows good.

Paul


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"Paul Disdle" wrote in message
...
Ricca cost about £3.00 for a 3cm clump mail order in the uk. It aint
cheap
but grows good.

Paul

Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Upon further investigation, my
suspected riccia may actually be Parrotfeather, or Watermilfoil, sci.
name is Myriophyllum aquaticum. It is still a very pretty little plant
which seems to be growing nicely. I looked at about 30 pictures (and
they are all somewhat different from each other), but this link
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/pl...s/aqua003.html is the
closest (top right, where the plant is held in someone's fingers).

Considering how difficult it is to ID plants (the same type of plant
often grows completely differently because of lighting & nutrients
levels), it is a wonder that we are talking about the right plants half
the time ;o)
(or maybe it is just me ).

NetMax

anyone seen a good way for an LFS to sell Java moss. Also what size
should the squares be, to be useful to a buyer, and what is a low to fair
selling price?


Hi Max

How is the shop going ? Where is it ? I would love to pop in if I am in the
area.

How to sell Java Moss / Riccia ? My LFS packs them in little round
containers, you know the ones you get at the Fish&chip shop for your curry
sauce. You can get them for cheap in catering shops where they sell the
packaging for take-away shops. They put some water and moss/riccia in it.
That way it is still fresh when u get it home and has quite a long shelf
life for them.

Greetings
Sabine

"Sabine" wrote in message
...
anyone seen a good way for an LFS to sell Java moss. Also what size
should the squares be, to be useful to a buyer, and what is a low to
fair
selling price?


Hi Max

How is the shop going ? Where is it ? I would love to pop in if I am in
the
area.

Hi Sabine, the shop is busy. There are actually 3 stores (same company)
within 25km, and we have a friendly competition for sales. The biggest
of the three (the showcase store for the city) is currently wondering why
their fish sales are lower than mine *heh heh*, (knock on wood). We are
in Ottawa Canada, so if you will be in the neighborhood, send me an email
for directions.

How to sell Java Moss / Riccia ? My LFS packs them in little round
containers, you know the ones you get at the Fish&chip shop for your
curry
sauce. You can get them for cheap in catering shops where they sell the
packaging for take-away shops. They put some water and moss/riccia in
it.
That way it is still fresh when u get it home and has quite a long
shelf
life for them.

That sounds like a great idea! thanks

NetMax

Greetings
Sabine