NEHERP - Moss Slurry Caresheet

Live Moss Slurry Care

Unpacking, planting, acclimating, and maintaining our NEHERP Moss Slurry!

Introduction

Our NEHERP Live Moss Slurry is designed to acclimate on a variety of natural surfaces inside tropical & temperate live vivariums. After a few weeks of acclimation, the mixture will spread eagerly to adjacent surfaces to create a beautiful & grown-in appearance. This guide will explain everything you need to know to get your moss to acclimate, grow, and thrive in your live vivarium.

Recommended Applications

Our moss slurry has a ton of uses, but it's not suited to every vivarium application. Please reference the charts below before using the product.

Appropriate Moss Slurry Applications:

Humid, tropical environment vivariums which don't dry out

Under bright, recommended vivarium lighting w/plenty of PAR

On natural wood decor, rocks, and other decor which stays moist

On custom backgrounds, drip walls, and water feature edges

Where it will be directly hit by misting systems (if applicable)

Inappropriate Moss Slurry Applications:

Enclosures averaging under 75% relative humidity

On any decor which is prone to drying-out between misting

In dry spots in any enclosure, or directly near hot lights

On synthetic fabric, plastic, or styrofoam background surfaces *

On substrate, clay strata, or other "ground cover" layer **

* Our slurry can eventually grow on synthetic decor, but not nearly as effectively as it will on natural decor.

** Our original NEHERP moss is a more financially effective & faster ground cover option.

Acclimation

The acclimation period of our moss slurry is even more critical than any other type of plant we offer, for long term success. Once acclimated (2-4 weeks, depending on conditions), the moss will better tolerate contact with vivarium inhabitants, and it will begin to grow outward & color up to it's lush green mature state. After successful acclimation, the rate of growth will be considerably faster. We suggest misting the moss with dechlorinated water at least twice per day for the first 2 weeks it's in the new environment, with three (or more) misting sessions being truly ideal. Allowing the slurry to dry out before acclimation can significantly impact growth rate, so be absolutely sure to keep it moist until it's well acclimated. Using partial glass tops to keep humidity inside the enclosure can help accelerate the acclimation & growth process. For best results, plant our moss slurry within 2-3 days of arriving to you. For a whole lot more information on what to expect with freshly planted vivariums, check out our Vivarium Construction 102 guide.

Mounting Surfaces & Methods

We've had great luck growing the slurry on Cork, Custom Background Surfaces, Ghostwood, Malaysian Driftwood, Mopani Wood, Tree Fern Panels, Vivarium Substrate (NEHERP, NEHERP V2, ABG), Wood Accent Decor, and more. Our slurry was designed to grow on natural surfaces for the most realistic solution possible. All mount surfaces must be kept moist until the slurry is well acclimated, and the method to affix the slurry is fairly straightforward. We specifically blended the slurry to ensure it can adhere to most vivarium surfaces without much effort, including nearly vertical custom & cork background surfaces. Packing some tightly into crevices & pockets of wood accents have provided some of the most naturalistic growth patterns. If it becomes less sticky during use, simply mix in a little more water to increase adhesion with the surface. Once acclimated, the slurry will grow onto the surface it's mounted to, and will withstand even larger animals walking on it without losing it's epiphytic grip. Our typical NEHERP moss is often a more cost effective solution when looking to cover some substrate with moss, but the slurry does do equally well when planted directly on appropriate vivarium substrate.

Lighting

We recommend using one of our enclosure-specific live Vivarium Lighting Kits, and selecting an LED option for the best results. Our LED lighting kits produce the best growth patterns & most consistent results. Some lighting kits have a fluorescent option too, which has been proven to grow Moss Slurry effectively in vivariums under 15in tall. (Taller enclosures should use an LED kit) Using lighting which is less powerful than recommended can result in either the Slurry to failing to grow, or to grow extremely slowly with a "stringy" growth pattern (click for example). The light cycle should be timed to about 12 hours on, 12 hours off to help create a healthy circadian rhythm. For more detailed advice on what type of lighting would be recommended for a specific enclosure size, visit our Vivarium Lighting Kits page. If you'd like to learn more about vivarium lighting, visit our Vivarium Lighting 101 article.

General Growth Conditions

Ideal conditions for the moss are 70%+ relative humidity, with temperatures ranging anywhere from 60F-90F. While very tolerant of wide temperature swings, it is not tolerant of low humidity, and the mounting surfaces must never be allowed to dry out for long-term success. If the moss dries out for longer than a day or so, there's a fair chance it will not reanimate, so keeping it moist is critical. Frequent misting, high humidity, and plenty of light will make for perfect growth conditions. If the slurry will be mounted in an enclosure housing live animals, no external fertilization will be required (the animal's waste will provide the necessary nutrients). When using Moss Slurry in an orchidarium, paludarium, terrarium, or other enclosed growing area that doesn't house animals, we suggest bimonthly fertilization with a diluted mix of organic nutrients.

Processing

Our slurry is safe for immediate use in live vivariums, and is not subject to the typical plant processing procedure.

Thanks for choosing NEHERP as your Moss Slurry supplier!

If you have any questions at all about the info in this article, don't hesitate to contact us. We're happy to help!

This article pertains to...

NEHERP Live Moss Slurry

Price Range: $5.99-$64.99
Located In: Live Moss