Plant for tree

[Cinnebuns]

I have this tree base thing I've had for awhile. I've seen videos of people making those bonsai trees and figured I could do similar with this. The issue I have is idk what plant would work best. I already have Java moss and marimo moss balls as well as SOME buce, all of which I've seen recommended, but I'm not completely convinced on any of them.

Java moss seems to spread out too much, unless I'm doing it wrong. Marimo moss balls grow so slow I don't think I would have enough to cover it. Buce is expensive and I don't have much. Any ideas of other plants or how to use my existing plants?

Edited June 13, 2022 by Cinnebuns

[Cinnebuns]

I went back to a previous thread and saw @Odd Duck was the one that mentioned he fell in love with mosses. I'll ask your opinion on a good moss to use for this. 

[Odd Duck]

There are soooo many interesting mosses!  But I think susswasertang (which is technically a fern) would make an amazing tree.  It grows fast enough when it’s happy to get decent coverage but slow enough it isn’t unreasonable to control like the Vesicularia group can be - Java, Christmas, flame, anchor, spiky, weeping, creeping, etc.  Fissidens would be great but it takes a great deal of patience to do a dry start (mine is still not very convincing at outgrowing the algae on my “roots” in the angel tank) or be willing to spend a good chunk of change to get enough Fiss to do a whole tree with pieces/chunks vs the blended moss I used for the dry start.

Suss can be a little finicky at adapting to new water, so if you can find somebody local to you, you’d have a better chance of getting a good sized bunch that’s more likely to be already adapted to your parameters.  If Suss likes your conditions, it can do very well, it clings reasonably well (much better than any of the Vesic group but not quite as well as Fiss group), but can be gently tugged to shape and remove excess with not too much flying around after grooming your tree.

Here’s pics of Suss, which tends to take a mounding form and would look very much like rounded leaves on a “tree”.  Then some pics of some Fissidens fontanus x 2, then one of taiwan.  Ignore the debris, I was futzing around with the tank today and didn’t do a clean up afterwards.  On my list for tomorrow.  😀 

All my Fiss. geppii is in an angelfish QT tank or is still too tiny in the big angel tank to give you an impression of the “grown up” look.  The lights just went off on that row so I don’t want to turn them back on since I just got those new angels today.  All Fiss have a similar form with a tiny palm frond look.  Fiss. taiwan looks so much like fontanus I can’t reliably tell them apart depending on growing conditions.  Fiss. nobilis is slightly darker green with slightly more compact and less lacy “fronds”.  Fiss will mound, too, but the fronds tend to mostly grow to the same length so they conform to whatever they’re growing on as the moss matures.  The edges of the mass will have shorter fronds but the bulk of it will be a fairly even length.

 

Edited June 15, 2022 by Odd Duck

[Guppysnail]

I moved away from moss about 2 years ago. Thanks to @Odd Duck bad influence and contagious addiction I’m back up to 3 types 🤣

i have really grown fond of susswassertang.  It grows fast but in a unique way. I also recently picked up some Riccia fluitans to make a tree out of because I seen one at my LFS that was stunning. The Riccia was very easy to work with in comparison to Java moss and held well vs half floating away when I submerged it. It was a tennis ball size ball clump of small trimmings so I’m assuming it grew well for whoever was selling it. 

Edited June 15, 2022 by Guppysnail

[Odd Duck]

On 6/15/2022 at 4:36 AM, Guppysnail said:

Thanks to @Odd Duck bad influence and contagious addiction I’m back up to 3 types 🤣

I’m so happy and proud I could be your “bad influence”!  Mosses are great!  😘 😂 🤣 

Tree is looking good!  Are the shrimp done cleaning it or was this pic from before they found it?

[Guppysnail]

On 6/15/2022 at 5:07 PM, Odd Duck said:

I’m so happy and proud I could be your “bad influence”!  Mosses are great!  😘 😂 🤣 

Tree is looking good!  Are the shrimp done cleaning it or was this pic from before they found it?

Before. The guppies have also “investigated” but not to much investigative loss was incurred 🤣🤣🤣

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Ha! Great inspiration you all! I have had this lovely piece of Spiderwood just waiting for me to figure out what to use for "leaves". Personally I think I'm gonna go for Java Windelov, but love all the little "trees" here!

[Odd Duck]

On 6/15/2022 at 4:34 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Ha! Great inspiration you all! I have had this lovely piece of Spiderwood just waiting for me to figure out what to use for "leaves". Personally I think I'm gonna go for Java Windelov, but love all the little "trees" here!

Nice piece!  Will look great with Windelov!