# Heat/warmth for an emersed moss set-up?



## Fox (16 May 2013)

I've been tinkering with a small moss project for a few months.
Growing Moss Emersed 6 Months In | UK Aquatic Plant Society
I'm seeing increased growth recently after months in the cold on a windowsill in an unheated/neglected building. 

Before it 'warmed up' I placed a few mosses that had shown no/little growth onto a small heated propagator. It's nothing too technical, no thermostat just increased the ambient temperature by about 7 degrees (or something like that). These were obviously slower growing mosses, but it does seem they are starting to improve. So I 'know' that heat helps with emersed growing, but to what extent?

I've been thinking about buying a proper thermostatically-controlled fancy-pants heated propagator. 
Vitopod Heated Electric Propagators | Ideal for Seeds & Cuttings | Greenhouse Sensation
Obviously it would help me over the colder months, but is there any real benefit to the mosses to be in a heated moist environment? I'm not trying to justify the cost of the item in relation to growth as I'd be better off putting the moss in a co2 system, but that doesn't tick my 'must tinker with it' box. 

Anyone use anything similar or any of you clever folk got any science to share?


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## GHNelson (16 May 2013)

Hi Fox
You don't need to spend that sort of cash.
Ebay do them from about £25.00... Sankey GroWarm 100 Heated Plant Seed Propagator Kit | eBay
hoggie


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## Fox (16 May 2013)

Thanks Hoggie, that's pretty similar to what I have already (although mine is a windowsill version). Thought I'd take a step up to something a bit more fancy. Plus the controllable versions can crank the temp up to 25+.

Equipment aside, was wondering about the science behind warmer air for emersed set-ups (my jam jars/propagators etc all get pretty warm this time of year and even that makes a difference).


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## foxfish (16 May 2013)

The inside of the tank needs to be warmer than the outside air so the humidity rises, a warm humid environment with added light will see huge increase in growth rates compared to the winter window cill!


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## madlan (8 Nov 2013)

(Woops, just noticed the age of the thread!) - Any updates on the tank? How did it go?



Almost all mosses enjoy cooler temperatures (15 - 25 seems ideal for almost all of the 50+ tropical mosses I grow).
I find it initially grows fast in warmer conditions but then seems to stall, with poor quality growth (Colour\density etc).
Some of the temperate (emersed) mosses I grow actually require stratification (cold period) every year or two or they yellow up and die.

Personally if it was a scape, I would keep it warmer than the outside air temp as foxfish says - but only enough to keep the humidity high. Also, high light during the emersed period will speed up quality growth, even if it's going to be low tech when flooded.


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## Fox (2 Dec 2013)

My moss project is currently 'enjoying' a period of zero human interference! I've been so busy with work etc that it's been massively neglected. Just having a tidy up today and some of the mosses are looking very healthy and growing well, others a little sorry for themselves. I've had to trim back the space it takes as a couple of nerdy friends are using the man-cave for several of those bitcoin-computers solving algorithms. These give me 'free' heating (boy they give off some heat) but have put pressure on the space for random tinkering. I did buy one of those Vitopods which are a very cool bit of kit, but I've gone from purpose-built fish-room to propagator-sized project in the space of a year. .


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