This is my very first attempt at making a mossarium, and I'm looking for any advice moving forward to keep them happy and healthy. I know they're not the prettiest, but I wanted to figure out how to take care of them well before I put a lot of time and effort into making a super aesthetic build.
My main concern is that I might be working with moss that's already too far gone.. I'm hoping that with a little time, it'll come back strong, but I'm worried I waited too long between harvesting and transplanting. I cleaned the moss after harvesting and submerged it in distilled water overnight before putting it in my build, but it doesn't seem to be having the best time yet. I'd had my jars under a grow light for about a week, but I've just moved them back to this windowsill, which I'm hoping will make them a little happier.
My setup from bottom to top currently consists of a drainage layer of pea gravel, a barrier between the drainage and substrate, a layer of activated charcoal, my substrate, and then my moss, harvested from my grandparents' house.
Today, I got my hands on some Orins Calico isopods and springtails, which I'm hoping will be alright in their new homes. I'd been hoping for more springtails in the container I purchased from my local pet store, but I ended up with more isopods and far fewer springtails than I'd bargained for… I'm worried that I don't have enough springtails to counter any mold development, which is making me a bit nervous, but I'm (perhaps naively) hoping for the best.
All of this to say, I would love any feedback about the builds, or any advice on how to take the best care of my new little environments, especially as it pertains to revitalizing the moss. If it helps provide any insight to the level of moisture, I'd only just spritzed them before taking these photos.
Did I do okay, or have I completely blown it and sentenced these poor tiny creatures to their untimely doom??? 😰
Thanks in advance. 🫰
by -AowoA-