Purple Moss

[Flip_Side_the_Pint]

Recently some of my sphagnum moss has started turning bright purple blue and violet. Anyone else have moss like this? I grow under a combo of LEDs and T5 perhaps its a result of that. however this setup is almost 2 years old now and this is the first time I've seen this moss.

 

[nimbulan]

Do you use any sort of fertilizer in there? It makes me wonder if it's being dyed somehow.

 

[fredg]

Does it look the same in natural light?

 

[Flip_Side_the_Pint]

I do use Maxsea, but thats a brown color when reconstituted so I'm not sure thats it. In natural light its not quite as bright, its more of a powder blue with reddish orange tips, instead of the purple. The only change to the set up is I changed my daytime temps deadband from four to two.

 

[hcarlton]

I would wonder if what you're seeing is a species of algae or cyanobacteria in the moss that's reacting to the LED, because actual blues are not generally found in mosses... algae grows really quick if there is a lot of nutrient in the compartments within the moss, and when everything's green it almost blends in with the moss itself.

 

[Swagalotus]

Regardless of what it is, it's amazing. Or are you trying to fool us by using some dyes

 

[Flip_Side_the_Pint]

Haha, Swag, theres no dyes.

I would wonder if what you're seeing is a species of algae or cyanobacteria in the moss that's reacting to the LED, because actual blues are not generally found in mosses... algae grows really quick if there is a lot of nutrient in the compartments within the moss, and when everything's green it almost blends in with the moss itself.

A bacterial bloom actually seems most plausible, since they can produce similar colors. Likely spurred on by the slight adjustment in temp I made albeit only a dead band change of 2º. However I'm not sure how much that change made in practice. If it is a bacterial bloom the clorox will likely be short lived and will soon fade away. When that happens Ill post an "after shot"...

 

[Flip_Side_the_Pint]

Haha, Swag, theres no dyes. that would be quite the tye die.

I would wonder if what you're seeing is a species of algae or cyanobacteria in the moss that's reacting to the LED, because actual blues are not generally found in mosses... algae grows really quick if there is a lot of nutrient in the compartments within the moss, and when everything's green it almost blends in with the moss itself.

A bacterial bloom actually seems most plausible, since they can produce similar colors. Likely spurred on by the slight adjustment in temp I made albeit only a dead band change of 2º. However I'm not sure how much that change made in practice. If it is a bacterial bloom the half-life will likely be short lived and will soon fade away. When that happens Ill post an "after shot"...

 

[NemJones]

Something strange is aboot.

Ive been wondering about something very similar to this.

This is the moss that I use. It is Chilean Sphagnum.

I like this brand because its very soft moss, easy to chop. Feels like a very light styrofoam.
However, there are also multiple strands in here that have a very Blood Red color. You can see a few
in my surplus moss brick.

I have been trying to grow that moss back to its color. (I just happen to fancy mosses a little more than your normal average Joe.)
However, My lights arent sufficient and I havent been able to truly color up my moss yet. Its very green/ fluffy, healthy, and easy to germinate nonetheless.
Below is a picture of a large moss bed, been growing for probably 3/4 a year now.

A few months ago I received a potted Edwardsiana Seedling (which has since died..)
However for the first time I saw a type of moss ive been hunting for. Purple Moss.
The grower that I got the moss from said they didnt have LEDs. And about 2 years ago, I also saw another
grower trying to sell flats of "Rainbow" Sphagnum for 90$. They were very rainbo-y indeed with deep purples and crimson reds.
I never boguht any because, well, 90$ is alot for moss.

This is the moss that came with my edwardsiana. Im not sure if my camera can truly capture the royal purple that this moss has.

(Excuse the dry moss, Ive been mourning my seedling for quite some time now.)

Im running t5 lights, so we will see how this goes once this moss revives.