Hopefully my previous two posts about marimo have convinced you that you should buy one from my shop. If you're still a bit unsure, read on for all the information you'll need on marimo care.
If you've already bought one - thank you! Here is how you're going to take care of it - I promise it's so simple.
THE SHORT STORY
- Change water once a week - replace 75-100% of the old water with fresh tap water.
- Keep marimo out of direct sunlight
- Spin and swirl the jar around every few days so marimo maintain there spherical shape by receiving light on all sides
- Occasionally take marimo out of the jar and roll it in your hands/squeeze it gently to clean it and maintain its shape.
IT'S THAT EASY
- Change Water
- Indirect Sunlight
- Spin
- Squeeze
- Roll
THE LONG STORY
MARIMO NEED TO BE MOVED AROUND EVERY SO OFTEN
Since there's not going to be a water current in your decorative jar, it's a good idea to swirl it around every once in awhile so that your marimo can receive light and grow evenly on all sides. It's as simple as twirling the jar around when you pass it and think of it.
MARIMO DON'T NEED A LOT OF SUNLIGHT
In fact, they do better in low-light areas and shouldn't be placed in direct sunlight. Naturally, they grow on the bottoms of lakes where there is little direct sunlight.
CHANGE YOUR MARIMO MOSS'S WATER ONCE A WEEK
You don't even need to buy any special water or filtering system - simply swap out around 75% of the water in your jar with fresh room temperature tap water.
KEEP MARIMO MOSS COOL
Since they are naturally found in Iceland and Japan in lakes with cooler temperatures, you should try to keep your marimo somewhere on the cooler side as well. If you ever notice your marimo turning brown during the summer - it may be because it's too hot! Consider moving it to somewhere cooler or even storing it in your refrigerator for a few days.
TAKE YOUR MARIMO FOR A ROLL
To mimic the rolling a marimo would do on the bottom of the lake, when you switch out it's water once a week you can also take your marimo and roll it around in your hands to maintain it's spherical shape. You can also feel free to give it a squeeze and get out anything that may have grown on it.
FAQ ABOUT MARIMO
SHOULD MY MARIMO SINK OR FLOAT?
If your marimo sinks to the bottom of the jar - he's healthy! And if he floats around - he's also healthy! Whether they sink or float usually has to do with light.
WHAT HAPPENS IF MY MARIMO STARTS TO TURN BROWN?
It's probably time to clean it off - you can pick off brown spots with a pair of tweezers, squeeze it out, change the water and roll it around in your hands. If the brownness keeps happening - you might want to try adding some salt to the water to stimulate growth.
CAN I PUT MY MARIMO IN AN AQUARIUM?
Yes, marimo can live happily among lots of fish and aquarium animals - but not with goldfish! They may eat them!
HOW LONG CAN MARIMO BE OUT OF WATER?
If you're concerned about a marimo being shipped to you - have no fear. They can live outside of water for up to a month!
You can read my other two posts about marimo here:
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MARIMO
MARIMO MANIA: WHY YOU SHOULD BUY YOUR VERY OWN
