Before I get to the marimo, just a little scheduling note: We’ve all heard the saying that “consistency is key,” and I’ve been trying to take it to heart with this blog. But while I’ve been posting DIY projects on Mondays, recipes on Wednesdays, and Field Trips on Fridays, I’m going to switch it up a little by pushing DIYs to Tuesdays and recipes to Thursdays. I’ll keep the Field Trips on Fridays, and random other posts on Monday and Wednesdays.

Today, though, I thought I’d share a quick little project I put together after my visit to Pistils Nursery. Inspired by their displays, I made a new home for my marimo. Marimo are adorable little aquatic algae balls that look like moss. They were popularized as “pets” in Japan (of course), and the wild version that lives in lakes is actually protected as a national treasure!

I’ve had two marimo for a few years now (that I bought at Pistils), living happily in a lightbulb aquarium. They really only require the simplest of environments, and would probably do just fine in nearly any clear glass container. So making the aquarium extra cute probably only benefits us, but I’m sure they don’t mind. I hope the additional marimo I introduced to my marimo pair isn’t a third wheel.

How to Make a Marimo Aquarium

For the bottle, I used a 250 ml beaker that I bought here, and the pebbles are from the floral display section of a craft store.

Just dump in a handful of pebbles, put your marimo on top, and pour in water. If your tap water has lots of chlorine, let it sit out for 24 hours before adding it. You can get fancy and add crystals, or use a more complicated bottle, but this is a super easy little DIY.

As for care, change the water every two weeks, and keep the marimo out of direct sunlight. The two I’ve had for years are more brown than the one I just bought, so I moved the bottle to a dimmer spot. More care instructions are here, and if you don’t live nearby, you should be able to buy your own marimo at local pet and aquarium stores, on Amazon, or as a kit.