# Fertilizing Riccia Emersed/Floating?



## Dreamscaper (Aug 28, 2007)

Hi,

Am I going to need to fertilize my riccia ?? I just got a palm-sized patch of riccia, that was about 1/3 dead when I got it from the LFS. Im trying to revitalize it, and im floating it in my 3 gallon no-tech tank. (fake plants, no co2, Activated Carbon filtration, inert gravel substrate, and a few glowlight tetras). I do have a 18W, 6700K Coralife mini-aqualamp on it 10 hrs a day though. I have PPS-Pro ferts and Excel that I use for my planted tank. I would float it in the planted tank, but this patch that I got really makes a big mess in there. 

I want to use it for tying to rocks in an amano style setup eventually. I also have a macroalgae ball about the size of a tennis ball in there, so I dont want to mess that guy up with any conflicting ferts. 

Thanks!

Lance


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Riccia is one of those plants that I have found really shines in CO2 tanks. In non-CO2 tanks riccia looks flaccid and for lack of a better term like a wet towel.

I would definitely recommend CO2 injection and fertilization with riccia. You will see great results. Also, it is important to mention if you don't use CO2 of any kind, it will be difficult to get it to live submerged as it doesn't make a dense mat and will tend to slip out of the netting/string used to tie it down.

Also, riccia dies if the tank is dosed with excel. Soo be careful!!!!


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## Dreamscaper (Aug 28, 2007)

Ive got pressurized CO2 going in my main tank, and a fertilizer regimen, but im trying to get this patch revitalized, out of the main tank, floating on top of the water, before I net it to the rocks. In the main tank, the current blows my patch apart into all these strings all over the place. Right now i have it in a plastic 'shoebox' with water and an 18W Mini-Aqualight 6 inches over it for about 10 hrs a day. (I broke down my no-tech 3 gal to get it ready for a cool driftwood/anubia nana petite nano.) 

Is it going to grow ok floating in the plastic shoebox, or should I net it up/put it in a filterbag and float it in the main tank with the CO2 and macro/micro ferts. Im trying to get it bigger and healthier before I submerge it.

Thx.

Lance


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I think it would be better to keep it in a CO2/fertilized tank. Riccia grows more like a very fast growing stem plant (w/ all the nutritional/light requirements) rather than a moss.

Maybe you could try angle the filter's outflow down so it doesn't whip up the surface water, or maybe try a small breeder's net with the bottom net cut out to allow nutrients/CO2 easier access to the riccia.

A net like this one http://www.petco.com/Assets/product_images/4\4258373702B.jpg with no bottom - just side netting would probably hold the riccia together until it can grow into a thick mat that will resist the current.

Just be sure NOT to dose excel when growing riccia in the same tank it is quite sensitive and will melt away if you do use it.


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## Dreamscaper (Aug 28, 2007)

cool. im going to put something together and get this stuff growing in the main tank.

Lance


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## CCBettas (Nov 6, 2006)

It's too bad I didn't read this thread when I bought my Riccia. I have my riccia floating in my spawning tank and I dose Excel. If I had known that my riccia would grow to cover the surface of my 10 gallon tank then I would not have dosed with ferts and excel.
In my experience, the riccia has grown faster than any of the other plants. It is pearling like crazy and it didn't melt away. I once accidentally poured a capful directly onto the riccia. the portion of riccia that I did it to died. Within the next two weeks it was filled in with green plants again.


Carl Archie


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## FuNkY MiSSioN (Nov 25, 2007)

Im pretty new to the aquascaping and i've got some riccia fluitans when i first started....i tied it to a piece of drift wood where it didnt grow too much, but since letting it float on the surface and the addition of CO2 injection: they have taken off! (I too made the mistake of using Excel - but it didnt die though).

Try this site for a couple of tips?: http://www.ricciafluitans.com/grow.html


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## TheKillHaa (Sep 15, 2007)

Zapins said:


> Just be sure NOT to dose excel when growing riccia in the same tank it is quite sensitive and will melt away if you do use it.


geeee... i should know before,,i was blaming to K... so excel is not good on riccia... mmmmmmm dont go to sleep without know something new.
Thanks.


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## Guillermo (Oct 12, 2007)

I had issues with ricca and excel as well, the riccia melted,then I used DIY Co2 without a problem, the plant grew and pearled like mad.

TheKillHa.... ¿ eres de Tijuana, B.C. ?

Sorry for the off-topic


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## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

I use excel and pressurized co2. I have been dosing daily for about 3 weeks, very little, just because I thought it would make the riccia more happy. But i have 2 spots, right where I pour the excel in, where the riccia is a little faded, but not dead, right before dead. I just noticed this today. Good thing there was this thread. I am going to do 50% water change in the morning and stop dosing excel.


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## TheKillHaa (Sep 15, 2007)

i stopped dosing excel in my inverts+riccia+HC tank. riccia has come back after one week or so. (some perish in the "excel attack" ) also a small amounts of algae is born. i dont think is that a problem now.. but defenitly excel is not good for riccia. at least, in OD as treatment of algae.

_offtopic_, yes, i live in TJ but work in SD.
regards.


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