# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Riccia fluitans



## imported_Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 31, 2003)

_Plant name_: *Riccia Fluitans*



















*Some Information:* 
_Light_: medium - very high 
_Growth_: fast
_Demands_: medium
_Pruning_: trim the whole bunch with trimming scissors.
_Water hardness_: doesnÂ´t seem to matter
_Specials_: Riccia is a floating plant. It is most famous for using it as a submersed plant, tied to stones, driftwood, etc.. To do this you either need fishing line, hairnet or something similar. If it is not regularely pruned the lower parts will rot and the plant will float to the water surface. Another way for tieing it down is using bended steel rods. 
Another special of that plant is pearling. If it has enough CO2 and light, this plant will produce thousands of smaller and larger Oxygenbubbles that look like a starfield, as you can see on the pictures above.
_Propagation_: The fastest way to propagate riccia is to let it float on the water surface. If it has produced some pillows you use them for your desired underwater use.

_Experiences_: The plant actually isnÂ´t that difficult. It only needs some light and CO2 to thrive. I also needs up excessive nutrients dissolved in the water quite fast, if you have a lot of Riccia plants. Therefore it can be used to prevent algae growth in a beginners tank.

_Planting_: See specials.

*ORIGINAL POST BY BIRGIT*

[This message was edited by Robert H on Tue March 09 2004 at 02:16 AM.]


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## imported_Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 31, 2003)

_Plant name_: *Riccia Fluitans*



















*Some Information:* 
_Light_: medium - very high 
_Growth_: fast
_Demands_: medium
_Pruning_: trim the whole bunch with trimming scissors.
_Water hardness_: doesnÂ´t seem to matter
_Specials_: Riccia is a floating plant. It is most famous for using it as a submersed plant, tied to stones, driftwood, etc.. To do this you either need fishing line, hairnet or something similar. If it is not regularely pruned the lower parts will rot and the plant will float to the water surface. Another way for tieing it down is using bended steel rods. 
Another special of that plant is pearling. If it has enough CO2 and light, this plant will produce thousands of smaller and larger Oxygenbubbles that look like a starfield, as you can see on the pictures above.
_Propagation_: The fastest way to propagate riccia is to let it float on the water surface. If it has produced some pillows you use them for your desired underwater use.

_Experiences_: The plant actually isnÂ´t that difficult. It only needs some light and CO2 to thrive. I also needs up excessive nutrients dissolved in the water quite fast, if you have a lot of Riccia plants. Therefore it can be used to prevent algae growth in a beginners tank.

_Planting_: See specials.

*ORIGINAL POST BY BIRGIT*

[This message was edited by Robert H on Tue March 09 2004 at 02:16 AM.]


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## imported_molahs4 (Feb 3, 2003)

Would someone mind adding a bit more detail regarding how to use riccia? I have seen it used very effectively in many different applications, from covering the base of driftwood, softening rocks, making a billowing field, etc. Are there different techniques? And how exactly do you use the hairnet/fishing line?

I am going to get some and float it and experiment, but I would rather learn from other people's mistakes first.


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

No wonder it floats! Looking at the detail picture it's just air bubbles!









With fishing line you just put a little bit of riccia on the surface to be covered and wrap the line around it. Place, wrap, repeat.

Proverbs 3:7-8


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## Birgit & Wolfgang (Feb 5, 2003)

molahs, just follow the first link in the plant description above, there you will find some of my experiences.

www.naturaquarium.at
view some of our pictures


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## imported_molahs4 (Feb 3, 2003)

I don't know if I am going to be able to put the time into making the weights, so are there any other good methods?

I heard clues about some sort of meshes, and rotting riccia to clean out. I am growing the plant on the surface of my tank, but I don't know how to deal with it when it's ready. Any help is appreciated.


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## chrosomus (Mar 17, 2005)

just go to the original post in this link and click on the riccia weight link. Complete instructions follow thanks to Birgit.

Klaus


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## djlen (Jun 22, 2004)

Just go to your local pharmacy and pick up a package of fine hairnets(they are dirt cheap).
Use as flat a stone as you can find. Gather up a "pillow" of riccia from the surface and lay the pillow over top of the stone or rock. Put the hairnet around the riccia and pull it all together underneath as tightly as you can. You'll probably need to use some fishing line to tighten it up on the bottom. Gently take the stone/rock from the bottom and set it in the tank on the substrate. If you tied it tight enough the riccia will lie flat to the stone.
Len

HAVE DISCS - WILL TRAVEL


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## Antonio Trías (Feb 4, 2004)

I attached with hairnets, with fishing line, with weigths. No matter it always ends floating. The only way I succeded is growing first Vesicularia and inserting the riccia inside. After a couple of weeks, you are not able to see any Vesicularia, but the moss still grows and helps to attach the riccia. With regular "cutings" normally allways enough riccia remains in the moss to cover it on few days.-


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## bteo3 (Feb 1, 2005)

Hey Trias I had the thoughts of using moss too but unsure about how it would look, any chance u snap a photo or two n send it this way?

[email protected]

Thanks!


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## Antonio Trías (Feb 4, 2004)

Sure, I will take one picture. After some weeks the riccia cover completely the moss, and the best part is the moss still grows and "always" are fixing the riccia, and the only think you must do is "making" some "hair cuts"


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## [email protected] (Jun 16, 2003)

Beware the Kuhli loach, nothing makes them happier than freeing your riccia, I guess they would prefer it float. I have also found that the plastic mesh used to hold garlic and tomatoes works well.


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## kherman (Apr 7, 2003)

let's assume someone has a 100 gallon tank (for math simplicity). How much Riccia is needed to make riccia act as an effective nutrient sponge. I'd like to use a minmal ammount in my next tank. Maybe attach it to driftwood and create a hill with it.

------------------------------
http://www.geocities.com/kfh227- go there and see my future fish section to see what I have planned for my next 100+ gallon tank.
Note: I havn't maintained the site lately.


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## Birgit & Wolfgang (Feb 5, 2003)

Do you mean surface area?

www.naturaquarium.at
view some of our pictures


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## kherman (Apr 7, 2003)

Surface area would suffice.



> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Birgit & Wolfgang:
> Do you mean surface area?
> ...


http://www.pbase.com/aquascaping/birgits_and_wolfgangs_55_gallon
[/QUOTE]

------------------------------
http://www.geocities.com/kfh227- go there and see my future fish section to see what I have planned for my next 100+ gallon tank.
Note: I havn't maintained the site lately.


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## Birgit & Wolfgang (Feb 5, 2003)

IÂ´d guess about 1/4 of your area should be enough to really suck up nutrients (as long as you have enough light and CO2)

www.naturaquarium.at
view some of our pictures


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I have updated this with Birgits pictures since her own WEB site has been taken down.

Robert
King admin
www.aquabotanic.com


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## imported_Svennovitch (Feb 1, 2003)

Robert,

has she (and Wolfgang) lost interest in the hobby? I always appreciated her posts and pictures very much.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I don't know, I doubt it, but I don't know.

Robert
King admin
www.aquabotanic.com


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## HOpe (Mar 12, 2004)

how to control hair algae in my riccia...


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

you can't


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## Josh Simonson (Feb 4, 2004)

Hair algae only grows in one of my tanks that doesn't get dosed with flourish and CO2. Try adding ferts and cutting down on iron (hair algae seems to like Fe).


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## Ben C (Apr 16, 2006)

Here's a quick question. I'm thinking of setting up another small tank (say 10g or so) and am interested in riccia. I can't afford to have pressurised CO2 (and don't have the time for DIY), in this small tank. I was thinking of using the injection system from my main tank while the riccia grows, then remove the CO2 when the riccia is as i want it. 
Would the riccia die off after removing the CO2 supply, or remain at the size and grow very slowly? 
I guess my question is :"can riccia _live_ without CO2?"

i don't need it to grow too huge. I was thinking of keeping it as the only plant in this new tank. what do you think?

thanks

BEN


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## imported_baj (Aug 5, 2004)

Dont mean to hijack the thread or ben's query:

I have a question for the riccia farmers out there, I got some off aquabid and its like little pieces, about half a centimeter long, how the heck do I grow these things?? Are they sold this way or did I get conned? Will they grow from this size at all, how long will it take to double its size? Right now I have them sandwiched between two mesh plates(from walmart) and have placed them floating on top my 10g high light high co2 tank.


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## Ben C (Apr 16, 2006)

don't know much about riccia, but am sure, from reading stuff about it, they'll be manageable lengths within no time. Light and CO2 seem to be the main things. 
I accidentally introduced some to my tank, caught up in a bunch of moss i bought. its now bigger than the moss!!


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## imported_baj (Aug 5, 2004)

Ok this is common knowledge but I'll add it just for kicks.... i tried two ways of growing the riccia, one was to sandwich them between two mats and float it on the surface and the other was to just throw a clump into a breeder net and float it. Needless to say, the one between the mats, because it is a thin layer is growing happily, the one rolled up in a ball inside the breeder net is pretty much gone. Moral of the story, thin the riccia out so they all get good light.


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