# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Riccia Fluitans, Techniques of Anchoring



## Barfly (Nov 2, 2003)

How do you guys anchor your riccias? Some of the bushes i've seen in your pics are incredible.

I'd like to know to what you can anchor them and with what kinda nets. 

Like i read somewhere someone used hair nets and coconut shells?

Thanks!!


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

This recent thread might help
http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/groupee/forums?a=tpc&s=4006090712&f=6606090712&m=7356024174

Hair nets and riverrock/slate


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## Barfly (Nov 2, 2003)

Hair nets on rocks? did you say that you can use a hair net a few times like as in for a few rocks? wouldn't the riccia float away if you remove the net?

May the pearls be with your Riccias'.

erm... could you tell me what this line means?
"30g, 2wpg (NO Fluorescent), 90% Flourite, DIY CO2, HOB"


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## Purpleamazon (Jul 23, 2003)

Great topic. When I have used hairnet in the past to attach riccia to rocks, I have had problems with my bottom dwellers getting caught in the netting. A warning about plecos, clown loaches and corries -- you cold end up losing them if they work their way into the net. I was fortunate enough to find my clown before it was too late, but he was pretty cut up from the struggle to free himself. I would never use it again in tanks with bottom swellers.

AKA: Aquanut at www.aquaden.com


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## Bremer (Feb 3, 2003)

Agree about the hairnet problem. My bristlenose pleco got caught in one a few months ago. Luckily I was able to free it and there have been no obvious long-term effects.

But I now use metal weights to secure my riccia. I think it was Birgit who had a thread on a message board a few months back explaining the idea. It is unbelievably effective...but I can't find the thread anymore. Basically, you take a piece of metal and make a flat spiral with it (I leave about a 1/4 inch gap between the metal) and place it on top of a bunch of riccia. The riccia grows up through the metal.

I think Birgit used stainless steel, but I couldn't find that, so I use metal coathangers. If I can find the old thread or a picture, I'll post it.


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## Lukara (Feb 14, 2003)

Isn't metal a no no in an aquarium?

50 gal planted tank, pressurized CO2, 3.2 wpg, gravel/Terralit 60/40 substrate, Hagen 304 Fluval filter, Tetratec UV 5watts, GH=3,KH=6,PH=6.9


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## George Willms (Jul 28, 2004)

The more reactive metals are a no-no. Metals such as stainless steel and titanium, or silver and gold are non-reactive so would be fine.

George

5.5: mid-tech and maintenance, 29: high-tech, mid maintenance, 45 high: low-tech, low maintenance.

More complete tank specs in profile


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## Jason Hight (Oct 15, 2003)

this might help a little bit, though it really has already been covered...sorta 
http://www.aquabotanic.com/ricciaarticle.html


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## Momotaro (Feb 17, 2004)

I use stainless steel to anchor Riccia with no problem at all.

I was thinking about switching to gold, but I don't want to seem pretentious.









Mike


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## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

Bremer was right.

We had big thread on this in the old archives. Birgit came up with a simple solution using the stainless steel wire. Just create a small circle with the wire and bend it into ever expanding circles with the 1/4" gap. The end result will take 6-8 revolutions and should be 2-3". Then just put it on the bottom with a rock or two. It will grow up through the gaps and can be trimmed as necessary.

The stainless steel wire was hard to find but it was available online.

*James Hoftiezer
Hoftiezer.Net - Journals and Libraries
Rate My Tank!!

Tank Journal - Aquascape ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))
Tank Journal - Parts and Construction ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))*


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## Barfly (Nov 2, 2003)

Will aluminium do? it's not very reactive issit? what's the worry here?

Thanks guys, that's a very good idea. but James, you said something bout putting the spiral and a rock? i thought it was just spiral on riccia full-stop??

May the pearls be with your Riccias'.


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## Bremer (Feb 3, 2003)

You could use a rock too, but I just use the metal spiral.

I don't know if aluminum is reactive. My big concern would be that it isn't heavy enough. Even with the stainless steel, the riccia will eventually grow enough to float the whole mass, steel and all, unless it is pruned. It's kinda funny actually...if I haven't pruned it recently, the riccia will start to pearl a few hours after lights-on and the riccia will kinda float 2 inches above the substrate. It will sink again after the lights go out and the bubbles go away.


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

I have been using 1 1/2 or 2 -inch stainless steel cotter pins (available at Home Depot) to weight riccia. It can even be used on steep slopes by opening the cotter pin to 90 degrees and sticking one end straight down into the substrate with the other end over the riccia. That "nails" the riccia down.

The riccia matts have to be trimmed to keep them from floating. I think even with trimming they eventually break free and have to be subdued again.

Roger Miller

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_"The indispensible first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want" -- Ben Stein_


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## imported_Mario (Jul 14, 2003)

Roger, what diameter are the cotter pins you are using? I saw there is a whole assortment of them out there. I would assume that the ones with bigger diameter are better suited... but then, they are also harder to bend into shape, right?

Could you let me know what has worked for you?


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

Mario,

They were 3/16" diameter. Yes, heavier pins are harder to bend, but I didn't try bending them into a spiral. I just opened a couple out to 90 degrees to pin down some riccia on slopes. The others were all used as-is.

Roger Miller

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_"The indispensible first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want" -- Ben Stein_


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## Barfly (Nov 2, 2003)

Pardon me, but what is a cotter pin? I'm thinking i may have seen it, but i'm not sure. it may be called by a different name from where i hail from. =)

May the pearls be with your Riccias'.


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

I think a cotter pin might also be called a "split pin." It is a kind of fastener used in machinery.










The photo is from http://mscfasteners.com/hardware/page12a.html . This isn't an endorsement of that company, just a reference.

Roger Miller

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_"The indispensible first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want" -- Ben Stein_


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## Barfly (Nov 2, 2003)

Got it, thanks!!

I've seen this before, it's meant to hold things in place isn't it. Thanks again anyhow.

May the pearls be with your Riccias'.


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## imported_Creature (Feb 6, 2003)

In looking through Amano's first book for aquascaping ideas, he describes the sprinkling some of the substrate onto the Riccia mass to keep it down until it loses its bouyancy. This prompted me to purchase the only two 2 oz. tubs at my LFS that they have received in a long time. Must be hard to get, because I paid $12.99 EACH! (For a total of about 2 tablespoons of this stuff)

Has anyone experienced Riccia losing its capacity to float?


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

Under dim light riccia will grow in a dark green, sinking form. I think most people would say that it is not as attractive as the floating form. The sinking variety can be a nuisance.

When I set up my 150 I also bought a little riccia. I think the seller must have scraped the bottom of the barrel to get what he sold me. It contained a lot of miscellaneous plant debris, including at least one Aponogeton seed (it sprouted) and a load of Utricularia gibba and algae.

For a couple weeks I tried to pick out the algae and utricularia, then got fed up and threw it all away. Over a period of a few weeks I netted out all the riccia and utricularia scraps I could find. Apparently I missed a riccia molecule somewhere. Months later I found a dark green moss-like mass of sinking riccia growing at the shaded base of my Crypt. balansae stand. I put it in better light and it started growing into the light green, floating variety. It is the same riccia that about three months later I photographed in the "Days Work" thread.

Roger Miller

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_"The indispensible first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want" -- Ben Stein_


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## imported_Zhima (Oct 9, 2003)

Roger, are u sure those are not Monosolenium tenerum? Coz they are sinking, look like raccia, and are darker in color too.
















Zhima


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## imported_Art_Giacosa (Nov 29, 2003)

Folks,

Riccia is a floating plant that does not form roots or otherise anchor itself to a surface. Consequently, it must be held down in some way.

Amano sells flat slate stones for this purpose. You place the riccia on the stone and wrap it with monofilament line (Riccia Line). The riccia will grow and the monofilament will not be visible.

Before this technique, Amano would use hairgrass planted between the riccia and tie the blades of grass together to form a net over the riccia. I've tried this but found it to be difficult to achieve the result you get with the flat slate.

Riccia may lose its bouyancy after a long time submersed. It has never done this for me.

Regards,

Art


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

Zhima,

No, it isn't monoselenium. It converts between the common floating form and the dark, sinking form depending on the amount of light it has.

I can take sinking riccia from one tank, put it in a brighter tank and the floating form will develop. Conversely, I can start with the floating form, trap it in a shaded part of a tank and the sinking form will develop.

Roger Miller

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_"The indispensible first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want" -- Ben Stein_


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## loyang5021 (Oct 15, 2003)

the best method i've tried in the last couple of years is to use panty hose ( balck netting type) . its made of nylon and very easy to stretch or wrap around lava rocks or pieces of wood . make sure you use the netting type or alternatively you can use dental floss to tie your plants to rocks or drift wood . dental floss [ again being made of nylon ] is soft and will not rot and you can cut it off once you plants are attached to the rock or wood. 
hope you try it and left me know how you fare .


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## PiKapp382 (Jun 8, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Barfly:
> erm... could you tell me what this line means?
> "30g, 2wpg (NO Fluorescent), 90% Flourite, DIY CO2, HOB"


30 *g*allon tank, with 2 *w*atts of light *p*er *g*allon, coming by way of *no*rmal flourescent bulbs. Substrate is 90% flourite, the other 10% I can only guess...sand, peat, or just regular old pea gravel. CO2 is generated using a *d*o-*i*t-*y*ourself method, likely a 2-liter bottle, some yeast, sugar, and water, and some sort of reactor/bubble counter. The filter is your garden variety *h*ang-*o*n-the-*b*ack-of-the-tank type.

See, wasn't the first line easier?


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## mm12463 (Mar 5, 2004)

I found this link that shows a pretty neat way to weight riccia down. I believe this technique has been discussed somewhere but there are some nice pictures.

http://www.buckmanshome.com/ricciafluitans.html

Mike
http://fish.silver-fox.us


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## imported_Zhima (Oct 9, 2003)

> Before this technique, Amano would use hairgrass planted between the riccia and tie the blades of grass together to form a net over the riccia. I've tried this but found it to be difficult to achieve the result you get with the flat slate.


Tie the blade ends of grass?! but they're so short and thin! It must be a lot of work making knots with hairgrass. Do you really mean it? So you would tie them together before you plant them, or plant the grass, then tie them? I assume the first one would be easier, but not by too much.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I love it when someone reserects an old thread! I am with you Zhima, I don't see how someone could tie hairgrass strands together. I always presumed what Amano was talking about was layering the hairgrass with the Riccia in some way.


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