starting riccia

[Mister Ron]

Hi, I have just, redone my tank and have made my first attempt at setting up a riccia carpet, by sandwiching the riccia between some plastic griding. For the moment I have weighted the mats down with a couple of stones, My question is, should I allow the riccia mats to float at the surface for a week or so until they get started or, would they establish just aswell on the tank bottom. I have read somewhere that riccia should be floated freely on the tank surface to start it off, and I have also read somewhere that riccia should not be exposed to direct sunlight (does this apply to flurescents also). Please put me right.

I will be setting up a tank journal soon, my current setup is a juwel Rio 240, 4 * 54W T5 lamps, pressurised CO2, Laterite + Aqua Medic Terralit + top layer of fine black gravel, I will be dosing Aqua Medic Ferreal + spureal plant fertilizer weekly.

 

[CJ Castle]

Floating it on the waters surface will result in the riccia getting more light and thus, grow more quickly... Most people just buy very little at first and then grow it on in their tanks; cost can be kept down this way...

I've never heard of the 'keep riccia out of direct sunlight' rumour before... In nature, riccia grows in sunlight (as does any plant)...

 

[Mister Ron]

cheers for the reply , will let it float for a bit then... can't remeber where I read that, but seem to remeber thats where the word crystalwort comes from, to do with it crystallising effect in direct sunlight.... probably remebering wrong or got thewrong end of the stick though! :?

 

[James Flexton]

crystalwort comes from the effect you get when the submerged riccia produced oxygen bubbles on the tips. see pic below. it looks like a bed of crystals in your tank.

i will be writing a how-to riccia thread very soon so keep a look out. i could spend all day answering this post but cant right now. it will be up within the week i promise. not a bad start you've nothing to worry about. as a rule of thumb the more light the better.

 

[Mister Ron]

thanks for the response. since floating the grids on Friday, the Riccia has visibly grew to fill the grid and has begun to sprout through the holes. Definetly no ill effect!