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Step By Step Guide - Riccia And Java Moss

Hello, this is the most helpful thing ive read for planting java moss. I am interested in planting some in my 20 gallon 2 kribs 4 rummy nose tetras 3 zebras and a pleco aquarium. However its breeding time and there rae fresh fry in therte so i have some time to research. I have an aquaclear 30 for 20-30 gallon aquariums and an undergravel filter connected to a powerhead for 10-30 gallon aquariums. My light fixture says to only put 15 watt bulbs in there. Any reccomendqations for me before i try this out?
 
Hi there Murray,

I'm glad you found my thread usefull.
In theory a java moss carpet should grow okay in your tank as it is. your light is around 1.3WPG (the cube tank at the beginning of this thread where i grew my java moss carpet is also 1.3WPG but bearing in mind it's 2 foot deep my tank has less light reaching the java moss than you will have). the only concern i would have is the under gravel filter. the java moss carpet is attached to slate. if you were to do a big carpet then the slate would interrupt the water flow through the gravel. Also bear in mind that UGF's are far from ideal in a planted tank if you were to try and grow stem plants or anything that is actually rooted in the substrate. Because of the nature of the filters flow you will be pulling all the nutrients out from the base of the substrate which is actually where they need to be in order for the plant roots to get at them! if you are just growing a java moss carpet on a small section of the substrate using a slate tile then it should be fine so give it a try. (your fry will benefit from the addition of Java moss anyway as they hide in it. If i were you i'd chuck a loose clump in now and let it grow for when you do the carpet.)

hope that helps...

James
 
Thanks so much...but im less tahn 1.3 wpg i have a 15 watt light and a 20 gallon tank :( and after the java moss has rooted itself on the rock or whatever it does can u cut the strings? cause i waanted to java moss the top of a coconut shell half, and the only way to secure the java moss on top is to tie it aroudn and udnerneath leavig it hard for the kribs to dig down casue of the string. can i cut it after a while or?
 
oops got the numbers the wrong way around in my calculations. it may still work though.

better option for the coconut shell - cut it so the bottom (open end) is jagged. use a hairnet to hold the moss in place and pull tight over the jagged edge. the mesh hairnet will catch on the jagged bits and you can cut off the baggy excess leaving the fishies free to swim in and out of the cave without being snagged. make sure it's tight to the shell though, a net floating about with fish is never a good combination!

hope that helps
 
Thanks alot jimboo ill be sure to ask if i have any other problems or difficulties. Your the moss master. And i looked at all your tnaks and they are beautiful works of art. I can only dream of having soemething like that but i cant afford to invest the money or time right now into the planted community. BUt at least i can admire yours!
 
thanks murray. the money isn't an ongoing factor. as far as running costs are concerned it's under £100 a year. You do obviously have the initial layout to consider what with the additional lighting, co2 injection and plant costs which can er add up a bit (i spent £100 on plants for my 12G. i have no idea of the plant costs for my 180 but it's a lot though). Thanks for the compliments. i hope your moss goes to plan..
 
Hi all,

This is my first attempt at riccia, which I think is the dwarf variety (first page pic of the two is great, but impossible to tell which one you have when you only have one variety in front of you! (Maybe a pic with a scale! :nod: )

It is mounted on a piece of sandstone with loofer netting (Great suggestion, you get miles of it for a couple of $$!!)

I found the easiest way to get an even spread of riccia on the surface was to:
1. Put enough riccia into a bucket of water so that it forms a 1cm thick layer, then
2. Sink the surface you want to cover, let the riccia settle so that the thickness is even, then
3. Reach in and slowly pull the surface out vertically to give a nice even coat!

Any problems with what I have done?

p1020444ps5.jpg
 
Dont think so, looks good, should give you an excellent riccia ball :)

Sam
 
i was wondering if a bathroom pouf would work as well as the hairnet, and there is NO LFS near me that has Riccia, i've been looking for a long while, i was wondering if someone could ship me some if possible. thank you.
 
hi there, i would but it wouldn't make the journey across the water lol (and there's laws against that sort of thing). hopefully a member from your end of the world will reply but your more likley to find someone offering it in the plant swop forum. failing that do you not have any web based plant companies in the US?

as to a bathroom pouf, maybe although i dont know if they are treated with anything. personally i think a hairnet would be better due to the very thin mesh. once the riccia grows you cant see the net at all. i think a pouf would have a thicker mesh and still show through.
 
Dave1 said:
i was wondering if a bathroom pouf would work as well as the hairnet, and there is NO LFS near me that has Riccia, i've been looking for a long while, i was wondering if someone could ship me some if possible. thank you.
Click to expand...


well if u want i know people who could sell you some but shipping is 4.05 for priority shipping
 
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