Step By Step Guide - Riccia And Java Moss

[jimbooo]

yes it will work fine. use a hairnet, lay all your riccia in a thin layer over the pot/cave etc.. (this is tricky and you will blaspheme rather frequently). then pull the hairnet over the top and secure at the base with a rubber band. in a week or so the riccia will grow over the net concealing it.

VERY IMPORTANT: trim all the excess netting from the bottom, below the band. you dont want an inquisitive fish entering your new "super cave" just for it to get snarled up in a net. you will hate yourself for it as well so be very thouough in removing any loose netting.

the central riccia mound in this pic is a coconut cave covered in riccia with the above method. (obviously a black rubber band would have been better!)

 

[Luketendo]

I shall have a go at this when I redo my 65L.

 

[DJC1]

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That looks really nice, but can I just ask how you go about things like cleaning the gravel, and large water changes with so many plants in there.I'd eventually like my tank to be heavily planted, but I just wonder about the practicalities of general maintenance?

 

[jimbooo]

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That looks really nice, but can I just ask how you go about things like cleaning the gravel, and large water changes with so many plants in there.I'd eventually like my tank to be heavily planted, but I just wonder about the practicalities of general maintenance?

Hi There, I understand your frustration as i once thought the same. what you have to understand is with a heavily planted tank the plants are constantly stripping the water of pollutants (which we actually refer to as nutrients). i actually add nitrate and phosphate to the tank on a daily basis. so the fact that there may be a little detritus rotting in the substrate is not a bad thing. once a month i will move the moveable objects (cave, fern on wood, anubias on wood etc.) and hover up under them and give the gravel a poke. Any thing with decent roots like swords, lilies and carpeting plants will not need to be disturbed just waft the gravel vac over the top and it sucks out the major bits. Riccia is not a problem either as the tiny bits fall through and vanish pretty quickly and any big poops etc sit on the top and are easily sucked up by the vac.

dont be detered by that and give it a try, you wont look back.

 

[jimbooo]

i just noticed this thread has passed the 25000 views stage. OMG i had no idea so many people were interested in riccia/moss carpets lol.

 

[Biulu]

For some reason I am not able to see the pictures. Does somebody else have the same problem?

Edit: Sorry! Just been too hasty! It took a while to have them all displayed!

 

[scotslasszoe]

Well this post is fab!!!!!.

I am off to my Local garden centre and LPS 2moro going for Java moss and slate.


Will post pics when i have it mastered lol

Zoe

P.S has took about 30mins to read through this whole forum post

 

[mavwali]

thats a lot of effort.. I really appreciate

 

[fish-aholic]

I am looking at doing this. Any updates?

 

[jimbooo]

hi there, not really any updates. i no longer use riccia (this thread is over 2 yrs old!) as i got bored with it and wanted to try other things. the original post has been edited a few times to add additional information so it's pretty much complete.

if there are any questions you have that are not covered in the first few pages just ask and i will do mu best to answer.

James

 

[jimbooo]

edited original post with warning message.

 

[bradbury1982]

Great guide going to try it when i get mine, thanks xx

 

[lisa_perry75]

I bought too much moss! I bought loads for Galaxy rasboras now I want to do something with them so thanks for this!

 

[keith00]

Hi,

I have just rescaped my 6' tank and decided to have a Java moss lawn with humps.

What do you think?

 

[krismcewan]

I couldnt get the Java moss to stick to anything.
I had to basically poke it through holes in my Bogwood and hope for the best.

I tried to tie it down to some stones but the cotton thread just disintegrated after a couple of days.

i love the idea of the lawn looking bit but im becoming disalusioned with the stuff as its clogging up the stems of my other plants now.