# growing riccia (expanding it)



## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

UF_gator said:


> This might be a dumb question, but i just purcahsed a 3" x 3" riccia sp. Japanese and now wondering how to get it larger? I'm planning to try to get a carpet in my 20L (lol i know it'll take a while). Do i let it float so it can expand and get bigger so i can chop it up and then tie it town to rocks? or do i submurge it and let it grow and then somehow divied it up once it gets bigger? I'm kinda confused on how it grows, i know it doesn't root into things thats for sure. and should i be putting any fertz in the water and what kind? i know execel will kill it. lol
> 
> Thanks in ahead. :fish:


Ferts won't kill it but most find Excel will cause it to melt. You let it float and it will form a dense mass as it continues to grow. Once you have enough mass, take it and tie it down to some stones the way described here.
http://www.projectaquarium.com/plantedAquariumArticles_SecureDwarfRiccia.aspx

You can arrange the stones in your tank as you see fit and you will still have to trim the riccia.


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## UF_gator (May 28, 2008)

should i have co2 injected into the tank too even though its floating? for the bottom side of the plant.

thanks homer.


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## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

UF_gator said:


> should i have co2 injected into the tank too even though its floating? for the bottom side of the plant.
> 
> thanks homer.



In one tank that I have it in (2nd link in my signature) I have one 2 litre bottle of DIY where I change the brew every two weeks. Lighting is with 2 compact fluorescent light bulbs 6500 k(total 46 watts, 23 watts each bulb). The riccia floating takes over the tank's entire surface in one week and forms mats. Tied down it grows more slowly and it takes about 2 weeks after it is tied down to see it expand with new growth. The growth tends to be sparse. My guess is that if I had pressurized c02 in this tank and had no other plants in the tank to block light from the surface, the riccia would grow like crazy even if tied down. It will grow without c02 injection and even lower light levels. but in my experience it will grow much...much slower and won't expand enough whether floating or tied down on to rocks to make your aquascape look good. It will grow really sparse in such conditions.


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## Honorable24 (Nov 16, 2008)

I also have a question about riccia, I want to cover the whole ground with it but I don't have a piece of slate that big. If it spreads wouldn't it just float up


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## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

Honorable24 said:


> ...If it spreads wouldn't it just float up


Yes, unfortunately, there is no way to keep it down indefinitely. Some will always float to the top. Some people just keep tieing it down again over time as it floats to the top. Also, as the individual strands grow long and dense if tied to rock(assuming you have really 3 watts + per gallon and pressurized c02) you will have to trim it, otherwise the riccia below the longer strands will die and foul up your water. The only way to avoid it dieing like that is to leave it floating and thin it out. Most people find this unappealing so won't do it.


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## UF_gator (May 28, 2008)

i think i'm having problems with my riccia, its starting to fall apart? and the size of it is shrinking. it is very delicate now. How should i fix this problem? start dosing? change my lighting period? right now its set to 5 hours of 55wat light floating.


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## Kaylee Skylyn (Oct 17, 2005)

Do you have any CO2?
I found mine just barely survived (or shrunk) unless I had CO2 added (it did well on both DIY and Canister). If you add macro ferts it will also speed up the growth but I found riccia does ok even without ferts as long as it has some CO2.
5 hours light should be enough to keep it going but I have my lights on for 8 hours...never tried for 5 so don't have experience that way.


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## UF_gator (May 28, 2008)

thanks, no i got a DIY co2 but never had a chance to put it due to massive exams n stuff. but i'm going to try to get that started now and put some fertz in i'm sad its all falling apart. lol


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## SleepySin (Mar 2, 2009)

My riccia is now in the cherry shrimp tank (it wasn't doing well at all in the 30g), sandwiched between two plastic craft grids and then shaped into a bridge. After about a month and a half, it has finally started growing out through the grid and is almost a centimeter high. This tank has no CO2, but it does have 18W for 10 hours a day in a 2.5g.

Been thinking of hooking up a CO2 DIY system to this tank but.. it's a 2.5g and I dunno if it's worth it.


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