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Riccia - anyone want some?


DubbieBoy

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Hi Group,

I've been using (floating) Riccia as an algae preventer to good effect, the theory being that it grows so damn fast (under high light, with CO2 and plentiful ferts) that it effectively consumes any of the 'algae triggering' nutrients (such as NH4) as fast as they are produced, leaving the higher order plants to flourish using the standard ferts. There's no doubt that the most effective algicide is fast growing competition, as the algae just don't get a chance to take hold. And its a beautiful colour, especially when frothing with oxygen bubbles. The fish seem to appreciate the extra cover too which softens the otherwise harsh overhead lighting.

The upshot of this approach is that I'm removing handfuls of the stuff every week to ten days when the floating carpet gets too thick and starts to cut down the light penetration. So I remove 50% and let it go again. Rather than continue to toss it on the compost, I though I'd offer it out to anyone, particularly folks with good lighting but a persistant algae problem, to try (and its absolutely duckweed-free...).

Of course if anyone would like to trade for some other plants that's always good too...

- Dubb.

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OOOOOOOO I would love some! Just done a search to see what it looked like and it would go awesome in my guppy tank to help save the babies from the big adult mouths!! :o :lol:

I know you said floating but is it able to be submerged and attached to driftwood?? or rocks??

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First come, first served etc...

Bear in mind that it does need good light to really take off. I will try and meet any requests but if I send any at all I'd rather send a decent sized lump as its more likely to take hold than a piddly little piece so if I get a lot of folks interested then it might take a week or two to bulk it up sufficiently.

PENEJANE,

Yes, its possible to grow submerged attached to rocks by tying it down with fishing line etc... but IMHO that's more trouble than its worth as this plant is a natural floater, it doesn't attach readily like Java Moss does. It would be fiddly and high maintenance but you could certainly give it a go. As a refuge for baby guppies, Java Moss is probably a better option, plus its virtually indestructable.

PM me your address and I'll get some down to you, got Java Moss too if you'd like...

Hummingbird

Happy to post if you PM me your details; you can 'pay it forward' when your own batch gets going :wink:

And you Diver; just let me know where to send it.

- Dubb.

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Hi PeneJane,

Yep, got your details. I held off mailing until today to minimise the time it would have to spend sitting around in a mailroom over the long weekend. You should see it Thursday or Friday I guess... (Ditto Hummingbird & DiverJohn :D)

Neill, MicB and Matt - Will send yours on this time next week? Anyone else the week after...

Steve and Matt - Can you PM me your details please?

Hooray for Tuesdays :roll:

- Dubb.

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John recieved ours yesterday and I picked up mine off him today, all I can say is wow! There's a lot more than I expected, thanks again Dubbie!

I've currently got mine soaking in a container with copper sulfate (snail killer) because there were quite a few stowaways on it, as you mentioned in your note.

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Hi Dubbie :)

As you can see from Eric reply ours arrived safe and sound. Was a bugger to open the container, but then i took the tape off! :oops:

Thanks very much if it grow like you say I will have some to pass on in no time :D

Maybe we should organise a plant exchange like the marine guys exchange bits of coral??

John.

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Good to know everything arrived intact and hopefully didn't leak too much... I shall try and get to everyone else in the coming weeks.

I think a Plant Exchange would be a wonderful resource if anyone would care to take it on. Maybe some sort of central register of individuals who have particular plants that do well in their tanks and would be willing to send small amounts out on occasion; it doesn't take much - its availability of different (named) varieties that's the problem. The shops, at least down here, don't generally have much and tend to re-stock the same stuff; and even then they rarely know what they've actually got.

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