• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Riccia and Java moss carpets. Step-by-Step guide

First class tutorial, just what I needed to guide me through a moss carpet in my latest setup!
 
I followed this thread on TFF, and recently bought some Riccia and had it resting in the top of the tank for a couple of weeks in its airline pen! I am amazed at the rate in which it has multiplied! 😀

I really like the idea of using mesh as below:
LondonDragon said:
pict3320ki1.jpg
Click to expand...

I have a small colony of cherry shrimp living in it at the moment, and If all that is needed is to put some under the mesh, and wait for it to grow this will disturb the shrimp much less.

My question is regarding the mesh itself. It appears that LondonDragon has used a mesh that is wire based rather than the punched and stretched sheet that you usually see for car modifications etc.. I much prefer the wire mesh as it will have less sharp edges, and frankly looks better, even if it wont be seen for long. If I cant find any wire mesh, could I safely go for the punched sheet kind, even if only in the short term? Does it need to have a finish on it like powder coating or anything?

Thanks in advance

Chris
 
cheebs said:
My question is regarding the mesh itself. It appears that LondonDragon has used a mesh that is wire based rather than the punched and stretched sheet that you usually see for car modifications etc.. I much prefer the wire mesh as it will have less sharp edges, and frankly looks better, even if it wont be seen for long. If I cant find any wire mesh, could I safely go for the punched sheet kind, even if only in the short term? Does it need to have a finish on it like powder coating or anything?
Click to expand...

Hi Chris, this is the mesh I used for my tank: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wire-Mesh-Secure- ... 4ceb858874

You just have to ensure that the mesh you used does not corrode under water, if it does it will definitely kill your mosses and maybe even your inverts.

Have a look here also, they do more sizes on the site: http://themeshcompany.com/acatalog/Stai ... heets.html

Look for 316 stainless steel which as superior corrosion resistance than the most common 304.

Hope that helps 🙂
 
Ahh! Its stainless 😀 That makes more sense than Aluminium.

Many thanks for the links. I have ordered some from the mesh company, some #8, and some #10. Not sure which is best, but they do buy 2 and get one free at the moment, which is much much cheaper for the amount than the ebay link.
 
Cool just make sure its 316, email them before they ship it to ensure you have the right type.
 
Thanks mate :thumbup: I have just done as you suggested. I'll post back when I hear from them. I am guessing that it might be 304 since they didn't mention it in the description.
 
Brilliant and may have saved me some grief, I thought I could grow Riccia straight onto my substrate and it would spread across the whole floor of the tank!

Is there anything that will form a carpet across the substrate?
 
thanks that was really helpfull , much prefer to use the moss as it doesnt all float away , or my shrimp stand there of 20 mins after i put it in and deside to pull it all out of the netting ive just covered it in 🙁
 
edmills said:
i keep failing with riccia, attempting to make it grow through mesh hasnt worked twice now and i have very high light and co2. ah well
Click to expand...
Don't squash the riccia too much or it will just melt away, leave it a little loose, also make sure the gaps are big enough for it to grow out off. You can always attach the riccia on top of the mesh using fishing line or cotton thread and eliminate that problem all together, but yes it does need quite a bit of light and CO2 to grow at a nice pace, riccia should be a weed 😉
 
I know the moss softens the outline in time but would it not look better in the meantime if the stainless gauze had the corners cut into a more rounded shape?
 
Aqua sobriquet said:
I know the moss softens the outline in time but would it not look better in the meantime if the stainless gauze had the corners cut into a more rounded shape?
Click to expand...

Hey,
well it depends, if your using one then you could cut a circle!
But I cut them square, once they grow in you wont be able to see, when you pit 4 together to make a Mahuuusive carpet. That you can move and change how you like 😉

Regards,
 
Fantastic tutorial I shall try to use this later on, got a nice little 5 nano tank I'm wanting to make into a cherry shrimp tank I'm sure they'll love nibbling around for food bits in the carpet. This is quite nice!!! ^_^ Btw would you think Willow moss would make a better wall then java moss?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top