Riccia Fluitans (Crystalwort)

[phin]

I picked up a pot of Riccia Fluitans (or what I believe to be) from Petco a couple days ago. I was looking for a foreground plant to hopefully spread into a small carpet in a front corner of my tank. I wasn't sure what I was buying, there was no tag in the pot. I assumed what I was buying had a root system since it was in a typical plastic pot with rockwool.

When I got home and removed the rockwool, there were no roots, just a continuation of the plant that lost its green color where it was buried. Nothing was rotting away, so I figured it ok to plant.

I planted the bunch in a front corner of my tank, under some pretty direct light. The top of the plant is about 18" below the surface. Its been planted for about 2 days now. Nothing has come up and floated away and it looks to be doing ok initially. I've looked up what I purchased and it appears to be Riccia. I've read this is a floating plant. Will this plant live, planted this deep?

It is planted in flourite, supplement with root tabs, excel, diy CO2, & FlorinMulti. Lights are 1x10w 6500K CFL, 1x13w 6500K CFL, 1x15w 5000k T8 ZooMed FloraSun. Tank is 18 gallon tall (20"x10"x20").

Any chance it will grow out over the substrate and create a carpet, or will it just grow up toward the surface?

 

[bud29]

Due to the lighting level and the height of your tank, my guess is that it would mainly just grow towards the surface. To get a good carpeting effect you need high light + co2. You do have co2, which is good, but I wouldn't call your lighting "high light," especially when taking into consideration the height of the tank.

 

[aqua_chem]

It won't root. Ever. It's a floating plant, not an epiphyte like moss or ferns. In fact, you can tie it down to a rock or something and if you don't keep it trimmed, it will eventually come off in sheet, or worse, buoy up if its attached to something light like a mesh.

 

[phin]

It won't root. Ever. It's a floating plant, not an epiphyte like moss or ferns. In fact, you can tie it down to a rock or something and if you don't keep it trimmed, it will eventually come off in sheet, or worse, buoy up if its attached to something light like a mesh.

Thanks. I'll let it float up then when it does. Maybe I'll be able to trade it for something at a later date. I ended up paying something like $2.80 for it, so no matter.