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Best low tech carpetingplant


Redness
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I have use some moss in a small tank and I’m getting ready to set up a 55 gal to test that as a caperting plant just because of my failures with other ground cover.  I can grow most other plants but the fish I like to Leo tend to dig or push around the substrate. With the moss on a smal scale o have haas better luck.

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On 3/7/2022 at 4:11 PM, FrozenFins said:

Dwarf Sagittaria is one of my all time favorite plants

How long has the Sagittaria been in your tank? 

On 3/7/2022 at 4:17 PM, Brandon p said:

I have use some moss in a small tank and I’m getting ready to set up a 55 gal to test that as a caperting plant just because of my failures with other ground cover.  I can grow most other plants but the fish I like to Leo tend to dig or push around the substrate. With the moss on a smal scale o have haas better luck.

I haven't really tought about moss what type did you use? 

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Monte carlo is the plant I want to love, but I don't.  I find more often than not, it gets dislodged from where it is planted and ends up anchored to the substrate in one spot and the rest just kind of floating.  I guess it all depends on the animal life you plan to keep, but my shrimp and snails uproot it easily.  Very aggravating for my OCD lol.

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On 3/7/2022 at 6:33 PM, Martin said:

Monte carlo is the plant I want to love, but I don't.  I find more often than not, it gets dislodged from where it is planted and ends up anchored to the substrate in one spot and the rest just kind of floating.  I guess it all depends on the animal life you plan to keep, but my shrimp and snails uproot it easily.  Very aggravating for my OCD lol.

That would trigger my ocd aswell 😂 it's gonna be a grow out tank fir guppy and platy fry, and mabye ill ad shrimp in the future. Do you have any experience with s repens? 

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I love dwarf sag. It's an excellent carpeting plant. The one thing to watch out for with it is that you get the short variety. I believe it goes by the moniker " pusilus". The regular kind can get really tall. Other than  that it's an excellent t plant that doesn't require  CO2 ( Its like vallisneria in this way. Coincidentally it is also sensitive to excel like vallisneria as well). 

Edited by Expectorating_Aubergine
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On 3/7/2022 at 6:37 PM, Expectorating_Aubergine said:

I love dwarf sag. It's an excellent carpeting plant. The one thing to watch out for with it is that you get the short variety. I believe it goes by the moniker " pusilus". The regular kind can get really tall. Other than  that it's an excellent t plant that doesn't require  CO2 ( Its like vallisneria in this way. Coincidentally it is also sensitive to excel like vallisneria as well). 

I don't know if my LFS will have those but i can try to find those. Deffintley a good suggestion! 

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On 3/7/2022 at 10:17 AM, Brandon p said:

I have use some moss in a small tank and I’m getting ready to set up a 55 gal to test that as a caperting plant just because of my failures with other ground cover.

Would love to know how that works out for you - I've done the same in my nano tanks with a lot of success with foraged moss from my woods. I'm starting on 55s too and plant selection is something I'll be seeking input on. My dwarf hairgrass just hasn't done nearly as well in my low tech setups.

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On 3/7/2022 at 1:10 PM, Jawjagrrl said:

Would love to know how that works out for you - I've done the same in my nano tanks with a lot of success with foraged moss from my woods. I'm starting on 55s too and plant selection is something I'll be seeking input on. My dwarf hairgrass just hasn't done nearly as well in my low tech setups.

I’m going to start a Journal for it once  I get it going. It worked well in the 20 gallon. The main difference I have seen is in the 75 I use a sponge filter and canister. The moss there doesn’t move around or float but grows up more. In the 20 gallon I have a old school undergravel with some eco-complete one top then the moss. Than tank has the same moss I Actually took the moss in the 75 gallon from the 20 gallon. That moss grows lower and much tighter to the substrate. I trim some spots that get high in a spot or two but it looks much like a lawn. I have noticed in the 20 I have a bunch of gist shrimp and they seem to “tend” to it picking any Debris of. I will keep you posted

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On 3/7/2022 at 12:28 PM, Redness said:

How long has the Sagittaria been in your tank? 

I haven't really tought about moss what type did you use? 

DCDF5F9A-87DD-4427-81DF-A8AF6CBE6DD9.jpeg.44de0d0a4393f30df52a4169b6a5b246.jpegthat is what I started with after after 3 or four days the weeds in it pulled out with. I have a friend sending 3’by 6’ piece from Washington state. In my small test it seems that the ground moss does best a undergravel Filter. In a tank with out tilt I tends to grow up more and not out as much. 

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On 3/7/2022 at 8:30 AM, Redness said:

Hey guys, i will be aquascaping my 2nd tank soon, its a 25L (5 g) cube and i want to do an iwagumi scape. What carpeting plent should i use? There will be no Co2 and i wil use a superfish Qube LED 30. I was thinking of s repens, dwarf baby tears or monte carlo

I think the s. repens will be a tough one to carpet. You will have your hands in the tank a lot getting to stay low and carpet, thats assuming it would even grown well enough without Co2. I would second the possible moss idea. I've seen Java Moss on black wire mesh on black substrate and it looked very iwagumi. My vote would be monte carlo though, I think its demands match closer to what your looking for plus it will stay low and form a nice contrast to the sharp rock structures of that iwagumi look. 

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On 3/7/2022 at 7:38 PM, ScottieB said:

My vote would be monte carlo though, I think its demands match closer to what your looking for plus it will stay low and form a nice contrast to the sharp rock structures of that iwagumi look. 

Would shrimp dig up MC or would it be fine if so how many pots will i need? (Footprint 30cmx30cm)

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On 3/7/2022 at 12:41 PM, Redness said:

Would shrimp dig up MC or would it be fine if so how many pots will i need? (Footprint 30cmx30cm)

I cant see the shrimp digging it up but I do see them loving it! As for coverage, it depends on your budget and your patience. You could just put in 1, 2 or three? Then let them fill in, they spread by runners so you might consider root tabs to encourage growth. Would love to see the progress as it grows!

 

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On 3/7/2022 at 8:02 PM, Patrick_G said:

I've only tried Monte Carlo with dry start but it is growing well so far. There are a few little brown spots from when it converted to submerged growth but that's about it. 

3 gallon no filter or co2 with a budget clip light.

 

F29D2240-2A72-4380-A128-BCC4B5BA5C8D.jpeg

How long did it take for it to carpet like that? 

On 3/7/2022 at 8:05 PM, eatyourpeas said:

Pearl weed can work if you take the time to trim and replant. 🙃

Pearl weed is realy hard to find in my area for some reason so that will be difficult 

On 3/7/2022 at 8:03 PM, ScottieB said:

I cant see the shrimp digging it up but I do see them loving it! As for coverage, it depends on your budget and your patience. You could just put in 1, 2 or three? Then let them fill in, they spread by runners so you might consider root tabs to encourage growth. Would love to see the progress as it grows!

 

Okay i'm starting to lean more toword MC if i use it i will get 3 pots i think 

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On 3/7/2022 at 12:02 PM, Patrick_G said:

I've only tried Monte Carlo with dry start but it is growing well so far. There are a few little brown spots from when it converted to submerged growth but that's about it. 

3 gallon no filter or co2 with a budget clip light.

 

F29D2240-2A72-4380-A128-BCC4B5BA5C8D.jpeg

What temperature do you keep this tank at?

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