dwarf hairgrass in gravel

[CT_]

I'm getting ready to give up on my montecarlo and am considering dwarf hairgrass.

I have a gravel substrate with most pebbles being roughly 3-5mm across.  From what I've read dwarf hairgrass likes sand and soil with lots of nutrients, which doesn't sound like a good fit.  Is it that much harder to grow in gravel?  would root tabs help?  should I root tab closer than every 6" in this case?

 

Also will it really carpet like the photos if I'm a mere mortal aqua-scaper?  I've only seen photos of insane lush carpets and day 1 planting online.

 

I've got medium light, ph 7.8 gh7 kh4, low nitrogen and phosphate that I'm still working on getting higher.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I tried dwarf grass in my gravel (granted a bit larger than typical but I had plant substrate underneath) it all died in less than a month- caveat for me is that I run a low tech tank and only use root tabs on occasion. My research on it later advised that it's one of the harder carpeting plants. In my new tank I've gone to clover.

Edited April 4, 2021 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[CT_]

1 hour ago, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

I tried dwarf grass in my gravel (granted a bit larger than typical but I had plant substrate underneath) it all died in less than a month- caveat for me is that I run a low tech tank and only use root tabs on occasion. My research on it later advised that it's one of the harder carpeting plants. In my new tank I've gone to clover.

Thanks.  I actually got a chance to sneak out to aco today for some fish and the employee talked me out of it.

 

Can you elaborate on clover.  I'm not sure I've heard of an aquarium clover. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Ah, so my research was legit if they talked you out of it too for your set up. I recently ordered Hydrocotyle Tripartita aka Japan Clover in a 5x3 mat. The seller says it's easy care, no co2 required, moderate lighting, fast growth. It's been in my new aquarium for 5 days and I already see runners. Looks like tiny clovers. (disregard the sorely misplaced narrow java, it's been attached to a piece of driftwood since this pic)

Edited April 4, 2021 by xXInkedPhoenixX
to clarify a plant thing, and I hate typos but make them

[Will Billy]

I noticed this thread and wondered are there any other carpeting plants that can grow in inert gravel substrate? 

[CT_]

This is the 64k$ question.  After talking to the ACO employee and lots of googling it sounds like it is a tough thing to do without CO2, which I don't want to deal with right now.  It sounds like the small crypts can work but they grow really slow and you'd have to plant a lot of them. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@CT_ @Will Billy ...that was the issue I was running into wanting to have a low tech tank. Seemed that most carpeting plants did require a lot of things I could not do. I feel like the clover is going to work for me because it puts out runners. I've done hours and hours of research- but there's always another expert out there that has better ideas. I was hoping to see someone else post here that has luck with similar restraints.