Good carpeting plants?

Cheeseybacon · 03-05-2005, 11:00 PM

What plants make good low growing, carpeting-type plants? I know about Java moss, but I'm most interested in stuff that has a grassy type appearance and will spread on it's own fairly easily.

Wasserpest · 03-05-2005, 11:13 PM

Java moss isn't a good "carpeting plant". It's a dirt collector!

What is you light level? This will determine what plants you can successfully grow.

Cheeseybacon · 03-05-2005, 11:25 PM

Huh, I always thought Java moss was a good carpeting plant, seeing as how people have it covering their rocks and such. Oh well.

Anywho, I have two 15-watt bulbs on a 10 gallon tank, so I guess that means I have a total 3 watts per gallon, right?

Wasserpest · 03-06-2005, 12:42 AM

Yep, if you're adding CO2 and some nutrients you should be able to get some carpeting going.

Glossostigma elatinoides Glosso is very low growing

Hemianthus micranthemoides Pearlweed needs a regular haircuts

Eleocharis acicularis Hairgrass is another option

Riccia fluitans is a floating plant that can be held down with weights or netted to rocks

Cryptocoryne parva is a small crypt and a slow grower

Other plants are used as carpet in larger tanks, but aren't that compact to be used for a 10 gal tank. Ex Echinodorus tennellus or Sagittaria subulata.

Opiesilver · 03-06-2005, 04:09 AM

Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae is another good one.

locus · 03-06-2005, 04:26 AM

If you can find any Elatine sp. (most probably E. triandra), that is also a good choice & will tolerate a very wide range of conditions.

I grow a similar plant, Elatine gratioloides, with an 11 watt PC light over a 7 gallon cube and find it very undemanding at lower light levels.

Azimuth · 03-06-2005, 04:35 AM

I picked up some glossostigma about a week ago for my foreground. In the first week I have 3 long runners spreading from the original. If you have Co2 and at least 2.5 W/gallon I would suggest giving it a try.

**AaronT** · 03-06-2005, 07:32 PM

Also, harder to find is Ranalisma rostrata. It's takes a bit to get going, but once it does it takes off. It looks like dwarf sag only smaller...dwarf dwarf sag you might say.

If you decide on hairgrass I would suggest the parvulus species over the acicularis species. It stays about 2-3" tall as opposed to 5-6" tall.

StLouisGuy · 03-06-2005, 07:38 PM

Speaking of hard to find, how about Marselia quadrifoil, "poor man's glosso"? Its often recommended but I hardly ever see it actually available...

Cheeseybacon · 03-07-2005, 04:38 AM

The Glossostigma looks interesting, but according to plants Aquariumplant.com it is not for beginners. Any truth to this? Hair grass is also sparking my interest. Anyone have any pics of well established glossostigma or hairgrass?

danmhippo · 03-07-2005, 06:14 AM

Pic of Glosso from plantgeek.net

danmhippo · 03-07-2005, 06:20 AM

A pic of hairgrass tank from plantedtank's gallery

danmhippo · 03-07-2005, 06:22 AM

Another pic of glosso from plantedtank's gallery again,

I think you can browse this site's gallery for ideas.

Cheeseybacon · 03-07-2005, 02:34 PM

Wow, I'm really liking the hairgrass now. Thanks.
I'm guessing I should probably get the "dwarf" variety, correct? Or is that a load of crap and all hairgrass is mostly the same...

renatl · 03-17-2005, 10:56 PM

What is that plant to the left of the glosso? Nice plant!

03-05-2005, 11:00 PM	#1
Cheeseybacon Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chambersburg, PA Posts: 495	Good carpeting plants? What plants make good low growing, carpeting-type plants? I know about Java moss, but I'm most interested in stuff that has a grassy type appearance and will spread on it's own fairly easily.

03-05-2005, 11:13 PM	#2
Wasserpest Are these real? (View User Tanks) PTrader: (140/100%) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 14,669	Java moss isn't a good "carpeting plant". It's a dirt collector! What is you light level? This will determine what plants you can successfully grow. __________________ All my tanks Autodosing Water Change Temperature Monitoring Cheap Filter The Wasser-Controller

03-06-2005, 12:42 AM	#4
Wasserpest Are these real? (View User Tanks) PTrader: (140/100%) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 14,669	Yep, if you're adding CO2 and some nutrients you should be able to get some carpeting going. Glossostigma elatinoides Glosso is very low growing Hemianthus micranthemoides Pearlweed needs a regular haircuts Eleocharis acicularis Hairgrass is another option Riccia fluitans is a floating plant that can be held down with weights or netted to rocks Cryptocoryne parva is a small crypt and a slow grower Other plants are used as carpet in larger tanks, but aren't that compact to be used for a 10 gal tank. Ex Echinodorus tennellus or Sagittaria subulata. __________________ All my tanks Autodosing Water Change Temperature Monitoring Cheap Filter The Wasser-Controller

03-06-2005, 04:09 AM	#5
Opiesilver Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Terre Haute, IN Posts: 638	Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae is another good one. __________________ Del Goins AtlantisAquaticGardens.com

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03-05-2005, 11:25 PM	#3
Cheeseybacon Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chambersburg, PA Posts: 495	Huh, I always thought Java moss was a good carpeting plant, seeing as how people have it covering their rocks and such. Oh well. Anywho, I have two 15-watt bulbs on a 10 gallon tank, so I guess that means I have a total 3 watts per gallon, right?

03-06-2005, 04:26 AM	#6
locus Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 30	If you can find any Elatine sp. (most probably E. triandra), that is also a good choice & will tolerate a very wide range of conditions. I grow a similar plant, Elatine gratioloides, with an 11 watt PC light over a 7 gallon cube and find it very undemanding at lower light levels.

03-06-2005, 04:35 AM	#7
Azimuth Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 72	I picked up some glossostigma about a week ago for my foreground. In the first week I have 3 long runners spreading from the original. If you have Co2 and at least 2.5 W/gallon I would suggest giving it a try.

03-06-2005, 07:32 PM	#8
AaronT Collectoritis Patient (View User Tanks) PTrader: (180/100%) Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: MD, USA Posts: 2,033	Also, harder to find is Ranalisma rostrata. It's takes a bit to get going, but once it does it takes off. It looks like dwarf sag only smaller...dwarf dwarf sag you might say. If you decide on hairgrass I would suggest the parvulus species over the acicularis species. It stays about 2-3" tall as opposed to 5-6" tall.

03-06-2005, 07:38 PM	#9
StLouisGuy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: St Louis MO Posts: 94	Speaking of hard to find, how about Marselia quadrifoil, "poor man's glosso"? Its often recommended but I hardly ever see it actually available...

03-07-2005, 04:38 AM	#10
Cheeseybacon Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chambersburg, PA Posts: 495	The Glossostigma looks interesting, but according to plants Aquariumplant.com it is not for beginners. Any truth to this? Hair grass is also sparking my interest. Anyone have any pics of well established glossostigma or hairgrass?

03-07-2005, 06:14 AM	#11
danmhippo Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 332	Pic of Glosso from plantgeek.net

03-07-2005, 06:20 AM	#12
danmhippo Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 332	A pic of hairgrass tank from plantedtank's gallery

03-07-2005, 06:22 AM	#13
danmhippo Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 332	Another pic of glosso from plantedtank's gallery again, I think you can browse this site's gallery for ideas.

03-07-2005, 02:34 PM	#14
Cheeseybacon Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chambersburg, PA Posts: 495	Wow, I'm really liking the hairgrass now. Thanks. I'm guessing I should probably get the "dwarf" variety, correct? Or is that a load of crap and all hairgrass is mostly the same...

03-17-2005, 10:56 PM	#15
renatl Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 44	What is that plant to the left of the glosso? Nice plant!