Marsilea carpet

[FriendsNotFood]

Has anyone here really, TRULY grown a nice carpet of marsilea in a non-co2 tank? I ask because that always comes up as a foreground alternative to HC/glosso for low-light tanks, but I've never actually seen a low-tech marsilea carpet. Waiting on one to grow in in two of my tanks and I'm wondering how long this actually takes?

[VeeSe]

Initial planting:


2-3 months later:


No CO2, no flow, no fauna besides 2 pond snails or so, water changes 1-2 times a month. Substrate is MGOCPM capped with a thin layer of pool filter sand. It's not done filling yet, as you can see, but it's progressing very nicely.

[radioman]

Do you trim it at all? Does that encourage growth?

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by FriendsNotFood

Has anyone here really, TRULY grown a nice carpet of marsilea in a non-co2 tank? I ask because that always comes up as a foreground alternative to HC/glosso for low-light tanks, but I've never actually seen a low-tech marsilea carpet. Waiting on one to grow in in two of my tanks and I'm wondering how long this actually takes?

I have had it grown in tanks without Co2, and it grew great. I do not have any pictures left though lol. If you snip the runner between nodes, it will form dense growth.

[VeeSe]

Originally Posted by radioman

Do you trim it at all? Does that encourage growth?

I do nothing to it. It grows really fast with that nutrient filled substrate (the Miracle Gro) just by itself.

[Beanyhead]

I have this in my tank and it hasn't really done much. My substrate is just gravel though so I think that's part of the issue.

[ikuzo]

CO2 made this plant form carpet faster for me
non CO2 tanks just need a lot more time

[Wicket_lfe]

Do you have light and ferts and just no CO2? What is your setup like?

I have decent lighting, CO2 and ferts and its filling in nicely, of course, then again its no longer lowtech. But i think with at least decent lights it should be ok.