Low tech ground covers

[bpimm]

I use dwarf hairgrass in low tek tanks with good results, I even have it growing in a vase getting only indirect sunlight.

[CrazyMidwesterner]

I have had no luck growing dwarf saggs. I have no idea what the issue is. The edge of the leaves turn black and the tips transparent. No such problems with my other pants. The black doesn't appear to be algae either. Who knows. I'm trying some pearl grass now I'll let you know how it works.

[Robert H]

micromanthoides

Its spelled micranthemoides, in any language!

Lilaeopsis maurituis is a new lilaeopsis specie to the hobby now available from Florida. It was first discovered by Tropica plants in the country Maurituis, an island off Africa. It grows much faster and under much lower light than other lilaeopsis species. It has a much more narrow leaf and spreads quickly ingto a nice thick, grassy lawn about 3" tall. Oliver Knott has taken a lot of pictures of it. I have it growing in tanks without any C02 and with moderate light. Each plant puts out multiple runners. Like Glossostigma, brighter light will make the plant shorter, but in this case low light does not slow down its growth.

[Wasserpest]

Originally Posted by Robert H

Its spelled micranthemoides, in any language!

... in the country Maurituis, an island off Africa.

It is spelled Mauritius, unless you renamed it.

[hooha]

Originally Posted by Wasserpest

It is spelled Mauritius, unless you renamed it.

lol

I stand corrected myself.....

[Robert H]

hehe.. OK I guess Hooha and I are both lousy spellers. At least mine was closer! Is that all you have to say about it Wasserpet? Its a pretty cool plant. You should try it! Its as close as we are going to get to have Tropica plants in the USA

[hamstermann]

what about microsword? will they work for low tech, low light?

[Robert H]

The common Micro sword is Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, and I would not call it a low tech plant because it needs pretty bright light to grow at all and grows painstakingly slow even then. Thats why this narrow leaf Micro sword is so much more attractive.

[hamstermann]

Well, on your recommendation I bought 4 baskets of the narrow leaf microsword. Hopefully it does turn into a thick lawn in low light. I haven't had much luck with microsword, glosso, or HC in the tank I've got now, but those are all high light plants.

[keith00]

I planted some Lilaeopsis mauritania in my 6', 200w, low tec, tank a week ago and it is already sending out runners.

I don't really want it to grow 3" high so can I just trim it to say2"?

[Nbot]

For larger tanks, Hygrophila difformis can be trimmed to a dense hedge. It is a fast grower, so low tech yes, low maintenance no. The light green looks great as a foreground, combine with darker plants in the background to give tanks an appearance of depth.

Wasser...great idea! You just pluck off the top plume, stick it in the soil next to the others, and let it grow on & on like this? Do the side plumes get "rotten" looking ever from being packed in too tight?

[SearunSimpson]

Man, i have been pushing this on this site for a while now! This is what I do with all my tanks. I bought one bunch about six months ago and now I have 3 10gl, 1 15gl, a 2.5gl, a 5.5gl and one 3.5gl completely carpeted out with hygro. I plant them in groups of 2-3 stalks and then let them grow up. Then I clip those to the desired hight and replant the clippings. With hygro, the more you clip it, the 'new growth' has smaller leaves which I feel is desirable for a carpeting effect. Just clip and plant, clip and plant. Co2 makes this stuff just grow like no tommorrow and will definitely speed up carpeting speed.

[Ryzilla]

Originally Posted by Robert H

Its spelled micranthemoides, in any language!

Lilaeopsis maurituis is a new lilaeopsis specie to the hobby now available from Florida. It was first discovered by Tropica plants in the country Maurituis, an island off Africa. It grows much faster and under much lower light than other lilaeopsis species. It has a much more narrow leaf and spreads quickly ingto a nice thick, grassy lawn about 3" tall. Oliver Knott has taken a lot of pictures of it. I have it growing in tanks without any C02 and with moderate light. Each plant puts out multiple runners. Like Glossostigma, brighter light will make the plant shorter, but in this case low light does not slow down its growth.

Can I have some :-)

[bereninga]

My family is from Mauritius. If I ever had some of this, they'd get a kick out of it knowing that it's from there! It would be like having part of my family ROOTS (sorry, I had to) right in my home!

[Justintoxicated]

that Cryptocoryne lucens (aka C. willissii) looks nice, going to have to find some of that.