Good Carpet plants please?

I got this 60l and 60cm wide tank the other day in an emergency. I needed to re-home my few platy’s and their babies as well as my female Betta so that I could use their super well established tank 33l in a hurry for my disappearing Shrimp colony.

I had a seeded filter, just needed a tank so ended up with this 2nd hand one. I didn’t have enough gravel in my own stash and ended up getting PFS. I had some Seachem Root tabs, only about 4 and added in some Vallis and another Stem plant as well as 2x Java Fern, Crypt Wentetii and Hornwort and some random decorations from another tank just to help establish the tank more..



I didn’t have any wood or Rocks ( that will come) and I am not in love with the plain look if the PFS so I want to put some type of plant carpet down to grow in eventually. I don’t have a good light at the moment or C02. I will upgrade the light eventually. At the moment it’s a desk lamp.

Any suggestions for a nice and easy to grow carpet plant that doesn’t need high light or C02?


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I have had success with Heteranthera Zosterifolia (Star Grass) in both my low tech tanks. It grows like weeds and needs trimming every 2 to 3 weeks if you want it to stay low and carpet. Which is great as you can replanted these to spread the carpet.

I have a big handful from a recent trimming if you want it...

 

Hi Hendrik, thank you. That is great news. I am in the Helderberg in Cape Town. Not sure where you are but perhaps I can come get some from you. Thank you for the offer. If not then I will see if my LFS has it.


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I will give it a try. Thanks. I’ll look i to Pearl Grass also.


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You could try Eleocharis parvula (dwarf hair grass) i have had them carpeting in a low tech tank it just takes a bit of time and also a root tab under them really helps them spread out

 

Thanks. I’ll look into that. I had looked at the requirements fir it before and read it didn’t do well in a lowtech rank. But I will check out. Perhaps try one plant and see.


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If you are trying it , the best way i found to plant it is to break it up in smaller pieces and plant them in a grid pattern relatively close, also they will shed their leaves/ after that they will start to grow new one, this process takes some time, I have had experiences where it took about a month for this process ,they looked like they were dying but they eventually started to sprout and grow. also if you are using pfs i recommend using root tabs, you can find the osmocote ones fairly easily sold on a few online store and are not that expensive

 

Thanks. I will bear that in mind. I have some Seachem Root tabs in there but probably not enough. I will look for the Osmocote because the Seachem is pricey.


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