How to grow a ''carpet'' bottom??

[Dita]

I've seen a lot of photos where people have planted the entire bottom of their tank in a low growing, almost moss like plant. Can someone tell me what it is called? Does it spread like that or do you buy a ton and plant it like that? Is it hard to grow? My pet store doesn't seem to have anything like it.

I have always used plants in my aquarium, but mostly swords as they seem to be easy to keep... But I'm ready to expand and I really want my new 55g (currently cycling) to be a plant oasis. Any other suggestions for low growing plants for the front of my tank would be appreciated. Thanks~

 

[JAY973]

I think members would likely need quite a bit of information regarding your plan setup for the 55g ferts, co2 (if any), light, etc... Assuming you have everything else right I think a huge key, especially for deep tanks, is having sufficient lighting without it depending on the species many of the forground plants maybe impossible. (species like HM, glosso, stargrass will get tall and leggy instead of becoming ground cover, but this is just my experience under my conditions)

 

[petluvr]

They need HIGH light and pressurized CO2 to get like that, so start there.

 

[TheFishBoss97]

I have succeeded in doing this by using java moss in my 10G, BUT it took me an hour to plant it covering only half my tank bottom.
The only downside is that you have the be careful when pruning and that you need to prune often.

You can also use DBT(dwarf baby tears) if u have high light and eventually u will get a carpet.

 

[Nakinata]

You can also use riccia, which is what I'm planning to do, but the problem with riccia is that it needs high maintenance or else it'll grow and break off and you get random bits and pieces around your tank.

 

[TheFishBoss97]

^ Same with java moss

 

[tanker]

The only plant that has "carpeted" for me over the years has been Tenellus. I have not had any success with any of the other plants.

 

[londonloco]

The only plant that has "carpeted" for me over the years has been Tenellus. I have not had any success with any of the other plants.

+1 on this. I've had glosso carpet 1/2 a 10g, only to die off slowly months later. The only plant I've successfully had "carpet" my tanks is dwarf sag, but it's not considered a carpet.

 

[rockhoe14er]

HC makes an amazing carpet. I've made it carpet with as little as 25 par lighting (really low lighting) and high levels of pressurized co2. At least with HC co2 is a much more important than lighting.