Do I Have Too Much Light, And Can I Grow A Carpet Without Co2?

[cosentik]

I have a 20 gallon with a mixture of java ferns, amazon swords, dwarf hair grass and one other one I can't remember the name of (it needs moderate to high light), and java moss.

My question is: Is having the lighting setup required for high light plants stopping my java ferns and java moss from growing? Before I got the lighting setup ( ), the java ferns were growing like crazy, now they seem to have slowed down. I also added some java moss, but its turned a brownish color and isn't growing. I thought that stuff was supposed to grow in most conditions.

I also have dwarf hair grass planted, trying to get a carpet. I don't dose co2, but I used flourish excel. I plan to start adding root tabs also. Is co2 required to get this plant to grow as a carpet? I've had it for about a month and have seen only minimal growth.

 

[PeteStevers]

I have the exact light fixture and it took awhile (a couple of months) for my java moss to take off but, it is growing pretty well now and spreading out on the driftwood it is attached to. I think dhg will slowly carpet but, not nearly as quickly as a high tech setup.

 

[puffer_queen]

HI cosentik!
I don't have much experience with java ferns, but I believe that java moss actually tends to do better in lower light/ shaded conditions. Like (non-aquatic) mosses you find outside, you won't tend to see them out in the middle of a bright field, but rather in shaded forests. Perhaps try to move the moss out of direct light/ in a shadier corner of the tank, or maybe partially under some driftwood to help shield it from the light.

Dwarf hairgrass is really tricky to grow without Co2 injections, however I've had some luck with it in one of my smallest tanks. I initially planted it super dense in relatively small "clusters" within millimeters of each other. I have it under pretty high light (leds) for 6 hours per day and dose with Flourish excel every other day.

I think that planting it densely at first has really helped it carpet, it took almost a month, but I can def. see runners starting to shoot out from some of the main "clusters." I think with high light, dense planting and patience you should be able to have a nice thick carpet.

Hope this helped a little!

Jamie

 

[Jocelyn Adelman]

Best bet for dhg with no co2 is a plant specific substrate, ideally with a dry start... overall yes, it needs co2 to carpet... high lighting is what will create the carpet, but wopithout co2 and proper ferts algae will quickly take over.

Light-
How are you running it? I would recommend taking it off cycle and putting it on sunny...