How To Grow (Most) Carpeting Plants (DSM Thread)

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1) Doesn't really matter, but preferably less than 12 inches (30 cm) in depth from the light to the substrate, unless you are using a high grade light such as an ONF or Twinstar. Tall or narrow tanks are more difficult to light properly, as the lighting needs to be more powerful or you need to stack more substrate, which means spending more money.

2) They are slow growing, but probably Marsilea crenata or Marsilea hirsuta, both usually sold as "four-leaf clover". These tolerate lower light levels and less CO2 than most other carpeting plants. In my experience dwarf hairgrasses are also easy but unfortunately do not transition from a dry-start very well. Staurogyne repens is also easy.

It is usually used as a stem plant, but pearlweed (Micranthemum micranthemoides) forms a nice, easy, fast-growing carpet under good lighting and injected CO2, as does shade mudflower (Micranthemum umbrosum).

3) I have a carpet of dwarf baby tears in my 2 gallon (8 liter) tank, the floor plan is only 8" x 8" (20cm x 20cm). I am also currently dry-starting glosso in my 4 gallon (16 liter) which is 10" x 10" (25cm x 25cm). Provided you meet their needs for light, water, nutrients, and CO2, you can grow them in anything, even a small vase or bowl (look up Wabi-Kusa and Kokedama).

Wow! Worthy of a college lecture. Thank you for taking the time to write such an educational article. I've learned a lot, including how much I've done "wrong" for years. You truly are a plant guru.

 

Alternanthera tends to melt pretty hard once switched to a submersed state IME, and Staurogyne repens' may as well, I've never tried it.

alternanthera reineckii mini and most of other tissue culture plants when place submerged, they will melt at first to second week, do not touch or try to do anything to it. It will grows new leaf after a week or two to adapt to new submerged form. Most people think they dying and pull them out , its a biggest mistake!

 

Have you tried the Chihiros C2?

 

Old thread I know, but might be useful and something I would like to add as a hallo to the forums and since it has been asked here.

The easiest plant for a carpet I know of would be Sagittaria subulata 'Pusilla'. I've seen it grow with light as low as 9 lumens per litre and it basically grows in almost any water.

It grows a bit higher than your usual Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba' or Micranthemum tweediei but might be a real alternative for low light and/or low tech tanks. It usually stays under 4 inches in height, the keyword here is 'Pusilla', as the normal Sagittaria subulata can grow up to 10 inches and more.

Growth and reproduction speed I would classify as medium.