Interested in carpeting pants

I’ve always wanted to do a carpeted tank but all the videos I’ve seen on YouTube say how difficult it is to maintain them. What types of carpeting plants have you tried? I thought about doing a moss carpet or dwarf grass! Any pros or cons I should know? Best way to get a carpet started?

 

Most carpet plants tend to be nearly impossible to have/keep alive without co2, but if you're willing to deal with that then you should be fine. If you're like me though and prefer to keep things in the tank pretty basic, you have a few options that I personally know of. Dwarf sag and java moss have worked the best for me, although the dwarf sag will take a bit of time to grow in. I also have some micro sword which is still nice and healthy but growing very, very slowly.

 

I put this in at xmas it was4"x4" I don't know what its called but its gone crackers it was on mesh but came off so I pushed it into the sand it was only ¼" tall

 

I put this in at xmas it was4"x4" I don't know what its called but its gone crackers it was on mesh but came off so I pushed it into the sand it was only ¼" tall

That’s amazing!! Do you have to trim anything or does it stay short?

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Most carpet plants tend to be nearly impossible to have/keep alive without co2, but if you're willing to deal with that then you should be fine. If you're like me though and prefer to keep things in the tank pretty basic, you have a few options that I personally know of. Dwarf sag and java moss have worked the best for me, although the dwarf sag will take a bit of time to grow in. I also have some micro sword which is still nice and healthy but growing very, very slowly.

is a co2 set up difficult or is it just a pain to keep going? Which do you prefer the dwarf sag or the Java moss the best?

 

im currently trying my first with dwarf sag , but it seems my lights are pretty bright so its growing tall instead of outwords. maybe ill throw some monte carlo in. or however you spell it

 

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im currently trying my first with dwarf sag , but it seems my lights are pretty bright so its growing tall instead of outwords. maybe ill throw some monte carlo in. or however you spell it

If you throw some in let me know how that goes I was looking into getting some Monte Carlo

 

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is a co2 set up difficult or is it just a pain to keep going? Which do you prefer the dwarf sag or the Java moss the best?

i just started using co2. although i find it incredibly expensive, you can start out with a Fluval co2 kit, the kit is only like 40 bucks for my tank size @ 30g but the upkeep i feel is a bit much with the canisters . and go with that and once i did that i feel like i can get into other wonky things like chemical co2 . fire extenguishers , solonoids with timers. once i learn those things . fluval will no longer be making a killing off of me

 

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is a co2 set up difficult or is it just a pain to keep going? Which do you prefer the dwarf sag or the Java moss the best?

I haven't actually done it so I cant say much, but from what I understand its mostly just expensive. The other risk is that, especially in smaller tanks, you can gas your fish on accident. Second one is pretty easy to avoid though by just keeping a good eye on the fish. But yeah, I don't want to spend hundreds when I can get pretty far without it lol. I prefer dwarf sag, even though it is a slow grower. Dwarf sag won't grow too tall so theres very little trimming involved. Java moss is just too... everywhere for me I guess? It has no qualms about spreading up, coming loose and anchoring elsewhere, etc, and its a pain to constantly have to be ripping it off of tank deco and such. Although I will say, shrimp and fry love it to no end.

 

i just started using co2. although i find it incredibly expensive, you can start out with a Fluval co2 kit, the kit is only like 40 bucks for my tank size @ 30g but the upkeep i feel is a bit much with the canisters . and go with that and once i did that i feel like i can get into other wonky things like chemical co2 . fire extenguishers , solonoids with timers. once i learn those things . fluval will no longer be making a killing off of me

I saw a lot of people doing diy co2 but my favorite channel was saying it’s helpful yet not always the best if you are on a budget. I probably need to watch more videos lol

 

I saw a lot of people doing diy co2 but my favorite channel was saying it’s helpful yet not always the best if you are on a budget. I probably need to watch more videos lol

from what i can tell. you can get the appropriate regulator with a co2 fire extinguisher among other things . i dont know how expensive that would be but i feel like it would last a lot longer than these little cartridges. i dont have or know if you can use a solonoid with fluval co2 kit so i have to remember to turn the co2 on in the morning when tank lights on and then off liike an hour before lights out.. a solonoid would make my life easier T_T, but i havent really gotten a strait answer if i can use one with the co2 kit >.>

 

We use this for small (20 gallon) planted tanks. https://www.amazon.com/Nutrafin-Natural-System-Activator-Stabilizer/dp/B00026058Y

Using sugar, baking soda and yeast with water. Lasts for one month with a steady supply of C02. Very easy to change and replenish.

I realize it is sold out but you can find them.

 

We use this for small (20 gallon) planted tanks. https://www.amazon.com/Nutrafin-Natural-System-Activator-Stabilizer/dp/B00026058Y

Using sugar, baking soda and yeast with water. Lasts for one month with a steady supply of C02. Very easy to change and replenish.

I realize it is sold out but you can find them.

i heard that sugar, baking soda, yeast can be messy and that citric acid and baking soda is cleaner and more popular option. but thats just what i heard. no experience

 

We use this for small (20 gallon) planted tanks. https://www.amazon.com/Nutrafin-Natural-System-Activator-Stabilizer/dp/B00026058Y

Using sugar, baking soda and yeast with water. Lasts for one month with a steady supply of C02. Very easy to change and replenish.

I realize it is sold out but you can find them.

Thanks I’ll check them out!

 

i heard that sugar, baking soda, yeast can be messy and that citric acid and baking soda is cleaner and more popular option. but thats just what i heard. no experience

The 2 litre bottle style systems can be messy because you end up spilling out the mash. They don't seal. With the system I linked to, you just unscrew the lid, dump out the 'beer' and put in fresh ingredients. No mess. Smells like beer only when you change it. It is a sealed system. Cost to operate is very low:

- scoop of sugar
- 1/4 tsp yeast
- pinch of baking soda

 

That’s amazing!! Do you have to trim anything or does it stay short?

I've not touched it the shrimp are happy so I've left it

 

I've not touched it the shrimp are happy so I've left it

Do you use co2?

I’ve always wanted to do a carpeted tank but all the videos I’ve seen on YouTube say how difficult it is to maintain them. What types of carpeting plants have you tried? I thought about doing a moss carpet or dwarf grass! Any pros or cons I should know? Best way to get a carpet started?

An easy low tech one is marsilea, i have it 2 setups, it grows far faster in a deep sand substrate.

 

Do you use co2?

An easy low tech one is marsilea, i have it 2 setups, it grows far faster in a deep sand substrate.

I dont use co2.i don't like it with shrimp
The only thing I use is is a substrate called Flora base Pro.
You can see the sand in front but the tank is half sand half Florabase pro.
None of my tanks have co2 and none are fed any fertilizer its all done with the substrate, I know your looking for carpet plants but you don't need expensive gear to get plants to grow

 

I dont use co2.i don't like it with shrimp
The only thing I use is is a substrate called Flora base Pro.
You can see the sand in front but the tank is half sand half Florabase pro.
None of my tanks have co2 and none are fed any fertilizer its all done with the substrate, I know your looking for carpet plants but you don't need expensive gear to get plants to grow

It looks a bit like dwarf baby tears... i might have to get some then! I have tropica aquasoil too so maybe that would work? Im sure my shrimp would love it too

 

I second dwarf sag. Also try hydrocotyle japan, Pearlweed, Bacopa australis. Most of those you really have to hack down and train but should carpet without co2 if you have enough light and fertilizer.

im currently trying my first with dwarf sag , but it seems my lights are pretty bright so its growing tall instead of outwords. maybe ill throw some monte carlo in. or however you spell it

Dwarf sag grows tall when it doesn’t have enough light, like it’s reaching for more light. If you do have bright enough light, are you sure it’s not Valisneria? They look so similar.