Suggestions for well rooted, low growing plants?

Can anyone suggest some low growing or carpet plants with good root structure, that will grown in medium light (Finnex 24/7 on a 36G tank), no CO2?

I am setting up a new aquarium, and I would like to have a sand area and a gravel area with larger rocks separating them. I don't expect the rocks to keep all the sand and gravel from mixing, but I am thinking that having well rooted plants growing along the rocks will help hold the substrate in place. I'm sure it won't be perfect, but I can live with that.

I plan on having some Anubias along the rocks. I am not sure how much their roots will help, but I wasn't planning on a solid row of them, so I am looking for something that won't get too tall to intersperse with them.

I have considered Java Moss, but I'm not sure how well it would hold anything in place and I don't really want to introduce it into the tank if it won't work. Or if something else would work as well. Maybe a Marsilea of some sort would work?

I expect to have the plants in place for quite a while before introducing fish, so hopefully they will have time to get well established first.

I'd appreciate any suggestions for plants I should consider.

 

I don't know about carpeting, but Dwarf Sagittaria comes to mind!

 

You could try Stargrass (Heteranthera Zosterifolia) if you can find it. It prefers high light to rapidly carpet but should do well in medium light also.

 

Thanks! It doesn't need to form a carpet with how I want to use it, I just figured some of the carpeting plants might work. I will look into the Dwarf Sagittaria - it seems like it could be a good option.

And thanks for the suggestion for Stargrass - that also looks like a good option. (I need t learn to type faster.)

 

to separate sand and substrate I found using plastic boarders from pond supply places works great

 

Can anyone suggest some low growing or carpet plants with good root structure, that will grown in medium light (Finnex 24/7 on a 36G tank), no CO2?

I am setting up a new aquarium, and I would like to have a sand area and a gravel area with larger rocks separating them. I don't expect the rocks to keep all the sand and gravel from mixing, but I am thinking that having well rooted plants growing along the rocks will help hold the substrate in place. I'm sure it won't be perfect, but I can live with that.

I plan on having some Anubias along the rocks. I am not sure how much their roots will help, but I wasn't planning on a solid row of them, so I am looking for something that won't get too tall to intersperse with them.

I have considered Java Moss, but I'm not sure how well it would hold anything in place and I don't really want to introduce it into the tank if it won't work. Or if something else would work as well. Maybe a Marsilea of some sort would work?

I expect to have the plants in place for quite a while before introducing fish, so hopefully they will have time to get well established first.

I'd appreciate any suggestions for plants I should consider.

have you had any luck? I am after the same idea, here is a photo. my worry is that it is an established tank with fish in it.

 

have you had any luck? I am after the same idea, here is a photo. my worry is that it is an established tank with fish in it.

As far as I've read, you could still plant in an established tanks, there are various videos in youtube where they just used tongs to plant them into the substrate

 

to separate sand and substrate I found using plastic boarders from pond supply places works great

Thanks. I have seen suggestions to use plastic, but the plastic I have seen mentioned was all rigid and straight, and I don't know how to make that look more natural. But I am not familiar with pond borders. Would they be more flexible, or are they curved if they are rigid?

have you had any luck? I am after the same idea, here is a photo. my worry is that it is an established tank with fish in it.

Sorry, my tank isn't set up yet. I am still in the research stage at this point, and I haven't been able to try anything. But hopefully you can use this thread to get ideas and suggestions, too.

 

ill take a pic of my set up tonight and post , the boarders I used were a little rigid but after setting in the sun for a couple of hours they were a little bit more pliable, also they have held the sand and the substrate apart now for months and looks just like a little walk way under water

 

 

Beautiful!

 

Thanks, jasonstanks. That looks really nice.

I have been looking on-line, and I am having difficulty finding what you are talking about, though. Any suggestions on where I should look?

 

ill check the box when I get home tonight to see the name and post for you , it was perfect for my setup I believe its 2" tall, I thought I would have sand and substrate all mixed together but its doing a great job