Plants for low tech low light newbie tank

[Skip Hollowell]

I recently set up a 20 gallon 16" high tank, and it will be for the most
part a planted tank. I have a few things in it right now, but the only
name that springs to mind is WaterSprite (center of the tank), and 1
Anubias (not sure of which kind) that fills a corner and is the full height.

I am in search of some ground cover, but the lighting is what's going to
hurt me, from what I understand. 30 Watts total, 2 bulbs, 1 full
spectrum and 1 6700K. I am looking for something that will make a nice
carpet. I have the Eco black substrate in there now, but would be more
than happy if I could get it mostly covered in a nice carpet eventually.

Ideas? Suggestions?

[Richard Sexton]

In article >,
Skip Hollowell > wrote:
>I recently set up a 20 gallon 16" high tank, and it will be for the most
>part a planted tank. I have a few things in it right now, but the only
>name that springs to mind is WaterSprite (center of the tank), and 1
>Anubias (not sure of which kind) that fills a corner and is the full height.
>
>I am in search of some ground cover, but the lighting is what's going to
>hurt me, from what I understand. 30 Watts total, 2 bulbs, 1 full
>spectrum and 1 6700K. I am looking for something that will make a nice
>carpet. I have the Eco black substrate in there now, but would be more
>than happy if I could get it mostly covered in a nice carpet eventually.
>
>Ideas? Suggestions?

Moss.

You can train and trim it to do pretty much anything anf
it's about the only thing that groundcover-ish that
will do well in low to medium light and no co2.


--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

[Skip Hollowell]

Thanks Richard. After prowling this group for a few weeks, I know that
you are the defacto expert, so moss it is.

I saw an article about training it with a couple of sheets of that
plastic needlepoint fabric. Is that a preferred method to get it into a
shape and size I like for starting out? Obviously it will grow
(hopefully) and need trimming, but I gotta start somewhere.

If I can get this going, and get it to a point of acceptability by the
Mrs., then I can look at more wattage, and thus more advanced plantings.

Thanks again.

Skip Hollowell



Richard Sexton wrote:
> In article >,
> Skip Hollowell > wrote:
>> I recently set up a 20 gallon 16" high tank, and it will be for the most
>> part a planted tank. I have a few things in it right now, but the only
>> name that springs to mind is WaterSprite (center of the tank), and 1
>> Anubias (not sure of which kind) that fills a corner and is the full height.
>>
>> I am in search of some ground cover, but the lighting is what's going to
>> hurt me, from what I understand. 30 Watts total, 2 bulbs, 1 full
>> spectrum and 1 6700K. I am looking for something that will make a nice
>> carpet. I have the Eco black substrate in there now, but would be more
>> than happy if I could get it mostly covered in a nice carpet eventually.
>>
>> Ideas? Suggestions?
>
> Moss.
>
> You can train and trim it to do pretty much anything anf
> it's about the only thing that groundcover-ish that
> will do well in low to medium light and no co2.
>
>

[Richard Sexton]

In article >,
Skip Hollowell > wrote:
>I saw an article about training it with a couple of sheets of that
>plastic needlepoint fabric. Is that a preferred method to get it into a
>shape and size I like for starting out?

Yeah that's the ticket.


--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

[Skip Hollowell]

Skip Hollowell wrote:
> Thanks Richard. After prowling this group for a few weeks, I know that
> you are the defacto expert, so moss it is.
>
> I saw an article about training it with a couple of sheets of that
> plastic needlepoint fabric. Is that a preferred method to get it into a
> shape and size I like for starting out? Obviously it will grow
> (hopefully) and need trimming, but I gotta start somewhere.
>
> If I can get this going, and get it to a point of acceptability by the
> Mrs., then I can look at more wattage, and thus more advanced plantings.
>
> Thanks again.
>
> Skip Hollowell
>
2 weeks in with my main plants, and here's the shocker. The
glossostigma is thriving, and send out some serous runners, and the
Dwarf Hairgrass is slightly brown on the tips, so it seems a little
distressed. I really thought it would go the other way, but it's still
early in the game. I am trying not to mess with it all too much and let
things flesh out a bit. At this point, all stores in the area are fresh
out of java moss.

The java fern and sprite are just fine. The shrimp have gotten the hair
algae under control for now, and with a couple water changes the stain
from the residual tannins in the drift woods should slowly dissipate,
although I do prefer a bit of color to the water.

The progression of the plantings can be seen here:
http://www.skipdaddy.com/images/tank1.jpg
http://www.skipdaddy.com/images/tank2.jpg
http://www.skipdaddy.com/images/tank3.jpg

[Larry Blanchard]

Skip Hollowell wrote:

> 2 weeks in with my main plants, and here's the shocker.**The
> glossostigma is thriving, and send out some serous runners, and the
> Dwarf Hairgrass is slightly brown on the tips, so it seems a little
> distressed.***I*really*thought*it*would*go*the*oth er*way,*but*it's*still
> early in the game.**I*am*trying*not*to*mess*with*it*all*too*muc h*and*let
> things flesh out a bit.**At*this*point,*all*stores*in*the*area*are*fr esh
> out of java moss.

FWIW, there are apparently two different plants sold as dwarf hairgrass.. I've
had good luck with one and bad luck with the other.

I tried java moss and had no luck with it. Java ferns and cryptocorynes are
doing fine, as is pygmy chain sword (a slightly larger grass-like plant).
Anubias nana is even blooming, although it requires a bit more light than you
have.

BTW, I have hard alkaline water so that may be different than yours.

--
It's turtles, all the way down

[Richard Sexton]

In article >,
Skip Hollowell > wrote:
>The progression of the plantings can be seen here:
>http://www.skipdaddy.com/images/tank3.jpg

If it were me I'd rip the hairgrass into pieced 1/4 that size and
plant them individually.

I'd move the white rock an inch or better, two, to the left, too.

It's really pretty nice though and shows great potential.

--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

[default]

Wow! That white rock sure did grow fast!
Just kidding. Nice work. I'll be curiously watching the dwarf hair
grass. I had some that only grew about 2 blades in 6 months.

steve