# Background plant for my no-tech nano?



## BreadLoach (Aug 20, 2020)

I'm a newbie here, but I'm bookmarking this! What are the cute clover-looking plants at the bottom? I'm hoping to start a no-tech nano for shrimp too. The tank you have looks cool too. Do you have a link to it by chance?

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## Econde (Oct 13, 2015)

I like your setup there. What substrate are you using?


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## Adiantum (Oct 8, 2019)

BreadLoach said:


> I'm a newbie here, but I'm bookmarking this! What are the cute clover-looking plants at the bottom? I'm hoping to start a no-tech nano for shrimp too. The tank you have looks cool too. Do you have a link to it by chance?


The tank is the Ultum Nature Systems 16T. I ended up ordering it on amazon, as I couldn't find it elsewhere at the time. It's sold by BucePlant here. The plant is _Hydrocotyle tripartita_, dwarf pennywort. 



Econde said:


> I like your setup there. What substrate are you using?


My substrate is organic compost topped with plain old black sand.


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## Adiantum (Oct 8, 2019)

*An update: new plants fast growth, considering re-scape*

Well, this tank looks very different, now. It moved with me in August a few hours away, and though I did my best to transport everything and the plants, some things just didn't do well post-move. The _E. tenellus_ is no more. And the moneywort was stuffed in a jar with some other stuff and left on my windowsill at home when I moved (no idea what that jar looks like right now, if it's even still going). The tripartita did not survive the move after a couple weeks, unfortunately. I'm not sure why. I was having some issues with water quality after this, so I've added a tiny power filter, and this tank is no longer no-tech. I need to get a new light for this thing, as the cheap lamp I'm using is too yellow in tone and not really bright enough. And some black cling-film for the back.

I've dosed ferts occasionally, hoping to help new plants establish more quickly. I also have DIY CO2, but I'll probably ditch that at some point, now that things are growing well. I had some H. leucocephala that quickly got too big. It grows out of the filter, now. End of September, I added _Ranunculus inundatus_ and _Micranthemum umbrosum_ (this one now also grows from the filter). The Ranunculus has really taken off and is doing well despite the crappy light. So is the dwarf sag. It's almost doing too well.

In October I added _H. tripartita_ 'mini,' a couple collected liverworts, and _Rotala_ sp. 'bangladesh' which is only starting to show real new growth this week. The tripartita mini really is tiny, and is growing fairly well. And the carpet plants are starting to turn into a jungle. I very well am considering an overhaul, because things are looking very messy. The dwarf sag is growing like crazy and I'm afraid will just overgrow everything else. It should probably become a background plant. It's kinda impressive, but definitely not looking real pretty at the moment. While I don't mind a mixed carpet, this is such a tiny tank it's not very neat. I guess that's the trouble with mixing two runner-propagating plants in one tank without trimming much. I've added some photos below of it's progression from September to now.


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## sbo80 (Oct 13, 2019)

with a small tank it's a challenge for anything that grows big. Runner plants will get everywhere. Stem plants will grow out the top in no time and need constant trimming. For no/low tech you might pick some slower growers, and/or get a little more in the way of hardscape. Anubias minima has a nice taller skinny leaf growth than the nana or nana mini. Buce are the go-to for nanos these days as they stay super small, but they're expensive.


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## Adiantum (Oct 8, 2019)

sbo80 said:


> with a small tank it's a challenge for anything that grows big. Runner plants will get everywhere. Stem plants will grow out the top in no time and need constant trimming. For no/low tech you might pick some slower growers, and/or get a little more in the way of hardscape. Anubias minima has a nice taller skinny leaf growth than the nana or nana mini. Buce are the go-to for nanos these days as they stay super small, but they're expensive.


Thanks for the suggestions! I don’t really mind the Ranunculus runners going everywhere. It’s one of my favorite plants and I think it’s very attractive. Though it’s probably a little tall for most people’s definition of a carpet. I have been considering getting a tiny piece of wood to attach something to. I will consider Anubia minima. I was also thinking about mini Bolbitis. Maybe also grow my liverworts on wood rather than stuck to the tank wall. I’ve shied away from Buce, as I’m pretty broke, and as you said, they are expensive. 

I have rearranged things since my last post but I want to pull the dwarf sag completely. One runner plant is enough. I’d like the tank to grow in and look a little cleaner. I hate to just toss the sag, though. Maybe I’ll plant it in it’s own little vase to go wild by itself.


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