# Carpet plants for low tech



## KhwajaKhan (Nov 11, 2014)

Hello aquarium lovers. I am looking to aquascape my old betta tank (2.5 G) and breed shrimp in it. Just wondering what's a good carpet plant that doesn't need much co2.


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## ichthyogeek (Jul 9, 2014)

I have _Pogostemon helferi_ (downoi) in my 10 gallon tank that only gets fed root tabs and whatever waste my shrimp and fish give it. It took me 8 months to get a good carpet going (3 months dry start, 5 months submerged). The tank's running a sponge filter and no supplements at all.


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## Chyrol (Jan 18, 2012)

You might look into Marsilea Minuta, Hydrocotyle Tripartita, Microswords, Crypt Parva or even just some moss-covered rocks. 

Marsilea Minuta is a very slow grower. I've had decent success with Hydrocotyle—both Tripartita and Sibthorpioides, as well as Microswords. But it's hard to say. Low-tech carpets can be a bit challenging. 

You can do a search of the forums for more info; this has definitely come up before.

Anyway, best of luck!


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## Raith (Jun 27, 2014)

The only problem that I have had with marsilea minuta is that it needs high lighting, otherwise it will grow taaaaaaaaaaaall.


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## KhwajaKhan (Nov 11, 2014)

Raith said:


> The only problem that I have had with marsilea minuta is that it needs high lighting, otherwise it will grow taaaaaaaaaaaall.


When you say high, do you mean strong lighting or a lot of lighting? 

Thanks a lot for the suggestions everyone. I heard marsilea has a nice colour. It would be nice if I could get it to carpet all over in a month, what if I immersed it?


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## Squrl888 (Oct 3, 2014)

KhwajaKhan said:


> When you say high, do you mean strong lighting or a lot of lighting?
> 
> Thanks a lot for the suggestions everyone. I heard marsilea has a nice colour. It would be nice if I could get it to carpet all over in a month, what if I immersed it?


Strong lighting and high lighting is one in the same. You could put a lot of low-light fixtures together or one high-light fixture over the tank and the effect would be the same.

I'm not very knowledgable about growing the plants, but maybe Echinodorus tenellus or Lilaeopsis brazil might work for you?

Also, I have kept Cryptocoryne parva in my tanks before and it is a nice plant. It is:
-tough as nails, I would leave this thing in buckets for 2 weeks in 50-60 degree water and it was fine when I replanted it.
-it grows slow, but it does propagate, you could eventually get a nice 'carpet'
-it doesn't hug the substrate. The leaves are 2 inches off the ground or so. This makes 2 levels: The area above the leaves, and the area between the leaves and the substrate.
-it needs a nice nutrient rich substrate. I have noticed this in my tanks. The plants in the bare fluorite just barely grew. Snail waste and root tabs greatly helped it. In my 2.5 gallon, which has a thick layer of snail poop after a year of running it, the Crypt parva's were doing AMAZING. They thrived off the substrate. You could use plain gravel or sand, but I would greatly advise fertilizing the substrate with root tabs consistently. 
-the roots on these guys are immense. The leaves are only 2-3" tall, but the roots will easily reach 12" or more.


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## Raith (Jun 27, 2014)

KhwajaKhan said:


> When you say high, do you mean strong lighting or a lot of lighting?
> 
> Thanks a lot for the suggestions everyone. I heard marsilea has a nice colour. It would be nice if I could get it to carpet all over in a month, what if I immersed it?


I had medium light and the MM just grew tall, some of them got about 2"


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## Mohoso (Jul 9, 2014)

I am having good luck with Lilaeopsis mauritiana (micro sword) so far. It is not super thick yet but it is growing new shoots like crazy.


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