# Lets see some carpets!



## matt s (Jun 6, 2007)

Well before I reccomend some whats your lighting? Tank size? Co2? Plants have to have certain conditions if you have really high light and press. Co2 Do riccia no doubt probably one of nicest looking carpet plants.


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## mikeb210 (Oct 17, 2007)

I'm not exactly looking for recommendations from people about _my_ tank. I just want to see what others are doing. I have a 29G tank w/ a 2x65W coralife PC fixture and I'm running DIY CO2. I'm switching to pressurized this week though. I'm pretty sure I can grow anything, but deciding what to grow is my problem. I was hoping to see _others'_ setups and hear what they had to say about _their_ tanks, then I would make my decision.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Hemianthus micranthemoides carpet


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## robertrobert905 (Dec 11, 2007)

wow that red plant is gorgeous, what is it called?


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

It's Alternanthera reineckii


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## Madfish (Sep 9, 2007)

that must have been some triming there to have it that short. I have it in my tank but its not that short mine is around 3in tall.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Not too bad actually but, it's only a 12 gallon tank so, I'm sure that makes it easier. I just have to be sure and trim it about every 7-10 days.


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## JustOneMore21 (May 23, 2006)

Glosso on the right, dwarf hairgrass on the left.....both still growing in and have actually grown more since that pic was taken.

My tank is 29g, has 130w of light, and pressurized CO2. 

The fish don't hang out at the top like that all the time.....


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## jrs (Dec 25, 2005)

Glosso carpet
















Initial stages of HC carpet








Another with HC








Hairgrass - not a well laid out tank though


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## loachlady5 (Dec 9, 2007)

Wow:thumbsup:! I love the wall!


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Digsy said:


> Hemianthus micranthemoides carpet


how do you train HM to carpet? Just plant them sideways?

I've grown a good amount and now ready to carpet some.


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## mikeb210 (Oct 17, 2007)

So once HC takes root, is it pretty hardy in the tank or do you deal with it uprooting a lot? I'm leaning toward it but I hate dealing with such a mess. I have some riccia that I was going to attempt but its way too messy and it grows way too fast. I was trimming it like once every three days. I worry about the HC being similar to that.


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## JustOneMore21 (May 23, 2006)

jrs said:


> Glosso carpet


Now thats a Glosso carpet. :icon_eek: Beautiful!


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## retoid (Jan 2, 2007)

yeah! it doenst get much better than that!


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## mikeb210 (Oct 17, 2007)

It is beautiful. I've never actually seen this stuff in person. The only good fish store around me can't get it from their suppliers. Glosso and HC are both a mystery to me. Thats why I started this thread because I'm going to buy without a test drive, so to speak.


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## capricorn77 (May 6, 2005)

Here's my HC carpet on a 12G JBJ nanocube: 









And here's some dwarf hairgrass on my 29G before it was torn down and rebuilt:


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## mikeb210 (Oct 17, 2007)

Capricorn what is the longer grass-like plant in the second picture? Looks like some sort of valisineria... Beautiful tanks by the way.


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## jrs (Dec 25, 2005)

JustOneMore21 said:


> Now thats a Glosso carpet. :icon_eek: Beautiful!



Thanks. This is my tank at school that I have my chem students maintain. Hopefully I can turn some of them from the "dark side" to the "green side"


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## capricorn77 (May 6, 2005)

mikeb210 said:


> Capricorn what is the longer grass-like plant in the second picture? Looks like some sort of valisineria... Beautiful tanks by the way.


mike,
Yeah, it's one of the Vals species, but alas, I do not recall which one... so sorry :icon_redf 
I do have to caution that it was an extremely invasive plant. It grew runners everywhere, even under some large rocks I had in that tank. And eventually, it grew so tall that it curved along the water surface and then downwards on the front of the tank.

Wait, it may have been jungle vals...


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## mikeb210 (Oct 17, 2007)

capricorn77 said:


> mike,
> I do have to caution that it was an extremely invasive plant.


I believe it. I started with 3-4 plants and ended up with probably 50 or so 3 months later. It was growing so well. Then along came a small bout of green hair algae. Then I had the bright idea to squirt the algae with a shot of excel. Three days later and all of the Vals are melted and gone.  I would like something taller though as mine were only maybe 4 inches at max. Something that doesn't grow so rapidly would be nice too.


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## jazzlvr123 (Jul 16, 2007)

great carpets guys


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## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

Some old glosso carpeting.


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## loachlady5 (Dec 9, 2007)

Absolutely gorgeous, overfloater! I really like the simplicity of the tank. What kind of grass is that between the rocks?


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## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

loachlady5 said:


> What kind of grass is that between the rocks?


It's Blyxa Japonica.


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## jaidexl (Sep 18, 2006)

capricorn77 said:


> it's one of the Vals species, but alas, I do not recall which one... so sorry :icon_redf
> I do have to caution that it was an extremely invasive plant. It grew runners everywhere, even under some large rocks I had in that tank. And eventually, it grew so tall that it curved along the water surface and then downwards on the front of the tank.


Sounds/looks like val nana.


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## wearsbunnyslippers (Dec 6, 2007)

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/gallery.htm

check out april 2007 for a beautiful Hemianthus Callitrichoides ''Cuba'' carpet 

and november 2006 for a dwarf hairgrass? carpet


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## Joetee (Mar 28, 2006)

What is that leafy green plant right in the middle of the three rocks in the top photo?
I have some but am not sure what it is.
Thanks
Joe



Overfloater said:


> Some old glosso carpeting.


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

looks like rotala sp. 'green'


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## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

macclellan said:


> looks like rotala sp. 'green'


Yes indeed.


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## NeonShrimp (Mar 9, 2006)

Very nice. I like the mole's eye view

What substrate was used for these plants?


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## JAXON777 (Dec 30, 2006)

here was my hm before I let it go nuts :icon_eek:


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Here's my old marselia minuta carpet


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

This was my low light 10gal RCS colony tank with E. tenellus 'narrow';


















Mostly disassembled now to go into this tank; I hope it will do 1/2 as well?


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## CmLaracy (Jan 7, 2007)

here's one heck of an HC carpet, which is now, conveniently up for sale!

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/swap-n-shop/64758-fs-hc-lots-taiwan-moss.html


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## kurtr12 (Jan 11, 2008)

Here is my HC carpet that I am trying to grow out.


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## jrs (Dec 25, 2005)

eyebeatbadgers said:


> Here's my old marselia minuta carpet



I always had trouble with marsilea. I could grow it well but it always seemed to be a magnet for GSA


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## styxx (Jul 2, 2003)

Great job kurtr12!!


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## styxx (Jul 2, 2003)

*Fyi*

Please see my 60P thread for photos of my HC carpet...


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

jrs said:


> Glosso carpet


Holy:icon_eek: How's that even happen?


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## John7429 (Jan 11, 2008)

I feel depressed after lookin at these pics... I have so much to learn. lol


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

jrs said:


> I always had trouble with marsilea. I could grow it well but it always seemed to be a magnet for GSA


As long as good flow through the carpet is established, algae of all types has a time grabbing onto the leaves. Good Co2 and ferts are a must if your putting a lot of light over the tank. I had a time once the carpet really grew thick with GSA and clado with my DIY CO2 providing sufficient carbon, but pressurized took care of that. Adding less light for shorter photoperiods would help also.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

this is from my 10 gallon tank, hairgrass and hc


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## CmLaracy (Jan 7, 2007)

1000th post!


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## samckitt (Feb 14, 2008)

Who has some Glosso to sell?


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## looking4roselines (Mar 28, 2008)

Here is my not so great HM carpet.


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## jrs (Dec 25, 2005)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> Holy:icon_eek: How's that even happen?



I am running heavy ferts, 130W over a 20g, low bioload and high CO2. Glosso is beautiful but I find that it will actually become invasive if let go in a tank.

I am trying UG right now for the second time. The first time I made the mistake of moving it before it was established and it just pooped out on me.

Anyone have any good pics of UG carpeting and the ideal fert and temp ranges based on experience?


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## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

jrs said:


> Glosso is beautiful but I find that it will actually become invasive if let go in a tank.


You have no idea. Glosso is one hardcore plant. I have glosso that is buried under five to six inches of AS and it still manages to grow up and out. Apparently light is not a requirement for this plant.


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## CmLaracy (Jan 7, 2007)

looking4roselines said:


> Here is my not so great HM carpet.


nice discus!


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