# Easy foreground plant



## Steve106 (Apr 12, 2012)

Can anyone recommend me an easy to grow/low demand foreground plant. I would love something that can carpet also. Open to suggestions : )


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## bpb (Mar 8, 2011)

I plan on trying dwarf sag and dwarf hair grass on my tank this week


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## manzpants92 (Dec 6, 2012)

dwarf sag is good. a little bit taller but still good, ive never had luck with it...its always melted in my tanks then never came back...but ive heard for those that have it thrive its real easy


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## mnemenoi (May 28, 2012)

Maybe Peacock moss or Christmas moss, but as far as easy to grow/low demand foreground that is tough. With a higher light system some pygmy chain sword has worked for me in the past.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Steve106 said:


> Can anyone recommend me an easy to grow/low demand foreground plant. I would love something that can carpet also. Open to suggestions : )


Hi Steve106,

Marsilea minuta for medium light









Helanthium tenellum (formerly Echinodorus tenellus v ‘Tenellus’) for low light


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## Steve106 (Apr 12, 2012)

for some reason i can never get dwarf sag to grow well in my tank : /


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## Steve106 (Apr 12, 2012)

Thanks Roy. For the marsilea, does that require co2 injection? I am dosing with excel now, do you think that would be enough? i ask because i see your drop checker in the back of the tank


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

hydrocotyle sp japan
staurogyne repens


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## JerSaint (Oct 22, 2012)

I am seeing real quick results with Micro Swords. roud:


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## Kinection (Dec 1, 2012)

+1 on Hydrocotyl Japan and Marsilea Minuta.


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## mosspearl (Jan 30, 2013)

I've got a low tech 10 gallon I just started on March 1 and the Marsilea minuta is already sending up new leaves and spreading. No cO2. I do have some Flourish, but haven't added any yet.


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## Steve106 (Apr 12, 2012)

So is Marsilea minuta different than Marsilea quadrifolia?


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## mosspearl (Jan 30, 2013)

They're similar. 
Marsilea quadrifolia: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/m...af_Clover_Water_Shamrock_Marsilea_quadrifolia

Marsilea minuta: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=164115

I think the minuta is smaller, perhaps.


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## Steve106 (Apr 12, 2012)

thanks Toni, so similar, very hard to tell the difference. Was hoping for something a little faster growing. Thanks for the recommendations everyone! Im leaning towards staurogyne repens. Any one have any experience with this plant they would like to share?


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## tiggity (Feb 21, 2012)

Crypt wendtii or parva


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Steve106 said:


> Thanks Roy. For the marsilea, does that require co2 injection? I am dosing with excel now, do you think that would be enough? i ask because i see your drop checker in the back of the tank


Hi Steve106,

I just happen to run CO2 in that tank. With good lighting and Excel the plant should do fine; I use Excel / glutaraldehyde in all my non-CO2 tanks.


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## seuadr (Feb 20, 2013)

JerSaint said:


> I am seeing real quick results with Micro Swords. roud:


i am too! week 3 of them planted in there and i've got runners headed in 3 directions!


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## Oneiros (Feb 11, 2013)

tiggity said:


> Crypt wendtii or parva


They'd require high light to make them stay low enough to be useful as a fore-ground plant, yes?

Of course, I guess it also depends on the size of a tank what's considered "foreground"


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## zoragen (Nov 3, 2009)

I have good results w/ micro sword under a single t8.

It wasn't quick though. I had it in my little 6 gal & it never spread. It just existed.

Moved it to my 20g & still nothing for almost 9 months.

Then bam - it started to spread.


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## cherabin (Jan 2, 2013)

I have mini hairgrass (Tropica), marsilea hirsuta and crypt parva in 3 of my running low-tech tanks and all all spreading well, albeit a little slower for thr hairgrass. Before, i have had great success with Taiwan moss, christmas moss and e tenullus with my previous but not decomm set ups.


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## benjaf (Mar 27, 2012)

Crypt Wendtii under low light would need to be in a pretty large tank to be considered foreground.
I have dwarf hair grass in mine, and it spreads nicely as long as it is not shaded by anything else, and is directly beneath the main LED. It is not going to form a carpet any time soon, though!


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## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

Moss tiles might be the only fool-proof very short carpet plant option in low tech tanks.

Even the low-tech friendly carpet plants will tend to stretch out towards the light in a low-tech set-up.

If you have a big tank then things like hydrocotyle and marsilea or the various hairgrass options or micro swords work but they all look sort of tall as foreground in a smaller tank, IMO.


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## glutandpoop (Mar 11, 2013)

I have had good success with Bacopa Japan - grows quickly with little effort - difficult to find, though...also Dwarf Baby tears, although it is readily decimated by any herbivorous fish...


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## Steve106 (Apr 12, 2012)

Wow i definitely love all the replies ive gotten. I decided on going with some crypt wendtii and so far so good. I've had some for about two weeks and already a bunch of new growth...not exactly as short as i was hoping but still looks great! thank you for all the recommendations


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