# Low maintenance Carpet plant



## lamiskool (Jul 1, 2011)

easiest one I have found is dwarf hairgrass, the ones you can buy as tissue cultures at petsmart. I have two tanks with em and since I have set them up I have not touched em/trimmed em at all! They were set up at least 5-6 months ago lol They are very easy to grow also and can grow in either high light or low light and no co2 or with co2.


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

Second DHG. Although I would drop some ferts in that eco if you want dense growth since it has no nutritional content.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I would do DHG belem. The only difference really is that the Belem stays small and shouldn't need trimming, the only part about DHG that is a pain.


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## RainSong (Jun 30, 2011)

I used to have DHG and hated having to mow it.... grass pieces all over the tank. Maybe I will look into DHG belem.


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

_Marsilea_ spp.


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## lamiskool (Jul 1, 2011)

talontsiawd said:


> I would do DHG belem. The only difference really is that the Belem stays small and shouldn't need trimming, the only part about DHG that is a pain.


what type does petsmart sell? I have two types of DHG and the one from petsmart stays very very short, maybe an inch/inch&half tall, the other which I got from a friend does grow taller ~4inches


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

lamiskool said:


> what type does petsmart sell? I have two types of DHG and the one from petsmart stays very very short, maybe an inch/inch&half tall, the other which I got from a friend does grow taller ~4inches


I haven't purchased it but I thought it was regular old DHG. Even at 1-1.5 inches, that is a bit bigger than belem would grow, it's more like 1/2 inch. It may be it, one way to tell is that each blade is curved, however, I have had regular DHG grow like that. I have never had belem have straight blades though.


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## lamiskool (Jul 1, 2011)

talontsiawd said:


> I haven't purchased it but I thought it was regular old DHG. Even at 1-1.5 inches, that is a bit bigger than belem would grow, it's more like 1/2 inch. It may be it, one way to tell is that each blade is curved, however, I have had regular DHG grow like that. I have never had belem have straight blades though.


ah petsmart sells belem then, mine definitely grow curved and can be 1/2 inch. I was just guessing from memory and havnt actually measured it before. Heres a pic of my two tanks with em. As I said I havnt had to trim it since I set it up 5-6 months ago. Its starting to get really dense. (these are tiny tanks, 3 gallons and a 5 gallon)


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

lamiskool said:


> ah petsmart sells belem then, mine definitely grow curved and can be 1/2 inch. I was just guessing from memory and havnt actually measured it before. Heres a pic of my two tanks with em. As I said I havnt had to trim it since I set it up 5-6 months ago. Its starting to get really dense. (these are tiny tanks, 3 gallons and a 5 gallon)


It still looks a bit long, and not as curvy as the belem. However, I have never done it in a tank that small so it's hard to really get a sense of scale. Anyway, here is a good example of a carpet from the 60P club- http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=371193&page=25

I will let you be the judge (plus I may try some from there as well well). I think the length on the tank with wood fits the scape really well. Both are absolutely stunning tanks, I can see why it would be frustrating to trim, the last time I did DHG, I would just pull it up and replant because it was a background plant, growing 5+ inches in that tank.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi Rainsong,

+1 for Monster Fish's recommendation for Marsilea sp; I like Marsilea minuta; no trimming and it does well in our Northwest water. I grew it in my 45 gallon tall (24" deep) with 1X96 watt AH Supply.

45 gallon tall









30 gallon


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## RainSong (Jun 30, 2011)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi Rainsong,
> 
> +1 for Monster Fish's recommendation for Marsilea sp; I like Marsilea minuta; no trimming and it does well in our Northwest water. I grew it in my 45 gallon tall (24" deep) with 1X96 watt AH Supply.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the Marsilea sp recommendation.... your tanks look awesome. I think I will try this plant.


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## water-kitties (Mar 19, 2013)

One day it is my dream to get enough Cryptocoryne Parva carpet like this guy -









It's probably the lowest maintenance carpet ever because it grows painfully slow but boy I think it's lovely.


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