# carpet-like plants for low-tech



## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

how about crypt parva? might be a little cheaper buying enough for a carpet than A. nana petite...


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

end3r.P said:


> Hello,
> 
> I'm starting to plan a low-tech setup for a Fluval Edge 6g (with slight upgrade to the 12g LED fixture). I don't think traditional carpet plants will work in that tank, especially without CO2 (I'll do Excel and ferts only). But I'd like a similar look, and I want very small plants for scale. I was thinking of a scape with built-up back corners (especially on the right) and some small ohko/dragon stone in the back right corner, possibly with a little sand path up the "hill" leading to the rock outcropping (or alternatively to a very small piece of driftwood). And then I'd like to cover the rest of the substrate up to and including the base of the rocks/driftwood with very small plants. What kind of plants would work for this? Anubias nana petite comes to mind; maybe I could affix each one to a small lava rock and bury the rock (but not the rhizome, I know) into the substrate. Any other tiny, low-tech plants that I could plant heavily for a sort of carpet-ish look? Any tiny buces that aren't prohibitively expensive? Any crypts or java ferns that would stay very short?
> 
> Also, if anyone wants to point me to photos of a similar tank, that would be grand.


Hi end3r.P,

I have a medium-low light 10 gallon that Pygmy chain sword / Helanthium tenellum (previously Echinodorus tenellus) has done well in and it has a nice carpet-like effect.

10 gallon low tech


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## retcheto (Jun 19, 2015)

I'm doing a moss carpet for my low tech tank, someone here recommended pilo moss and it looks really nice, it stays flat unlike most of the other mosses. Hopefully I'll get that going next week


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## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

I have glosso, micro sword and dwarf hairgrass in my low tech lower light tank and they're all growing reasonably well, just slowly, not a lush dense carpet perse but good enough for the ground cover I'm looking for


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

Lots of good options here, thanks. I'm leaning towards C. parva; I know I'd have to buy quite a few plants given the slow growth rate, but I like the look and that it doesn't grow very tall.


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

On second thought, how about Marsilea minuta or hirsuta for a low-tech carpet? Anyone have experience with these with Excel, no CO2?


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## TekWarren (Oct 6, 2013)

I have c. parva in a small tank and it really does grow slow...mine is pretty low tech. I dose ferts and a few times a week low dose of metricide. I can't even remember when I added it to the tank but I want to say last winter so getting close to a year. Mine has spread and is even getting sort of thick in spots...compared to the few tiny individual plants I started with. I also have monte carlo in that tank which grows even lower to the ground. I weighted down a small clump of it and it has taken hold and started growing out in runs but I think would eventually form a nice carpet. -I'm not entirely sure how the two will mix or if the monte carlo will choke out the c. parva or not but neither are growing fast so I'll just wait and see what happens.


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## randym (Sep 20, 2015)

end3r.P said:


> On second thought, how about Marsilea minuta or hirsuta for a low-tech carpet? Anyone have experience with these with Excel, no CO2?


It will grow in low light, but tends to grow tall rather spreading out in a carpet. The little stems may get 2" tall or more.


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## bmckinney0727 (Aug 11, 2015)

I have a small S. Repens "carpet " in my low tech. It's a slow process since I have to wait for them to grow enough to trim and replant, but I don't mind







here it is in my tank in the middle/right in front of the driftwood
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## PassengerTN (Sep 30, 2015)

Flame moss makes a pretty carpet..


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

randym said:


> It will grow in low light, but tends to grow tall rather spreading out in a carpet. The little stems may get 2" tall or more.



Ah, bummer. To be expected, though. Back to C. parva I think.


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

PassengerTN said:


> Flame moss makes a pretty carpet..



Hmm, I'll check it out, thanks.


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

bmckinney0727 said:


> I have a small S. Repens "carpet " in my low tech. It's a slow process since I have to wait for them to grow enough to trim and replant, but I don't mind
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice tank, and the S. repens looks good.


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## bmckinney0727 (Aug 11, 2015)

end3r.P said:


> Nice tank, and the S. repens looks good.


Thanks 

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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

S. repens does fine if light isn't too low. It doesn't need a lot of light but an "old school" low tech setup when even low light was fairly expensive and would grow only anubus and Java Fern, it won't work. If you can grow most stems, it does fine. Any Dwarf Hairgrass will do fine, it will just grow painfully slow compared to high tech. Belem likely would do very well in the light but you likely will need almost a full carpet if you want it to look good in less than a few years. E. tenellus is fine for lower light, likely can do less light than S. repens, I am guessing, bit again, will take longer to fill in, not as bad as DHG varieties but still you want a lot. That said, C. Parva has been called the slowest growing plant ever, it doesn't grow fast in high light and CO2 to my knowledge, one of the few plants I have yet to try myself. 

You may find you can do other plants in the middle where there is more light. Even plants like HC do OK in low tech nano's because the distance from light to substrate isn't far. HC won't spread will without CO2 and can be leggy but if trimmed routinely, it may actually work in the middle sections. 

Moss carpets will work in just about any setup but have the downside that you will never get rid of moss and it can be a very slow growth process without CO2. However, some of my favorite moss tanks were low light, high CO2 if you go that route later.


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

talontsiawd said:


> S. repens does fine if light isn't too low. It doesn't need a lot of light but an "old school" low tech setup when even low light was fairly expensive and would grow only anubus and Java Fern, it won't work. If you can grow most stems, it does fine. Any Dwarf Hairgrass will do fine, it will just grow painfully slow compared to high tech. Belem likely would do very well in the light but you likely will need almost a full carpet if you want it to look good in less than a few years. E. tenellus is fine for lower light, likely can do less light than S. repens, I am guessing, bit again, will take longer to fill in, not as bad as DHG varieties but still you want a lot. That said, C. Parva has been called the slowest growing plant ever, it doesn't grow fast in high light and CO2 to my knowledge, one of the few plants I have yet to try myself.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Super useful, thanks. I'm beginning to think I just won't be happy with a low-tech carpet. C. parva sounds too slow and the others seem like they won't give that low, dense look that makes carpets cool. Thinking about putting the Edge idea on the back burner and going with a 60-F or 12L high tech instead. Then I have my choice of carpets... Though I'll still pick one that's beginner-friendly and lower maintenance if I can.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

end3r.P said:


> Super useful, thanks. I'm beginning to think I just won't be happy with a low-tech carpet. C. parva sounds too slow and the others seem like they won't give that low, dense look that makes carpets cool. Thinking about putting the Edge idea on the back burner and going with a 60-F or 12L high tech instead. Then I have my choice of carpets... Though I'll still pick one that's beginner-friendly and lower maintenance if I can.


What is really going to get you dense growth is CO2 so even adding CO2 to an Edge may get you where you want. However, I find that most people who are successful with the Fluval Edge with high tech end up doing so much modifications that it may make more sense to just start with something else. That said, most of the plants I said will do fine in a low tech setting will do better with CO2 if you just want to add that to the Edge. Especially something like DHG Belem if you like that look.

I love both the 60F and 12 long though. I find the 12 long gives room to make something feel really substantial, I wish I had a place for mine in my new place.


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## ApochSaint (Oct 9, 2015)

marsilea and S repens are the best bets IMO for a GOOD looking carpet in a low tech tank


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## frenchie1001 (Jun 23, 2013)

Chain sword grows tall in low light conditions. Or atleast it has in my cube.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I rather like my dwarf sag, but my tank is about twice the height of yours. You could easily 'mow' it. haha. Crypt Parva grows SLOW. I'd say it is the slowest growing plants I've ever had. Also, Flame moss, anchor moss, and the likes are all good options. However, they fill with debris easily and are the most difficult to manage (in my opinion). Doesn't glosso or something do well in low light but require CO2? I thought a lot of carpets were just CO2 hungry, not so much lighting.


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