# Low/mid tech carpet?



## cowmilkcandy (Feb 6, 2014)

dwarf sag


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## Xiaozhuang (Feb 15, 2012)

Ziggy said:


> We all know Glosso and Elocharis are some of THE most demanding/high tech plants out there.
> 
> Is there such a thing as a short, carpet like plant which _doesn't _need a zillion watts of light and a massive CO2 input?


This is simply not true; you can see examples here:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=725929

HC is more difficult in low tech, but the rest of them do pretty well in dirt and sufficient lighting


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

marsilea minuta, dwarf sag, small crypts. these would be my first choices.


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

_Lilaeopsis mauritiana_ is a nice low tech grassy looking carpet plant.


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## Ziggy (Sep 2, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.



Xiaozhuang said:


> HC is more difficult in low tech, but the rest of them do pretty well in dirt and sufficient lighting


Dirt scares me....


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## ptom (Jul 3, 2014)

I've started my tank only 4 weeks ago, and have the following small plants in the foreground of my low tech non-CO2 tank, which grow well:
Helanthium tenellum - grows nice and fast
Micranthemum sp. Montecarlo-3 - this one grows rather slow, but no other issues whatsoever

I am trying also with Utricularia graminifolia, but with little success so far: grew beautifully in the first two weeks, then looked like it started to die, now reviving again after I started to fertilize a little.


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## danellis1229 (Jan 24, 2013)

all though its grows slow i have s.repens in a dirted tank 2 t5 bulbs in a 40 breeder its filling in nicely no ferts been set up about 3 mos.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

You guys who don't dose ferts realize its only a matter of time before you will have to right?

Eventually the substrate will deplete of all nutrients and thus leaving your plants to starve.


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## Mariostg (Sep 6, 2014)

I think this also demonstrate that Glossos does good in a not so high tech environment and by a newbie. 
Glossos in my pretty low tech 75g


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## EndlerGame (Oct 19, 2013)

Hydrocotyle "japan" can be grown as a carpet and isn't as demanding as HC or glosso.


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## Naja002 (Oct 12, 2005)

I am finding Eleocharis "belem" and Marsilea minuta are doing well in what I consider a low to medium light tank with metricide 14.


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## ecoguy1983 (Sep 27, 2014)

How about a moss?


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## Fishly (Jan 8, 2010)

What if you have sand with root tabs and excel instead of CO2? Will the plants listed here still work?


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

philipraposo1982 said:


> You guys who don't dose ferts realize its only a matter of time before you will have to right?
> 
> Eventually the substrate will deplete of all nutrients and thus leaving your plants to starve.


Not necessarily. I use substrates with a high CEC and low light levels to keep growth rates slow.

It CAN be balanced out.


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

Fishly said:


> What if you have sand with root tabs and excel instead of CO2? Will the plants listed here still work?


Yes, most of them will do fine.


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