# best plant for groundcover



## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

I'm growing HC in two different 4 gal cubes. One has a 13wt T-5, the other has an 18 wt mini aqualight. Both get Seachem ferts in small amounts.


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## Nbot (Apr 15, 2007)

do a search for "low tech groundcover" you'll find some good suggestions


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## thirston (Nov 17, 2004)

Sag. subulata is nice. Grows well and spreads quickly. Depending on amount of light it will vary in height. Usually between 3"-5" tall.


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## SearunSimpson (Jun 5, 2007)

Hygryophila Polypersma looks sweet to me. Easy to propogate too, and the new growth has shorter tighter leaves. Spreads through runners easily too.


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## ringram (Jan 19, 2005)

HC needs Co2 and lots of it IME. It is also a target (for some reason) for clado. You'll need to spot dose with excel periodically if that pops up. Also, it can take a while to get established and start growing. If you have bottom feeders (cories, SAEs, loaches), it may be tough as they'll constantly uproot it. I had issues with that.
A lower tech, less demanding plant is marselia minuta. I'm growing this in my low tech (excel is all I dose, ~2wpg of PC) tank and it grows slowly, but grows nonetheless. 
Also, don't rule out the possibility of elatine trianda. I like this plant a lot, but you'll need to keep enough No3 and Co2 in the tank or it can melt away. It looks great when it's healthy.
glosso is one that will be tougher in a low tech tank. You'll need a decent amount of light or it'll grow more vertically and Co2 helps with growth rate and fighting algae. When I get issues with Co2, it gets algae on the leaves and growth slows down.


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

HC, no CO2


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

whoa i can't grow HC with no CO2. how do you grow it?


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

I don't know. I have been wondering why everyone says it needs high light and CO2, I have neither. I do however use Seachem products daily,scaled down for the size of the tank.I dose according to their chart, minus the trace. Lighting is a single 13 wt T-5 6400K desk lamp, and the tank gets a few hours of sunlight. Substrate is generic peat & compost soil, topped with fine gravel & sand. I syphon out anything unsightly, several times a week. I am using RO & tapwater with Prime.


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## htn86 (Sep 30, 2007)

waterfaller1 said:


> I don't know. I have been wondering why everyone says it needs high light and CO2, I have neither. I do however use Seachem products daily,scaled down for the size of the tank.I dose according to their chart, minus the trace. Lighting is a single 13 wt T-5 6400K desk lamp, and the tank gets a few hours of sunlight. Substrate is generic peat & compost soil, topped with fine gravel & sand. I syphon out anything unsightly, several times a week. I am using RO & tapwater with Prime.


Actually, if you're using seachem excel then that's the same as using co2. Also, if that's a 4g cube then there's more than 3W of light per gallon, which is a lot. I like the setup of your tank man. GJ


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Oh..heheh, so much to learn. Thank you.:icon_mrgr


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

yeah excel is liquid carbon supplement. i do think the few hours of sunlight helps alot. i have a 3 gallon anubias tank with 13 watts also, i'm absolutely sure i can't grow HC there.


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## ralph50 (Oct 20, 2007)

I think I have HCs growing near and around my leaky garden hose.

I was thinking about posting pics. but don't have them here.

Is it possible???


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## ringram (Jan 19, 2005)

ralph -- I think it is very possible. 
HC is grown emersed by many people, who simply mist is several times a day. If it's by a leaky garden hose, it may be getting enough water and mist to grow emersed.
In additon, the plant is from Cuba and I know that FL has a high Cuban population, so I wouldn't doubt that someone along the way brought in some plants native to their homeland.

Here's a link to Tropica, where I got some of this information:
http://www.tropica.dk/productcard_1.asp?id=048B


-Ryan


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## ralph50 (Oct 20, 2007)

> In additon, the plant is from Cuba and I know that FL has a high Cuban population


The funny thing is that I am also Cuban. Well, at least my parents are.

I have seen this plant around my house in areas of high soil moisture (I live 50feet from a lake).

If I am able to positively ID. Its going in.


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## jaidexl (Sep 18, 2006)

ringram said:


> the plant is from Cuba and I know that FL has a high Cuban population, so I wouldn't doubt that someone along the way brought in some plants native to their homeland.


That's very possible considering the majority of invasive species here are from Cuba. Plants and animals that is, people, well I think most of our invasive people are from somewhere around Wisconsin and also NY.


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## ralph50 (Oct 20, 2007)

> I think most of our invasive people are from somewhere around Wisconsin and also NY.


There are so many invasive species down here that they make Cubans look endemic and in some cases endangered.

Do I need any special parameters in my tank to grow HC?

After all I am getting it for free.

Temp: 78 degrees.
Ph: 7.6

I really don't measure anything else. Though I might in the near future if I go hi-tech.


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## kana (Oct 23, 2007)

I just recently planted HC, Micro Sword and Pigmy chain in my low tech tank and the HC is the one plant that is doing the best. I dose with Excel every other day and have 2wpg. 

I just leaned that HC (Hemianthus Callitrichoides) is called Dwarf BabyTears


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## limnidi (May 2, 2007)

I use marsilea hirsuta for low light grouncover.. It is a pretty good looking plant in my opinion.. no co2, or high light is needed..


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## FacePlanted (Jul 27, 2007)

My HC responds very positively to excel. It loves it.


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