# best carpet plant - low maintenance - no co2?



## Yankee (Jan 12, 2013)

Nah you're not asking too much! Hair grass can be grown with what you're running but some excel is really helpful if you don't wanna go the pressurized route. Also a lot of mosses (specifically fissidens) don't really need anything - either tie small portions to a lot of rocks or tie it between some mesh.


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## danielt (Dec 19, 2012)

Riccia can be used if no CO2 is added. It will grow slow hence it is usable as a carpet for longer periods of time but you will have to trim it. Marsilea Hirsuta is another good contender as it is undemanding. CO2 will make it grow like a weed but in absence it will stay put.


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## Kaitlin (Jan 27, 2013)

Second the Riccia (Fluitans). You can find big mats of it for sale online for an instant carpet, if you're impatient like me.


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## ThatGuyWithTheFish (Apr 29, 2012)

Riccia is a floating plant, it will need to be tied down well.


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## R.sok (Sep 24, 2012)

Riccia. But don't plant it in the substrate as it's supposed to be a floating plant, use a plastic or stainless steel mesh. you don't really need to pack it in the mesh either, just enough to cover evenly & before you know it you'll have a nice green lawn


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## AirstoND (Jun 17, 2011)

1) Anyone know how to id these from other carpet plants such as HC or HG?

2) I am interested in knowing if Riccia could be found in northeast ponds


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## Sugardaddy1979 (Jan 16, 2012)

Don't forget dwarf sag!


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

Love the look of the dwarf sag - I just got some for future tanks I hope to set up in the spring. I wanted something that wasn't super short, and had a bit of a "wild" look about it - the d. sag looks like it's going to be perfect. It's my understanding it does very well in low light/no added co2 tanks...

Not to derail the thread, but may I quickly ask what your substrate is? I'm trying to decide on a dark one.


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## danielt (Dec 19, 2012)

R.sok said:


> Riccia. But don't plant it in the substrate as it's supposed to be a floating plant, use a plastic or stainless steel mesh. you don't really need to pack it in the mesh either, just enough to cover evenly & before you know it you'll have a nice green lawn


Nice U. Gibba growth in there. I tried to get it out of my tank and lost. Oh, Riccia in low light will have less gas in it and will take a much darker green color, similar to Pellia. I have it in one of my tanks like that and it needed just one stone to make it stay put. Needless to say the stone is not visible anymore after almost three weeks


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## ADJAquariums (Jul 5, 2012)

I like dwarf sag even though it is a bit taller than a carpet, i've tried hairgrass but i can never get it to grow


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## suprdave (Apr 30, 2011)

Thanks for the feedback! 

I don't think I'm particularly interested in plants I have to tie down - I'd rather it do it on its own  I really like the way Marsilea Hirsuta looks. Dwarf sag is also looking like a winner. Might go check out Home Depot's pond section just to see if they may have any. If not, any plant websites you guys have had luck with in getting them shipped to you?

I ended up replacing my tanks substrate yesterday with Black Diamond. This is what I am working with now - planning on putting one of these two plants as ground cover in the middle. The plants already in there I don't recall what they are, they've just been growing in my tank for years:


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## Dx3Bash (Jan 9, 2013)

I have had great service and quality plants from http://www.aquariumplants.com/

If you order over $100 shipping is free. Just remember to add a Styrofoam box and a heat pack to your order during this time of the year. It may not be cold where you live, but these guys are located in South Dakota and it is plenty cold there. The box and heat pack adds like $7 to your order cost. No big deal.


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## danielt (Dec 19, 2012)

You might try to remove that reef background


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## suprdave (Apr 30, 2011)

What's wrong with the background? I kinda like it....

There's nothing else back there but a white wall.


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## danielt (Dec 19, 2012)

You're doing a freshwater tank with a reef background. Needles to say the background should be made up of the plants you grow not a picture 

What's the point of putting plants in if you can just put water and a background?


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## aokashi (Jun 12, 2012)

my pearl weed makes a beautiful carpet in my low tech. but you will need a lot of light 

other wise I really like dwarf hairgrass... 
i find that marsilea minuta grows wayyy too slowly in a low tech. 

you can also try other plants such as Hydrocotyle japan. 

microsword also does well for me in med light low tech.


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## suprdave (Apr 30, 2011)

Thanks aokashi!

danielt:

I chose the background because it adds some colors to the tank. I have plants in the tank because, well, I like growing plants in my tank.


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## aokashi (Jun 12, 2012)

oh btw, your plants are hygrophila difformis or water wisteria. I may have butchered the spelling...


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## R.sok (Sep 24, 2012)

I don't tie or weigh down my riccia carpet. Under my mesh I glued two small pieces of plastic at angles so I just push it into the substrate & it stays, If I want to take out the carpet or move it around, No problem!


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

R.sok said:


> I don't tie or weigh down my riccia carpet. Under my mesh I glued two small pieces of plastic at angles so I just push it into the substrate & it stays, If I want to take out the carpet or move it around, No problem!


Clever!


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## Merth (Sep 9, 2012)

Wisteria i believe are the plants on either side if you care


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## TetraFan (Jan 28, 2013)

I am very much in the same boat as you, suprdave, and I finally decided to go with the dwarf sag, BUT - none of my LFS have it.  So I am still on the search...


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## Sugardaddy1979 (Jan 16, 2012)

TetraFan said:


> I am very much in the same boat as you, suprdave, and I finally decided to go with the dwarf sag, BUT - none of my LFS have it.  So I am still on the search...


I was gonna say I could send you some, then I saw you're in Canada......


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