# Baby tear requirments



## Fishe (May 22, 2012)

Im looking for a hearty carpet plant for my first planted tank. Can someone please tell me if baby tears would work for my setup. 29 gallon. No co2. Coralife t5 10,000k light. And eco complete substrate, thanks


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

CO2, CO2, and more CO2. 

In short, I wouldn't recommend it for your tank unfortunately.


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

AzFishKid said:


> CO2, CO2, and more CO2.
> 
> In short, I wouldn't recommend it for your tank unfortunately.


 

I definitely agree


I've never been able to keep baby tears. I don't use any type of CO2.

A grass plant that I grow in one of my tanks is dwarf sag. (Sagittaria subulata) which grows good for a tank that just has a light does not have CO2, ferts, excel or anything.


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## Fishe (May 22, 2012)

Do i need to dry start dwarf sag? Also i want it to cover alot so i see no dirt, and does it grow fast?


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

would dwarf hair grass work?


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Is baby tears HM or HC again?

You can grow HM without CO2. It'll grow straight up and won't carpet like you'd expect.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Baby tears is generally a name for HC unless it was recently changed.

Edit: Apparently baby tears is HM and dwarf baby tears is HC. OP might want to clarify which sp. he's referring to.

Dwarf baby tears (HC) definitely needs CO2 though.


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## Chaoslord (Feb 12, 2011)

I've growen baby tears into a nice carpet with no co2. This was not the dwarf variety though.
View attachment 48682

This was with eco complete and a 24 watt 10 k light. I also used root tabs.


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## kevinmichael77 (Dec 5, 2011)

That's gorgeous. I have co2 and can't get mine to spread at all. Still green just not spreading, also have Eco. Maybe I planted it wrong!!


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## Mr. Fish (Apr 24, 2012)

HC needs rich substrate, EI dosing, High light and Co2 to fully carpet.


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## Fishe (May 22, 2012)

Sounds like too much work since its my first planted tank, dwarf sag sounds like a good choice but does it carpet well and densley or will it look weird and blochy


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## Fishe (May 22, 2012)

Bump


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## Markahsf (Feb 27, 2012)

Fishe said:


> Sounds like too much work since its my first planted tank, dwarf sag sounds like a good choice but does it carpet well and densley or will it look weird and blochy


From personal experience, dwarf sag carpets better under high light. It also stays shorter. I put some in my 10 gallon with low light and it grew to fast and tall. It didn't look much like a carpet. It looked like weeds I find in my backyard.


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## Fishe (May 22, 2012)

Would my bulb be considered high light? Its made for coral and has 10,000 k ( whatever that means) bUt only 17 watts


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## Fishe (May 22, 2012)

Bump


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## scotty82 (May 9, 2012)

Fishe said:


> Would my bulb be considered high light? Its made for coral and has 10,000 k ( whatever that means) bUt only 17 watts


Just from my experience, not to much, that light might not do to well. You would probably want to get more in the 6500K range for freshwater plants. The number in front of the K is the color temp of the light. Lower K=more red warm looking lights, higher K= more blue cooler looking lights. The bulb you have is more for the ocean sun growing corals.

One t-5 HO would be in the medium light range. You wouldn't need co2, but you might have to limit the amount of hours your lights are on.


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## smokaah (Nov 30, 2011)

I just got HC a couple weeks ago. I am starting to see it spread now. I have 78watt t5ho and pressurized Co2 in my 30 gallon. Also the pfertz high tech bundle. So far so good.


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## Fishe (May 22, 2012)

Thanks, i think co2 is too complecated cuz im a complete noob, what are some really green, fast mosses?


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## Fishe (May 22, 2012)

Just looking over this thread. I was so inexperienced its funny. Now i have a nova extreme slr t5 ho on my 29 gallon. 48 watts. I dose flourish excel once per week. No co2.
Can anyone recomend a good co2 system that is cheap. Not really into the ghetto diy bottles.


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## elvisr29 (Sep 21, 2013)

kevinmichael77 said:


> That's gorgeous. I have co2 and can't get mine to spread at all. Still green just not spreading, also have Eco. Maybe I planted it wrong!!


What is your lighting?


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