# Which carpet plant is best for walstad betta tank?



## fpn (Mar 28, 2018)

This is my first attempt at a low maintenance walstad tank. I am planning to setup a 10g for my sons betta.

The main question is - what to use for the carpet?

I am looking for experiences / proposals and general feedback on my little plan.

* I have CO2 for my main tank and could tap into it, but am concerned about adding CO2 due to the low flow in the betta tank
* some carpet plants seem to prefer higher flow - so another concern there
* Planning DSM and looked at Diana Walstads DSM article in the shrimp tank setup paper at https://dianawalstad.com/aquariums which has more DSM setup details than the book.

Top candidates are:

* Dwarf Hairgrass (Eleocharis Parvula)
* Eleocharis sp. ‘mini’
* Hemianthus callitrichoides Cuba
* Marsilea Crenata

The first image show top and side view of what I would like to achieve.

The substrate is kind of set as already in the works:

* ADA Amazonia as cap (1 in)
* mineralized potting soil as low tech CO2 and nutrient source (1 in)
* mineralized nursery dirt soil mix as bottom base for the hill (max 1 in)
* thinking of sprinkle some crushed coral below the potting soil as my KH is 1 dKH

On the right side I plan to have a moss covered betta rock cave - I have just started the yogurt method dsm with fissidens fontanus (second image).

Thank you!
















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## rj55021 (Apr 4, 2011)

I have attempted a few plants on Walstad method for carpeting plant. 
Now I am doing a bowl on DSM and Cuba, it is going well after the first moth. Only dirty and gravel as substrate. 
I have a few Hydrocotyle Verticillata sticking out of the water and propagating well. 
Having Cuba to propagate on a immersed tank has been very hard for me. High tech as well as on Walstad method.
I do find that hairgrass has a better chance. The moss, as long as the light is right and water temperature is good you will have no issues.
Considenring that this is a betta tank I would add a Anubia Nana as they will appreciate a place to rest.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Well its probably not consider a carpet plant (maybe in tall tanks) but I had great success with dwarf sag in a 3g dirted bubble bowl.









I've had good luck with micro sword before but it takes a while to spread.


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## fpn (Mar 28, 2018)

Moss 6 weeks in
DHG 3 weeks in









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## New2aquarium (Feb 11, 2019)

I have seen a good bit of Walstad tanks use dwarf hair grass


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## Mattypants (Mar 2, 2019)

I'm planning on using dwarf hairgrass in my 8.5 gallon bowl. In her book, Walstad said that carpet plants generally do best when paired with floating plants like frogbit etc. She also said that stem plants like Amazon sword will eventually outcompete carpet plants since they're more efficient at grabbing CO2. This is kind of where I'm at now too, planning on what I can add with hairgrass as a carpet, without allelopathy getting in the way.


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## RCB (Jul 5, 2018)

fpn said:


> Moss 6 weeks in
> DHG 3 weeks in
> 
> 
> ...



A bit off topic so pardon me if Ive broken any rule. Why grow/start your plants in this manner than a full watered tank? Thanks in advance.


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## fpn (Mar 28, 2018)

RCB said:


> A bit off topic so pardon me if Ive broken any rule. Why grow/start your plants in this manner than a full watered tank? Thanks in advance.


That is a fair question, most commercial plants are grown emersed because that way they get unlimited CO2 and can grow quite fast.

In this case there are two things going on

The moss needs to get a hold of the rock shape on the right hand side. In water it would just float away unless you glue it on. I did this mixing it with water and yogurt which makes it stick to the rock. Over time it grabs onto the rock.

I want the dwarf hairgrass to grow a dense carpet. Originally I was thinking of making this a low tech tank, but given the glacial speed of the DGH and my vacation schedule I will flood with CO2 soon (makes it easier for the plants to adapt). The reason for the DGH dry start is faster growth and better root development.

Dry Start Method (DSM) is basically a way to accelerate the carpet (and if you go low tech often the only way).

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## fpn (Mar 28, 2018)

Mattypants said:


> I'm planning on using dwarf hairgrass in my 8.5 gallon bowl. In her book, Walstad said that carpet plants generally do best when paired with floating plants like frogbit etc. She also said that stem plants like Amazon sword will eventually outcompete carpet plants since they're more efficient at grabbing CO2. This is kind of where I'm at now too, planning on what I can add with hairgrass as a carpet, without allelopathy getting in the way.


I guess it is more competition for nutrients and light than outright allelopathy. The floaters get the CO2 from the air. The sword would shade out the DGH and get more light as it is higher up, also it just grows a 100 times faster. It would outcompete the DGH.

In my high-tech tank my sword probably grows 1-2 5in leaves a week. In the same tank the DGH barely grows, or at least slower than the amanos rip it out.

I guess that is one of the main reasons to dry start carpets, to give them a leg up. They still need to adapt, but there is no expectation that they grow a ton after flooding (at least w/o CO2).

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## wakka987 (Nov 3, 2016)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Jc4sxpQvi8Joa1Q27

Dwarf hairgrass in a 4g dirted (miracle gro organic potting mix) tank. About 2 months old, no co2, no dry start.

Also had great success with dwarf sag.


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## fpn (Mar 28, 2018)

wakka987 said:


> https://photos.app.goo.gl/Jc4sxpQvi8Joa1Q27
> 
> Dwarf hairgrass in a 4g dirted (miracle gro organic potting mix) tank. About 2 months old, no co2, no dry start.
> 
> Also had great success with dwarf sag.


Hmm, yours seems to be growing fast !!!

I started a tank journal here, and just recently flooded the tank.

https://www.plantedtank.net/forums/...1-10g-walstad-betta-tank.html#/topics/1289601


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