# Carpeting plants advice



## TopCat75 (29 Jan 2013)

Hi guys,
I'm recently having a go at a low tech set up in a 125l tank and would like some advice on plants people have been successful with in this set up. I would like to have some HC in there but sites I am looking at purchasing from are advising these are better suited to a CO2 set up. Has anyone had success with HC in a low tech set up or should I set my sights on something else?
Thanks


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## RynoParsons (29 Jan 2013)

HC wont work in a low tech setup unfortunately


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## jack-rythm (29 Jan 2013)

Set your sights on something else I'm afraid. Cuba may survive in a low tech tank for a whole but definitely won't carpet in a low tech. U can dose Fertz and liquid carbon but then this ultimately makes it a high tech tank. All carpet plants will struggle in a low tech. U could use mosses or riccias but these won't gribble the substrate, u would need to additionally add pebbles or mesh grids to tie the plants onto. There are low tech plants that do EVENTUALLY carpet but you will be waiting a few months. Hope that helps

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## rolexbene (29 Jan 2013)

Personally I think HC is suited to high light only thanks, with co2. Personally I have had good experiences with Riccia carpets in low tech tanks, I use plastic netting (Can use hair nets, cotton or fishing line) to secure it down to rocks and let it grow through. You can check out my bowl in my sig for an example of this.


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## jack-rythm (29 Jan 2013)

Remember Riccia is very high maintainance if your planning on covering a large area. It's also fiddly to pick out of your tank if you have lots of stem plants. Bene is right though. It's a great fun easy plant. Just likes a lot of attention!

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## rolexbene (29 Jan 2013)

jack-rythm said:


> Remember Riccia is very high maintainance if your planning on covering a large area. It's also fiddly to pick out of your tank if you have lots of stem plants. Bene is right though. It's a great fun easy plant. Just likes a lot of attention!
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


 
In my low light tank I tied it down and left it growing for a good 6-9months until it needed any maintenance, was a bit of a slow grower to be honest. but I know what you mean jack, under high lighting I was trouble always grow too fast, needing trimming, and detaching itself from the rocks. You have to be very careful when you tie it down not to tie it down too tight otherwise it will die underneath and come detached from the rocks.


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## TopCat75 (29 Jan 2013)

Thanks so much for the advise guys, love what you done to the bowl very imaginative!! Riccia was on my list but having never attempted the procedure kinda put me off a bit but I guess you'll never know until you've tried it. I do have a co2 system but just fancied something different for the time being. 
Thanks again for your help on this


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## jack-rythm (29 Jan 2013)

Check out my triptych Mate, I have carpeted my whole 3ft tank for about 3-4 months now. But I trim once a week. I must say the more I trim the more beautiful and fluffy it gets. I don't regret using Riccia if that helps

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## TopCat75 (29 Jan 2013)

Wow Jack that's impressive what a great set up you achieved there, tell me the mesh pads you've used what were they made of stainless steel? And how did you attach the riccia to it?


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## jack-rythm (29 Jan 2013)

TopCat75 said:


> Wow Jack that's impressive what a great set up you achieved there, tell me the mesh pads you've used what were they made of stainless steel? And how did you attach the riccia to it?


I assume they are yes, I had a big discussion about these grid pads in my nano journal underneath. We came to the conclusion that it was not harmful as for tying Riccia I simply used netting to attach the Riccia to the grids and then tied it together using fish line.

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## rolexbene (30 Jan 2013)

Yeah you can just buy stainless mesh off ebay for not alot, works a treat. Or you can use small peices of slate.

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## jack-rythm (30 Jan 2013)

rolexbene said:


> Yeah you can just buy stainless mesh off ebay for not alot, works a treat. Or you can use small peices of slate.
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


There not stainless steel mate, this is the issue I had. They say tgey are but then they rust. Massive talk on my journal but they seem coated in zinc or something. I got major rust and was worries about the effects on my water as I needed about 20 sheets.. But everything was kinds left at the fact that it was just iron trace so no harm to my plants.. Can't really remember it was a while ago now  

Cheers! Jack


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (30 Jan 2013)

jack-rythm said:


> There not stainless steel mate, this is the issue I had. They say tgey are but then they rust. Massive talk on my journal but they seem coated in zinc or something. I got major rust and was worries about the effects on my water as I needed about 20 sheets.. But everything was kinds left at the fact that it was just iron trace so no harm to my plants.. Can't really remember it was a while ago now
> 
> Cheers! Jack




Gotta make sure you get the right grade mate. Plants dispatched btw.


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## jack-rythm (30 Jan 2013)

Whitey89 said:


> Gotta make sure you get the right grade mate. Plants dispatched btw.


Thanks Mate, and as for grade yeah exactly, your right. My buyer claimed they were full stainless steel, that's what I mean u get a lot of that on Ebay. But hey ho. Not damaged my tanks as of yet 

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## Nathaniel Whiteside (30 Jan 2013)

jack-rythm said:


> Thanks Mate, and as for grade yeah exactly, your right. My buyer claimed they were full stainless steel, that's what I mean u get a lot of that on Ebay. But hey ho. Not damaged my tanks as of yet
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2




Theres someone called themeshcompany, they have the proper gear. I got an A4 sheet of it and cut it into 2' squares.


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## jack-rythm (30 Jan 2013)

Whitey89 said:


> Theres someone called themeshcompany, they have the proper gear. I got an A4 sheet of it and cut it into 2' squares.


Ha ha cheers nath. About 4 months too late on that one   I have not had to bad results this time round actually. I was worried about shrimp but this wouldn't effect them as such. I'll have to have a re read of my nano journal, sure it's in there somewhere. Cheers for the heads up though. I'll bookmark him

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## TopCat75 (30 Jan 2013)

Ok thanks guys I've looked and seen them on eBay but as you've said I'd edge on the side of caution when putting any kind of metal into an aquarium for fear of it rusting although I'll check out those guys you've suggested 
Thanks again 

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## LancsRick (30 Jan 2013)

Get SS316 grade stainless and you'll be fine .


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## jack-rythm (30 Jan 2013)

Again just to clarify, mine were suggested to rust and it was confirmed that this would not harm anything due to such small amounts in the tanks   but of course it's always best to get the best .

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## rolexbene (30 Jan 2013)

jack-rythm said:


> Again just to clarify, mine were suggested to rust and it was confirmed that this would not harm anything due to such small amounts in the tanks   but of course it's always best to get the best .
> You should be worried about rust if you don't know what metal it is as fish can be very sensitive to metals. I had Dartmoor rocks in my last tank with seams of iron in them and all was ok though. Sounds like you ended up with some cheap galvanised mesh, all my stainless mesh I have ever had has not rusted at all and I have had it in water for over a year. Not sure what ebay seller I used, think I just went for the cheapest.
> Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (30 Jan 2013)

Rust is a result of iron being present.
Therefore, in actual fact, if in small amounts,  couldn't this potentially be beneficial to flora? Or does it have to be chelated for plants to utilise it?


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## alanyusupov (30 Jan 2013)

You can try this way

















I thing will work.


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## sr20det (30 Jan 2013)

Is there deffo no low tech suitable carpet plant, I recently wondered this, I am aware of low light ones, but a low tech one would be awesome.


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## alanyusupov (30 Jan 2013)

I don't recommend riccia for low tech too. but the way is best for riccia.


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## Alastair (30 Jan 2013)

Not all carpet plants will struggle in a low tech tank, glosso and hc yes, but you have other options like marsilea hirsulata which is similar in appearance to glosso but a deeper green and this does very well in low tech tanks. 
You have the grass like carpets too such as hair grass and tennelus too. All do very well in low tech tanks 


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (30 Jan 2013)

alanyusupov said:


> You can try this way
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Are you aquatank on ebay


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## jack-rythm (30 Jan 2013)

not sure how you managed to quote yourself lol... but yeah I had these in a nano for about 6-7 months and then sold it, 3 months down the line the lad still has the mesh pads in so nothing was dangerous. They only started to rust as I cut them up to fit my scape, so maybe you didn't cut them up, maybe you did. it doesn't really matter now as what I was saying originally was that this has all been discussed already. All my fish were fine, even my shrimp were fine. So no im not too worried about it bene mate. A little iron hurt no1  especially not plants ay.


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## TopCat75 (31 Jan 2013)

Wow some great examples there, just ordered myself some wire mesh off of eBay so just waiting on delivery. Is there anywhere you guys recommend buying riccia from?
Thanks


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## linkinruss (31 Jan 2013)

AE or TGM - they sell the Tropica 1-2 grow.


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## sr20det (31 Jan 2013)

Alastair said:


> Not all carpet plants will struggle in a low tech tank, glosso and hc yes, but you have other options like marsilea hirsulata which is similar in appearance to glosso but a deeper green and this does very well in low tech tanks.
> You have the grass like carpets too such as hair grass and tennelus too. All do very well in low tech tanks
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Exactly what I was looking for '4 leaf clover' IIRC is referred to as also?

Tropica Aquarium Plants - Marsilea hirsuta

I know this was low light but seems its low co2 also


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## Alastair (31 Jan 2013)

sr20det said:


> Exactly what I was looking for '4 leaf clover' IIRC is referred to as also?
> 
> Tropica Aquarium Plants - Marsilea hirsuta
> 
> I know this was low light but seems its low co2 also



Yep does fantastic with out co2, when I stripped my puddle down from what was one pot it had covered almost the entire length and depth of the tank, even in very dark shaded areas 


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## Iain Sutherland (31 Jan 2013)

Marsilea Hirsuta took all its different forms in 'tribute'  Some carpeted like glosso, some 2 inches long 4 leaf emersed form below the water line but most grew out of the top in the 4 leaf form.  Very odd and have no idea why it didnt settle in one form?  Not that i was complaining as it added great texture in different forms.
Its nails too, my propagator is sitting in the garden without a lid and it has MH growing new shoots even after being frozen and covered with snow


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## viktorlantos (31 Jan 2013)

sr20det said:


> Exactly what I was looking for '4 leaf clover' IIRC is referred to as also?
> 
> Tropica Aquarium Plants - Marsilea hirsuta
> 
> I know this was low light but seems its low co2 also



Without co2 this is slow.


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## TopCat75 (31 Jan 2013)

I know using liquid carbon kind of takes you out of the low tech realm but can this be used to get things moving and up to speed and then faze it out at an acceptable growth level or would you have to then continue down this road?


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## jack-rythm (1 Feb 2013)

No you could start out like this yes, it's claimed to destroy Riccia but I have seen no signs of this 4 months down the line. If u keep to high water changes I can't see this bring an issue..

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## TopCat75 (1 Feb 2013)

Thanks Jack, so I'd go back to a weekly water change then? 

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## jack-rythm (1 Feb 2013)

I would never recommend anything longer than a one weekly water change, don't say that to loud or you could have green peace on the phone   I sometimes do it 2ce a week if I have over dosed on fertz


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## TopCat75 (1 Feb 2013)

Thanks for all your advice Jack, my wire mesh arrived today so just waiting for the riccia now and hopefully I can be under way shortly, wish me luck lol


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## alanyusupov (1 Feb 2013)

Sorry which  type of riccia you wants to put in?


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