# Any top tips for growing Glosso in a low tech tank?



## Stickleback (31 Oct 2017)

I have had a number of low tech tanks and have had brief success with Glossostigma elatinoides. It would spread out across the substrate, but subsequently would melt. It is rumoured that glosso can be grown in a low tech no CO2 environment.
So I was just wondering if anyone has any top tips to successfully grow some.

Cheers

S


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## Tim Harrison (31 Oct 2017)

I've never really got any plant to carpet properly low-energy, especially Glosso; tho' that's not to say it can't be done. Monte Carlo might be a better option, but even then I think you'll probably need LC.


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## AverageWhiteBloke (6 Jan 2018)

I have a patch of MC in my non gas or LC tank at the moment, only been in there 3 weeks but so far no sign of it dying back and a little new growth. Obviously very early yet, only time will tell.


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## Danny (7 Jan 2018)

Not glosso but I had Marselia Hersuita going crazy with no gas just LC and ferts.


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## Stickleback (24 Mar 2022)

Haha. Was just googling how to grow glosso in a low tech tank and saw someone had asked exactly that in an aquatic forum! Woo hoo perfect. Only to realised it was my thread from 2017.


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## dw1305 (24 Mar 2022)

Hi all,


Stickleback said:


> saw someone had asked exactly that in an aquatic forum!


I think we've probably all been there, the other day I was looking at a Google Search and I found a link where the person both agreed with me and was making perfect sense.................

Only to find it was some-one quoting me and then my feelings of vindication were then cruelly violated when they then told everybody on that forum that it was total b*llocks and that I was obviously a complete clown.

cheers Darrel


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## Sarpijk (24 Mar 2022)

Last night I was watching a video by MJ aquascaping. He has setup a low tech no filter nano with a full carpet of glosso. He says that he uses only RO water and that helps.

Link:


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## Garuf (24 Mar 2022)

Very shallow tank. Lots of flow. Good substrate and hope. 
I don’t take much stock in ro helping, I’ve grown glosso in liquid rock.
It’s a mud mat plant at the end of the day and it’s co2 hungry. A shallow tank will improve your chances as it will give better gaseous exchange but it’s not really a low tech tank plant due to its original habitat of extreme light in very shallow water.


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## Garuf (24 Mar 2022)

Sarpijk said:


> Last night I was watching a video by MJ aquascaping. He has setup a low tech no filter nano with a full carpet of glosso. He says that he uses only RO water and that helps.
> 
> Link:



I’m convinced he’s not seeing the wood for the trees. It’s a very shallow tank and shallow tanks have better co2 availability.


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## HKATER (29 Mar 2022)

I have a tip - I grow a lot of glosso. You need to go super low-tech. Glosso's are typically called 'mud-mat', they grow in mud. Picture below is elatinoides in ADA Amazonia (V2 no tabs or original I forget, doesn't matter) + 30% potting mix (mixed by hand). A premium potting mix with low low wood content so it doesn't turn your water yellow. Glosso (all of them) grow submerged in water temperatures from freezing (4 deg C) to above 30 deg C - their natural biotope in Australia. This tank is 3 months old, no CO2 injection, no added fertlisers liquid or other. It just came out of winter temperatures and grew like a jungle in winter daylight in Australia (no direct sunlight).


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## HKATER (29 Mar 2022)

Elatinoides in its native soil/mud. In low nutrient muds and water it will grow horizontal like a carpet because there are low nutrients in the water column. The nutrients are in the mud where it grows. High nutrient water will always grow elatinoides vertical like a forest. Lighting levels are irrelevant but must be enough to let it grow. Not a demanding plant in terms of lighting in my experience.


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## _Maq_ (24 Jul 2022)

Many of these carpet plants take up CO2 leaching from the sediment due to microbial respiration. Some of them even actively oxidize their rhizosphere to support more microbes. I've kept various carpet plants successfully in low-tech, unfortunately never tried Glossostigma. My favorite used to be Elatine hydropiper because it sticks firmly to the substrate and does not create a thick mat.
My suggestion - only a suggestion since I haven't performed any test to prove it - is that these plants do not require CO2 injection but benefit from good water movement and well-oxygenated water (to feed their microbial tenants).


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## Stickleback (21 Sep 2022)

I'm getting there slowly


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