Grass like plant questions...?

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GoldfishNewbie

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Mar 16, 2011
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Location
British Columbia
Are there any plants that can grow/look kind of like grass, but under low-medium lighting? I'm thinking of starting a planted tank and love the idea of grass in it too, but I don't have tons of money to buy the best/brightest lights or whatever...
 
GoldfishNewbie said:
Are there any plants that can grow/look kind of like grass, but under low-medium lighting? I'm thinking of starting a planted tank and love the idea of grass in it too, but I don't have tons of money to buy the best/brightest lights or whatever...

Java moss sewn to plastic grid panels my grandma use for embroidery. Works pretty good from some I've seen here and java moss grows pretty easy but it is slow growing, so patience is a virtue :).
 
How do people clean these? like would I need shrimp to get all the mess, or do you somehow gravel vac it without killing the plants?
 
GoldfishNewbie said:
How do people clean these? like would I need shrimp to get all the mess, or do you somehow gravel vac it without killing the plants?

You're goldies will snack on shrimp :). Are you planning on covering the entire tank? If so start looking at lighting upgrades. Goldies love Anacharis too and that stuff practically grows in the dark lol.

What lights do you have right now?
 
I'm gonna start my first tropical community tank :D only a 20 gal since I'm not allowed any bigger :p so I just bought the 20 gal at walmart before I knew anything about it... its the one my two fancies are in now, but I'm giving one back to the pet store, and moving the sick one to another tank, or just waiting it out to see if he even makes it :(
It has a tank cover like this http://smartshopbuy.com/images/AnimalSupplies/all-glass-aquarium-black-20-fluorescent-delux.jpg where I lift off the light section and just change the lightbulbs.
Again, I'll have the tank empty before I start so i'll be going through all the cycling and stuff, and buying new lights and a new hood if needed. Right now they're just your normal aquarium lights, and I'm wondering if I can just buy lightbulbs strong enough for a 20 gal that would give medium light, or can you recommend a new lighting system that isn't outrageously priced? lol
I know nothing about plants so this will be a long process lol
do you know anything about the( Lilaeopsis mauritiana) Mircro-sword narrow leaf plant?
I just saw it as a carpet and its so pretty! What would I need to keep that kind?
 
meaning I'd never have to vac it???? :O! :)! how many shrimp should i get, and what kind... (I plan on getting a dwarf gourami)
Some neon tetras, 3 male guppies, and one platy, and 4 panda cories... would I not need them then? since the shrimp can do all the work?
(I know nothing about shrimp either lol)
 
Sure shrimp may eat some fish waste but then what eats the shrimp waste lol. You can still use gravel vacs in planted tanks. You just gotta be a little more careful.
 
GoldfishNewbie said:
Ooh! that ones pretty! Can it carpet though? (don't know how to word that question lol)

Yes for shure it can carpet just plant other things around it to keep it to one area
 
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