Hair grass

[Hobgob]

Is there a type of hair grass that grow really short? Also I have never had plants before so what type of lighting and fertilizer would I need if any? Any links would be appreciated

 

[BigJim]

If you're after the carpet look, you're going to need some pretty good light, CO2 injection, and a fert regimen. To keep the hairgrass short, you'll just have to trim it with a scissors.

How large is your tank? It's much easier to give you suggestions if I know what we're working with.

I did a glosso carpet in a high-light tank. Check out the LED link in my signature for some pictures.

 

[Hobgob]

35 gallon. All I want is grass growing basically. If I can get away without any co2, that'd be awesome and I have gravel substrate

 

[fort384]

Lilaeopsis grows kind of short... At least compared to hair grass. Hair grass looks nicer though IMO... You just have to keep it trimmed as Jim said.

Most of the carpet type plants are really going to benefit from higher light and co2. You may run into disappointing results without it.

Gravel substrate isn't ideal either for fine leaved grasslike plants.

What kind of light do you have?

 

[Hobgob]

I have no idea or know how to tell. I have never done planted before. And how is dwarf hairgrass? Also would it come in a pot because u could just put the pot in the gravel could I not?

 

[fort384]

You could. Whether or not it will live/grow is a different story.

DHG has the same requirements as the other plants that were mentioned. Lighting is the first key.

What kind of bulbs? (t8, t5ho, led, etc)
Wattage?
Color temp?

 

[Hobgob]

Where does it say, on the bulb or somewhere else? And dang that sucks. I don't really wanna get involved with co2.

Is there a type of moss that can grow on rocks at all?

 

[Hobgob]

I found this on I forum when I search grass plants for aquariums. Is it true what they say about the crypt parva and echinodorus tenellus?


Crypt parva is easy, in a non co2 tank with low light it will grow a bit taller than 2 cm, but probably not more than 5 cm. It's super easy and forgives not being fertilized.
Echinodorus tenellus is a good bet like 2wheelsx2 said, and if you're feeling lucky eleocharis parvula MAY grow (it's hit and miss if you don't use CO2 I find), or if you'd like to prune, Eleocharis vivapara is easier to grow, but does grow tall. Only other suggestion is Marsilea quadrifolia, it's a fern and once it's adapted to the aquarium, looks like glosso. It's easy too, but does take time to grow.

 

[Hobgob]

My bulb is an Eclipse F18T8 natural daylight. That's all it says so what's that mean. On google it said that the 18 was the watt and T8 was the tube width or something like that. Would this even be good for any low light plants?

 

[BigJim]

C. Parva grows incredibly slowly and needs a bit more light than most crypts. I have some in my high-light 20H with CO2 and ferts and it's hardly grown in nearly a year. I've seen someone do a Parva carpet and it cost them hundreds of dollars to get enough to carpet the tank.

You've got a ~6700K 18W T8 bulb. The "natural daylight" is the spectrum (6500K-6700K usually for daylight bulbs.), the "18" is 18W, and the T8 is the bulb diameter. Fluorescent bulb diameter is measured in 1/8" increments. A T5 is 5/8" in diameter, T8 is 1", T12 is 1.5", etc.

You should be able to grow some low-light plants. Don't expect miracles though. Start with anubias, java ferns, crypts, and some vals.

 

[Hobgob]

All I was really looking for was some type of carpet or grass look. I'm not going to do a lot just a little bit. I just think a grass look would look cool.

Also thank you for the light info.

 

[Hobgob]

Is there any type of grassy or carpet that I could do or would I need to upgrade my lighting first?

 

[fort384]

With that lighting your options will be limited to the plants bigjim list for the most part.

 

[Hobgob]

But not the Parva crypt right? Would I be able to grow sagittaria or vallisneria? The reason I ask is because I have an old boom of my fathers and it has ten plants that will apparently grow in almost any aquarium...

If so how tall would it get? Do they spread at all and would I be able to trim the height and it's runners(if it's how they produce off springs).

 

[Hobgob]

Does anybody have a website I could use to search up plants on?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Does anybody have a website I could use to search up plants on?

Plantgeek.net.

 

[aqua_chem]

Plantgeek.net.

Solid site. Plantedtank can be useful too for more anecdotal accounts.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Here's a list of profiles here on our site - http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f29/comprehensive-list-of-plant-profiles-153985.html

 

[Hobgob]

Thanks everybody will check them out!