Help with a checklist please

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

hulkamaniac

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jun 7, 2006
Messages
455
Location
Wichita, KS
In a few months, I'm going to take on my big fish project of the year. I want to break down my 75g planted tank and add a "lawn" I'm thinking dwarf hairgrass should do the trick.

I think I'm going to have to add a laterite substrate in order to do it right. I'm not sure how much I need for a 75g and if i'll have to replace all I've got or if I can just mix it in with what I've got. I'm also not sure what else I need. It's planted already so I've got the CF lights and a DIY CO2 setup. I don't know if I'll need a store bought pressurized system or if my 2 pop bottle setup will work or not. Is there anything else I should think about buying?
 
I would go with a more fine substrate than just laterite, esp with hairgrass. Maybe something like eco-complete? I have hairgrass in my 40gal with 110w CF, eco-complete, and 4X 2L diy co2 bottles and it grows pretty well. Pressurized would be nice if you can afford it.
 
I know there are several other plants that look like grass in a tank. Besides hairgrass, what else could I consider?
 
Maybe Sagittaria subulata (dwarf sagitaria) if you need something grasslike. It's also easy to grow. If you are just looking for a foreground carpet plant you have many options. Glosso, Marsilea minuta, Elatine triandra, etc.
 
Laterite is a substrate supplement and not supposed to be used by itself. If you're looking to replace your substrate with a plant substrate you might want to look at EcoComplete as it will work well for most carpet plants.

Here's a few ideas for you on alternative grassy foreground plants.
Blyxa japonica
Echinodorus tenellus
Eriocaulon sp.
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis
 
Ok. I'll price the the Eco complete. I just know that the standard gravel I have probably won't be enough. I have 2 wpg on the tank. Will this be sufficient?
 
Depending on what type fixture you're using (flourescent, compact flourescent, etc) it may or may not be enough. Good CO2 levels would help significantly, although I doubt that DIY CO2 will get you there with that large of a tank. Since you are looking at the grassy foreground plants you have a slightly better chance that you'll get the results you're looking for. Only way to know for sure is to give it a try and see how it turns out.

Just thought of another grassy plant that is more tolerant of lower light levels (which I now see that Peyton beat me to recommending).
Dwarf Sag (Sagittaria subulata)
 
Never grown Hair Grass, but I've grown Dwarf Sag and Glosso in regular gravel, no Co2, 220 watts ah supply CF over a 110 gallon tank.

Had hair problems, especially around the glosso, and as a result just added Co2 to that tank. It wasn't out of control or anything, I assume because the 6 SAE's put something of a dent into it, but I considered it unsightly.
 
I had near zero luck with dwarf hairgrass in a 55 with CO2 and 2wpg cf light. I understand how to grow it better now and consider it an advanced plant. Unless planted very carefully (think hair plugs) you have a very hard time getting it to fill in. For me, narrow leaf chain swords have been the easiest lawn type plant to work with.

Peyton, you say yours grows well but is it anywhere near lawnlike?
 
Hoovercat said:
I had near zero luck with dwarf hairgrass in a 55 with CO2 and 2wpg cf light. I understand how to grow it better now and consider it an advanced plant. Unless planted very carefully (think hair plugs) you have a very hard time getting it to fill in. For me, narrow leaf chain swords have been the easiest lawn type plant to work with.

Peyton, you say yours grows well but is it anywhere near lawnlike?

Well I wouldn't say lawnlike, but I haven't really given it a chance really. I keep trying different things in this tank. Right now it has 3 different foreground plants all competing for the same space. Of the three hairgrass is doing the least amount of growth, but it is growing well. Just not as well as glosso and m. minuta.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b207/peglegburnout/01142007003.jpg

as you can tell from the pic glosso is starting to take over.
 
Back
Top Bottom