plant hunt

[MisticX]

i am looking for a plant that is VERY small, reproduces fast enough and of course is natural.


by very small i mean up to 2-3 cm height


my plan is to completely cover my tank's gravel with this plant, while i create in the background a "wall" of climbing plants that can cover my equipment


any thoughts?
if any of you posses or can point a online shop that sells it, i am willing to pay the buck (unless it's exaggerate)

 

[CatatonicBug]

What you're looking for is a carpet plant of some sort. Lighting is critical, as most carpet plants require quite a bit of lighting. I believe they also need to be "mowed" muck like a lawn, to keep them looking like a carpet. I have no idea what the plant types are, but I'm sure others will be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[MisticX]

i have a good solution for not having to "mow" them ...
when i get the plant i will test it and then let you all know how it went.

on another hand i wouldn't be bothered if all my graver would be covered with some small plant... something like a lawn

 

[Purrbox]

You're best bet for that look is probably going to be HC (Hemianthus Callitrichoides) or Glosso. You'll need good light, carbon (CO2 or Flourish Excel), and good nutrients to get these growing happily and staying low to the substrate.

 

[Dave66]

Easiest plant to carpet the tank is Echinodorus tennelus - the dwarf chain sword plant. Given time, this little grass-like plant can carpet the largest of tanks. After settling in, each plant will send out runners with daughter plants on the nodes so in a matter of months five becomes 30, thirty, ninety, and so on. To keep it from spreading in unsuitable directions, trim the runner close to the 'mother' plant.
Need a fine, iron-rich substrate for it and a decent light level. Bright light colors the tips of the leaves rusty red. Grows great with or without Co2 injection.

Dave

 

[CatatonicBug]

i have a good solution for not having to "mow" them ...

What? Aquatic micro-sheep?

 

[theotheragentm]

What? Aquatic micro-sheep?

Don't forget the aquatic micro-sheep dogs.

 

[CatatonicBug]

Don't forget the aquatic micro-sheep dogs.

Well, I've heard of dogfish, so maybe there are sheepdogfish too.

 

[pitt420dude]

Ha, lol.

Another plant you could try is Riccia, I love that plant.

 

[MisticX]

Well, I've heard of dogfish, so maybe there are sheepdogfish too.

i was thinking more in the lines of a automatic aquatic Husqvarna something in the lines of http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/files/Husqvarna/Local/usa/Documents/235_240 Chain Saw Flyer.pdf


but yesh ... dogfish and sheepfish ... never would have thought of it.
i guess i'll try it
will i also need a shepherd-fish ?

 

[MisticX]

i love the 2nd and 3rd ...
not so crazy about the 1st

the one i am crazy about is the 3rd one ... will be a perfect addition to the tank because i do not want to take the mothers out of the tank to often... so fry can have a chance to escape under the plants

 

[CatatonicBug]

That is a nice looking plant. What is that third one called?

 

[Dave66]

That is a nice looking plant. What is that third one called?

That's Riccia secured to the bottom of the tank. It's either secured to heavy rocks or some kind of netting to have it across the bottom like that. It's been trimmed to make it look flat like that.

Dave

 

[MisticX]

That's Riccia secured to the bottom of the tank. It's either secured to heavy rocks or some kind of netting to have it across the bottom like that. It's been trimmed to make it look flat like that.

Dave

awww

i thought it grew naturally like that ;((
when i had the other tank, i had a plant that looked like clover, and that covered the whole of my tank.
it was really nice, because it also covered the fry, so i did not have to get my hands wet all the time hunting them.

 

[CatatonicBug]

It's been trimmed to make it look flat like that.

That's where the sheep-fish come in!

On a more serious note, that stuff does not normally grow that way? Personally, I would love to carpet my entire tank with plants like that, but I don't want to have to mow it all the time. Is there anything that you can just stick into gravel substrate and watch it grow like a lawn? I never see carpet plants at my LFS, so I don't get to see this stuff up close.

 

[MisticX]

i had something like this, (it's called umbrella plant) but it was way smaller, basically about the size of my small finger.

i wish this plant still exists

 

[MisticX]

That's where the sheep-fish come in!

On a more serious note, that stuff does not normally grow that way? Personally, I would love to carpet my entire tank with plants like that, but I don't want to have to mow it all the time. Is there anything that you can just stick into gravel substrate and watch it grow like a lawn? I never see carpet plants at my LFS, so I don't get to see this stuff up close.

EXACTLY ... my point perfectly
i want to create some hills shaped graver and plant some of these small plants and make it all green

trouble is i cant find em anymore.

 

[Dave66]

That's where the sheep-fish come in!

On a more serious note, that stuff does not normally grow that way? Personally, I would love to carpet my entire tank with plants like that, but I don't want to have to mow it all the time. Is there anything that you can just stick into gravel substrate and watch it grow like a lawn? I never see carpet plants at my LFS, so I don't get to see this stuff up close.

Bug,
Riccia is actually a floating plant; common name crystalwort. Amano was the first person I know of that actually tied it down to driftwood to use it as a substrate plant. Any piece that'd break off it would float and be a floating plant again. You've probably seen Riccia sold as a floating plant, which it is.
Glossostigma is small and low enough to have that look on a substrate, but it, too, will need to be trimmed, because in happy circumstances, Glossostigma is a terrific grower, and can get messy in a hurry. It also needs very bright light, a fine, nutrient-rich substrate and 30 ppm Co2 for it to grow as I described. Insufficient in one of those needs will do it ill.
That's the thing, Bug; if you want the look, you'll have to trim. Only way my friend.

Dave

 

[Dave66]

i had something like this, (it's called umbrella plant) but it was way smaller, basically about the size of my small finger.

i wish this plant still exists

It does. The species is Hydrocotyle verticillata. Takes judicious trimming for a dense specimen like that, but verticillata is pretty civilized on it's own. Bright light makes the leaves smaller like that.

Dave

 

[CatatonicBug]

You've probably seen Riccia sold as a floating plant, which it is.

Actually, I have never seen anything but the tall stem-type (cabomba), the tall grassy type (swords), or tall-leafed type plants. All the LFS's around here tend not to sell many plants at all.

if you want the look, you'll have to trim. Only way my friend.

Darn... you mean it actually takes work??
How do people do that then? A pair of scissors under water, or just fingers?

I need to invent an underwater lawnmower...