What would be a good ground cover - Aquarium Advice

mom2reds · 04-07-2008, 05:57 PM

I have a 100 gallon tank with a new light fixture that has 2 65 watt 6700K. I was wondering if there was anything I could plant as a ground cover.

mom2reds · 04-07-2008, 06:02 PM

OOPS sorry meant to post this in the planted forum, could someone move it please and thank you.

**Purrbox** · 04-07-2008, 08:06 PM

About the only thing you could hope to grow with that much light is Clover (marsilea sp.).

**An t-iasg** · 04-07-2008, 09:24 PM

Moved to the Planted Tanks forum.

mom2reds · 04-07-2008, 09:34 PM

thank you purbox I will have to try to get that. Thanks An t-iasg.

pitt420dude · 04-08-2008, 10:06 AM

Yes, with light barely over 1 wpg, I don't know what you can and can't grow. I can tell you that I wish you luck, as I'm a huge fan of ground cover plants. I think it is absolutely stunning and if you have enough of it, you eliminate the need for gravel vacs, which is great IMO.

**An t-iasg** · 04-08-2008, 11:41 AM

I have 27 watts over 10 gallons, which is considered low light. I have Marsilea quadrifolia and it is doing ok - it's not dying but it's not growing and the leaves don't look like clover leaves. As the leaves grow, they "divide" into the 3 or 4 leaf clover pattern. Mine all have just one solid leaf. One leaf is beginning to split and divide but it's going very slowly.

mom2reds · 04-08-2008, 06:58 PM

I think I will give it a try. I saw some 96 watt 10000K cf bulbs do you think I would be beter off with these instead of the 65 watt 6700K bulbs?

**Purrbox** · 04-09-2008, 12:41 AM

Please note that you would probably have to replace the fixture and not just the bulbs. If you are already aware of this, then 2x96watts would get you just under medium light and allow you to grow a larger variety of plants with low maintenance. However it probably still wouldn't allow you to grow many other carpet plants. You could give HC (Hemianthus Callitrichoides) a try with that increased lighting especially if supplementing either CO2 or Flourish Excel. Most carpet plants require high light to form a nice carpet, and will grow upwards instead if there isn't enough light.

HiJaC · 04-09-2008, 12:33 PM

personally i gave up in my 46G with ricca, glosso (too little light) and have almost given up with dwarf clover (wasnt spreading fast enough, didnt form very thick with eco complete, got killed by cynobacteria).

but i'm having alot of fun "faking it" with a carpet of dwarf soft rush in my pretty deep tank.

maybe just try the bigger types of carpet plants.

04-07-2008, 05:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
mom2reds Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lubbock texas Posts: 754 Images: 14	What would be a good ground cover I have a 100 gallon tank with a new light fixture that has 2 65 watt 6700K. I was wondering if there was anything I could plant as a ground cover. __________________ Tess 100 gal. freshwater planted community tank VOTE FOR AA TODAY

04-07-2008, 06:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
mom2reds Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lubbock texas Posts: 754 Images: 14	OOPS sorry meant to post this in the planted forum, could someone move it please and thank you. __________________ Tess 100 gal. freshwater planted community tank VOTE FOR AA TODAY

04-07-2008, 08:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
Purrbox Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Iowa USA Posts: 4,458	About the only thing you could hope to grow with that much light is Clover (marsilea sp.). __________________ ~Joy 10 Gallon Planted Photo Log - 5.5 Gallon Planted Photo Log - 2.5 Gallon Planted Photo Log - Pico Planted Photo Log

04-07-2008, 09:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
An t-iasg Aquarium Advice Addict Community Admin Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Criders Corners/Glen Eden (Pittsburgh, PA) Posts: 6,714 Images: 40	Moved to the Planted Tanks forum. __________________ The canal walk through downtown Indianapolis

04-07-2008, 09:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
mom2reds Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lubbock texas Posts: 754 Images: 14	thank you purbox I will have to try to get that. Thanks An t-iasg. __________________ Tess 100 gal. freshwater planted community tank VOTE FOR AA TODAY

04-08-2008, 10:06 AM	#6 (permalink)
pitt420dude Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pittsburgh! Home of the 5 Time Superbowl Champs! Posts: 949 Images: 11	Yes, with light barely over 1 wpg, I don't know what you can and can't grow. I can tell you that I wish you luck, as I'm a huge fan of ground cover plants. I think it is absolutely stunning and if you have enough of it, you eliminate the need for gravel vacs, which is great IMO. __________________ Thank you so much for all your help. I'm now going green. LOOK! A NEW LEAF!!!!!

04-08-2008, 11:41 AM	#7 (permalink)
An t-iasg Aquarium Advice Addict Community Admin Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Criders Corners/Glen Eden (Pittsburgh, PA) Posts: 6,714 Images: 40	I have 27 watts over 10 gallons, which is considered low light. I have Marsilea quadrifolia and it is doing ok - it's not dying but it's not growing and the leaves don't look like clover leaves. As the leaves grow, they "divide" into the 3 or 4 leaf clover pattern. Mine all have just one solid leaf. One leaf is beginning to split and divide but it's going very slowly. __________________ The canal walk through downtown Indianapolis

04-08-2008, 06:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
mom2reds Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lubbock texas Posts: 754 Images: 14	I think I will give it a try. I saw some 96 watt 10000K cf bulbs do you think I would be beter off with these instead of the 65 watt 6700K bulbs? __________________ Tess 100 gal. freshwater planted community tank VOTE FOR AA TODAY Last edited by mom2reds; 04-08-2008 at 07:16 PM.

04-09-2008, 12:41 AM	#9 (permalink)
Purrbox Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Iowa USA Posts: 4,458	Please note that you would probably have to replace the fixture and not just the bulbs. If you are already aware of this, then 2x96watts would get you just under medium light and allow you to grow a larger variety of plants with low maintenance. However it probably still wouldn't allow you to grow many other carpet plants. You could give HC (Hemianthus Callitrichoides) a try with that increased lighting especially if supplementing either CO2 or Flourish Excel. Most carpet plants require high light to form a nice carpet, and will grow upwards instead if there isn't enough light. __________________ ~Joy 10 Gallon Planted Photo Log - 5.5 Gallon Planted Photo Log - 2.5 Gallon Planted Photo Log - Pico Planted Photo Log

04-09-2008, 12:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
HiJaC Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 150	personally i gave up in my 46G with ricca, glosso (too little light) and have almost given up with dwarf clover (wasnt spreading fast enough, didnt form very thick with eco complete, got killed by cynobacteria). but i'm having alot of fun "faking it" with a carpet of dwarf soft rush in my pretty deep tank. maybe just try the bigger types of carpet plants.

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