Oh, darn :/ I'd seen DWG before and it was by far my favorite, but I've heard before too that the need high light and CO2. I think I'd be able to make a DIY CO2 system, but for lights I can't find a higher wattage bulb for my standard fixture. I'll definitely look into dwarf sag. I haven't seen it in stores so I think I'll have to get it online. I was thinking LiveAquaria.com would be a good place to order it.
Short grass?
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Oh, darn :/ I'd seen DWG before and it was by far my favorite, but I've heard before too that the need high light and CO2. I think I'd be able to make a DIY CO2 system, but for lights I can't find a higher wattage bulb for my standard fixture. I'll definitely look into dwarf sag. I haven't seen it in stores so I think I'll have to get it online. I was thinking LiveAquaria.com would be a good place to order it.
Dallascowboys16
Aquarium Advice Addict
For cheap lighting that would put you in the medium light range look up oddysea dual t-5 aquarium lighting on amazon and then you may be able to pull off dwarf hair grass with correct fertilization and liquid co2. That's the lighting I have on my 55 gallon and I can almost grow anything with proper care and fertilization. Look it up and tell me what you think!
For cheap lighting that would put you in the medium light range look up oddysea dual t-5 aquarium lighting on amazon and then you may be able to pull off dwarf hair grass with correct fertilization and liquid co2. That's the lighting I have on my 55 gallon and I can almost grow anything with proper care and fertilization. Look it up and tell me what you think!
Looks like a good fixture, only thing is I just spent about all my money on redoing my tank so I won't be able to afford something like that for awhile. Also, how would I fix it onto my tank? I have a full hood and light fixture that came with the tank. Would I have to completely remove the hood or just my current light fixture?
Dallascowboys16
Aquarium Advice Addict
You can remove the full hood or you can just lay it over the glass sheet on the full hood because I believe that it is thin enough to do so. If not you just mount it on the top with the included extendable brackets.
Ah, I see. If I ever did purchase this or something similar I would just lay it over the glass.
Thanks for this info, but for now I think I'll just get something like dwarf sag and keep my current light. If I ever decide to get more advanced plants I'll definitely consider that fixture
Dreamroper
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Thanks for the tip on where to buy plants online wyatt. I couldn't remember the name of that site, but had heard good things about it in the past. Good luck with your foreground plants. My chain sword started out really nice and would send out runners so it spread, but didn't cover everything, but as I mentioned earlier, the older leaves always turn brown and it ruins the looks of the plants. I'm interested to know what works out for you. Please keep us posted or send me a private message. D
Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Peabody's Paradise also carries dwarf sag.
Another grass to consider is broadleaf chain sword. I found some at AquariumPlants.com. As for low light, it grows slowly. I had it for a few months under a dual t5 NO and it barely hung in there and then switched to a Finnex FugeRay and growth took off (plus I added DYI CO2). The tank is a 20g long so it is a bit shallow.
Below is a pic of dwarf sag from two different vendors, Four Leaf Clover (Marsilea quadrifolia...not a grass but will carpet), and broadleaf chain sword. The broadleaf chain sword stays pretty short compared to the dwarf sag which got taller than I expected. It must be the lighting because I moved some dwarf sag runners to my low light shrimp tank and so far the dwarf sag is staying petite.
Another grass to consider is broadleaf chain sword. I found some at AquariumPlants.com. As for low light, it grows slowly. I had it for a few months under a dual t5 NO and it barely hung in there and then switched to a Finnex FugeRay and growth took off (plus I added DYI CO2). The tank is a 20g long so it is a bit shallow.
Below is a pic of dwarf sag from two different vendors, Four Leaf Clover (Marsilea quadrifolia...not a grass but will carpet), and broadleaf chain sword. The broadleaf chain sword stays pretty short compared to the dwarf sag which got taller than I expected. It must be the lighting because I moved some dwarf sag runners to my low light shrimp tank and so far the dwarf sag is staying petite.
I'll be sure to do that. It might be awhile before I get anything though.
Thanks for that pic. I can't decide if I'd like dwarf sag or chain sword better. I think I like the looks or chain sword better, idk.
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Piratechest
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Dreamroper
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Peabody's Paradise also carries dwarf sag.
Another grass to consider is broadleaf chain sword. I found some at AquariumPlants.com. As for low light, it grows slowly. I had it for a few months under a dual t5 NO and it barely hung in there and then switched to a Finnex FugeRay and growth took off (plus I added DYI CO2). The tank is a 20g long so it is a bit shallow.
Below is a pic of dwarf sag from two different vendors, Four Leaf Clover (Marsilea quadrifolia...not a grass but will carpet), and broadleaf chain sword. The broadleaf chain sword stays pretty short compared to the dwarf sag which got taller than I expected. It must be the lighting because I moved some dwarf sag runners to my low light shrimp tank and so far the dwarf sag is staying petite.
Another beautiful tank. Thanks for the picture and name. Really pretty.
D
Dreamroper
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Cool tank! What's that tall plant in the corner?
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Piratechest
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thanks! I'm not sure I can give you pics of the Lilly's if you wouldn't mind identifying? I got it in a bulb pack.
Sillyfishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
What carpets the fastest and the best- chain sword, crypt parva, or dwarf sag? Any other low light carpet plants?
aqua_chem
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sag > Chain sword >>> Parva.
I'm not sure that I would consider the first two 'low light' or 'carpeting', as it can get rather tall. I guess it would depend on what one considers 'low light', as that's not really standardized.
I wish I could show you the dwarf sag I have right now. It's 2/3s the way up a 40B in the back where it's thick and 1-3" in the front where it's invading the foreground and gets more light. That should illustrate the variety. And to be a 'carpet', it needs to be growing pretty close, so it will grow up to a point where it's not really a foreground plant. That's not to say that it's not a suitable foreground, but it needs a certain type of tank. In a less strict 'jungle' or 'natural' tank where you can let it run amok, it can create a nice wild feel, but in shouldn't go into something like iwagumi or dutch because it won't mind its manners and will send runners everywhere.
I'm not sure that I would consider the first two 'low light' or 'carpeting', as it can get rather tall. I guess it would depend on what one considers 'low light', as that's not really standardized.
I wish I could show you the dwarf sag I have right now. It's 2/3s the way up a 40B in the back where it's thick and 1-3" in the front where it's invading the foreground and gets more light. That should illustrate the variety. And to be a 'carpet', it needs to be growing pretty close, so it will grow up to a point where it's not really a foreground plant. That's not to say that it's not a suitable foreground, but it needs a certain type of tank. In a less strict 'jungle' or 'natural' tank where you can let it run amok, it can create a nice wild feel, but in shouldn't go into something like iwagumi or dutch because it won't mind its manners and will send runners everywhere.
Sillyfishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
I just want a carpet like plant for my 10g jungle lol... I could trim it to size.
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Piratechest
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dwarf hair grass!
aqua_chem
Aquarium Advice Addict
What's the CO2/light/fert situation of this tank?
Sillyfishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
2 CFLs (can replace them with whatever wattage), 1 T8 if needed (prefer not. I'd have to change out the bulb), liquid carbon (metracide-14), and PPS-Pro
aqua_chem
Aquarium Advice Addict
You might be able to get a lilaeopsis species to grow, eg, brasiliensis aka micro sword. I've seen knowledgeable folks grow it in moderate light Excel tanks, although it grows very slow in those circumstances. In a 10g though, you could buy a lot of it to give a good starting point.
