jn Posted January 26, 2007 Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 I'm getting algae on my stones at the front of my tank and am considering some sort of creeping groundcover. Doesn't have to be a lawn looking plant but I don't want something that will want to grow upwards. Tanks is tall and narrow so access for maintenance at the bottom is awkward. Looking for something that needs little pruning and will stay short and handle low/medium lighting in a low tech, coldwater setup. I understand glosso needs pruning to look good? I like the soft look of hydrocotyle verticillata but am not sure if its suitable. Suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantman Posted January 26, 2007 Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 I'm getting algae on my stones at the front of my tank and am considering some sort of creeping groundcover. Doesn't have to be a lawn looking plant but I don't want something that will want to grow upwards. glosso will grow upwards only if your wattage is low. if you have a good wattage and the right colour. Glosso will not grow upwards until your whole bottom is saturated. that is where revamping is require. all these is part and pacel of aquatic landscaping in the aquarium. Tanks is tall and narrow so access for maintenance at the bottom is awkward. Looking for something that needs little pruning and will stay short and handle low/medium lighting in a low tech, coldwater setup. if you want, you should give hair grass a go. the tallest it will grow is about 5 to 6 inches. "Sagitarium" is another good plant. to me, all this is less prunning, stay short and cold water. but it needs a medium to high light because the plant is at its lowest point of the aquarium trying to get enough light for growth. hope that can of some help. :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted January 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 Thanks plantman. My lights are only 11w (standard fitting in AR-380 Aqua one tank) I don't know what spectrum though. Can't find it anywhere. Have emailed aqua one to find out . Tank is 34l, tall and narrow. I might open up the hood later and look again. It could be underneath I guess. Anyone ever manage to grow glossostigma in a standard tank like mine with any luck? (I hate wasting money!!) I have lilaeopsis (can't remember right now if it's Braziliensis or N.Z) and that's about 4 inches tall and putting out new shoots so can't be too unhappy. Was looking for something to grow shorter and around the base of those. Hairgrass sounds bigger? It has a finer 'leaf' right? Maybe I should try the saggitaria but I was hoping for something less spiky. What's a good website with pictures of planted tanks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antwan Posted January 26, 2007 Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2 ... w-showcase I personally loved hairgrass when I used it as a carpet, there is also E. tenellus that I think Plantman sells on trademe, which is nice. No matter what plant you use, most carpets look really nice when they've filled out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Blue Ram Posted January 26, 2007 Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 Hey Jn, I found glossotigma in lake Rotaroa (about 1 hr out of Nelson) as it grows native threw out NZ i think, so maybe someone down your way knows of a lake that may have it? I got my self a reasnable size carpet out of a trip to the lake lol and i'm planing on making a trip back sometime soon for my other tank : ) Here is a pic of a glosso carpet i got of google Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted January 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 Ok.. here's an attempt at posting a photo. Excuse the fact that the filter is running. I had given up on taking a decent photo and plugged it back in but I carried on playing around with the camera. This should give you a reasonable idea. There is some type of hygrophila on the left. I'm taking that out this weekend cause the size of the leaves just make the tank look small. I'll move the lysmachia to cover the filter inlet as it blows around in the flow where it is now anyway. There's 2 clumps of lilaeopsis which have BBA on them but are putting out new shoots, And lastly there a wee sprig of ludwigia repens near the back corner that I'm waiting for to fill in!! It's actually grown quite a bit already.. I might cut that bit off near the gravel as there are a couple new shoots at the base and replant the top beside it (there's a root at the first node above the gravel so that shold help it not have too much of a setback) I welcome any feedback. The large stones next to and on top of the driftwood are temporary since it was still floating a bit when I installed it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 26, 2007 Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 Your tank looks great but with the head of water and low lighting I don't think it would grow glosso or tenellus successfully as they both need strong light. I am not sure about hairgrass or sagittaria--- someone with more experience in low lighting may be able to help. Sagittaria microfolia certainly grows well in medium to strong light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantman Posted January 26, 2007 Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 i agree with Alan. you might want to consider plants like nanas, crypt, java fern, etc. this plant does not need high light but i find this plant tricky at time with low light. i have tried crypt and java fern before but never with low light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted January 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 Thanks guys. Yes I definitely want some anubias nana for around the base of the driftwood but was waiting till my BBA cleared up cause I've read the leaves of these can get covered in the stuff as they're slow growing. I considered mouse's ear but after thinking about it looked like it wouldn't take much for it to get too big for my space. Definitely need some darker green in there and a bit more substance so I'll have to find a crypt or java fern that's a good size for me. Was considering eventually growing some moss on the top of the driftwood. Being high in the tank it seems to get a reasonable amount of light. If I get a pair of jordanella floridae they might keep it trimmed for me?! I also suppose that you must be right about the light being low cause the algae on the stones isn't green, it looks brown (mind you in a fit of optimism I'm convincing myself I see some green in there with the black ) My nitrates are officially zero so I shouldn't be having much increase in the amount of algae with any luck (it's been 10 days since my last water change) Would still appreciate hearing from anyone out there who's got some lower light levels or anyone who has some more plant or layout suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 27, 2007 Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 Mouses ear ( Saururus cernuus) grows very slowly and also needs strong light. It is grown emersed when you buy it in the shops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted January 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 Hmmm.. another one that needs stong lights huh?! And then alot of what's currently up on trademe is suitable for tropical not cold tanks. Looks like I have some more research to do then. No rush then! I'd sooner do it right than do it over and over again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 27, 2007 Report Share Posted January 27, 2007 My stuff on Trademe (alan4304) is all tropical but waterplantz (John Peters often has cold water plants. I think you would still need to increase your lighting to have any real success. Your tank is not well designed for plant growth as it is high for its size. If plants grow well in a 300mm high tank with certain lighting, in a 600mm tank they will probably require 10 times the lighting rather than double. The problem can then become too much light at the top and not enough at the bottom. You may have to start playing poker--pay to look or buy and try. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 If you google " the age of aquariums" there is a comprehensive list of plants and fish in colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted January 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Thanks alan3404. I sort of figured that was you. I guess I'm going to be the 'guinea pig' with this tank and see what works and what doesn't! I'll be sure to report back. It looks though like I can grown some anubias and some crypt. wendtii but I might try something different just to see if I can then. I read something about something called marislea or something like that. A little clover looking plant that's supposedly really easy to grow. I think I saw some at the watergarden shop here. Maybe I'll try that Thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 If that is floating plant you have it will probably grow well but will block the light to the other plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted January 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 This is the one I mean. I could be wrong but I seem to recall seeing a plant that looked like 4-leaf clover at The Water Garden shop here in chch. I wasn't looking for a groundcover at the time so could be remembering wrong. It certainly sounds promising! Marsilea quadrifolia, and a smaller version minuta described here. http://www.floridadriftwood.com/aquariu ... folia.html With the current in this tank I don't think there would be any hope of growing anything floating without getting extremely dizzy while I watched it get tossed around in the flow!! Even stem plants near the front are having a hard time standing up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Sorry,I am not familiar with that plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meesheelly Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 hey i just wanna say that dont be afraid to try things. I have a similar tank that only has the light on sometimes but otherwise gets the light from the window and it grows polysperma and hair grass with no problems. I had a problem with the flow to but by experimenting with extra filter material i have been able to make it not quite as strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiuh Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 This is the one I mean. I could be wrong but I seem to recall seeing a plant that looked like 4-leaf clover at The Water Garden shop here in chch. I wasn't looking for a groundcover at the time so could be remembering wrong. It certainly sounds promising! Marsilea quadrifolia, and a smaller version minuta described here. http://www.floridadriftwood.com/aquariu ... folia.html where abouts did you see this plant? looks like a promising plant i want to try. i will be in christchurch in a couple of weeks time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted January 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Hey Shiuh, The plant I saw was similar so I'm not 100% sure it was that particular variety. The internet indicated there are a heap of plants in the genus but they don't all do well permanently submerged so I need to check which one I saw. The shop though is The Water Garden on Blenheim rd. they sell stuff in pretty good sized pots intended for ponds and I think 1 plant runs about $10 but you get alot of it. They're all grown emmersed but some are suitable for underwater. Good thing is I can put a plant in my pond and just take some out for the tank that way if it dies in the tank I suppose I haven't wasted all the money!! I'll try to call them in the next few days maybe and I'll post back or pm you if they have the right variety. Thanks for the encouragement meesheely. I'm definitely up to trying things out. I hoped someone might have said "I know exactly what you need!!" but alas it was not to be :-? I also believe that most info on plants... well.. garden varieties anyway.. have their preferred/safe range of conditions listed and not necessarily their full range which is where experience from people like you guys come in! (ie: I firmly believe there are all sorts of stuff out there that's hardier than people give it credit for) but I'm happy to research things and read and then pick what might seem like a suitable option and give it a go! I fully expect to stuff it up a few times in the process. Just hope to get through without emptying my pocketbook My lilaeopsis is doing fine at the bottom and spreading already. So I don't think it's hopeless...just a question of finding the right plant! I have some extra filter wool. Maybe I can try putting it over the outlet holes (under the ceramic bio-noodles) and see if that helps. I'm not sure my fish are keen on the full current either. Thanks for the idea! Will share the results of any experiments in due course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 I have bought plants from there but some are not labeled correctly and many are not realy water plants or would only survive down here in summer. Do your homework and good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted January 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Not labelled correctly! Oooh.. not so good! Especially since this marsilea supposedly can only be told apart based the submersed leaf form! Never mind. I can but try.. :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 29, 2007 Report Share Posted January 29, 2007 The labelling is done by the suppliers. This is not uncommon. If you go to most shops they can tell you the price of the plant but not much else. Get to recognise the plants in their emersed form as that is how most are sold. I have just remembered that I have plants in a terrarium that has shallow water but only a 300mm flouro for light and it grows cardamine lyrata and hydrocotyle leucocephala. They will grow from the land into the water and from the water to the land. It is low light but also shallow water. They might be worth a try but will both grow up towards the light. Hyrocotyle verticulata remains in the media and may do what you want as it will grow smaller in low light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 29, 2007 Report Share Posted January 29, 2007 If you want to try any of those plants I mentioned PM me and I can give you a bit to try out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted January 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2007 Well... from what I've read so far hydrocotyle verticillata is slow growing anyway.. so maybe I should buy both some marsilea and some hydrocotyle and let them battle it out to see which fares better. More reading tells me the pennywort behaves like glosso under poor light and refuses to grow through the substrate preferring to stretch up towards the light (but worse case it'll still look nice like cardamine lyrata . I'll just start it in a spot where I won't mind it if grow upwards!) Have you got a link reference for verticillata growing smaller in low light? I'd be most interested in reading it Finding the right plants is the next challenge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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