Hi,
Have a planted tank without any chiller or fan. Just dose liquid carbon and fertilisers weekly. Basically experimented with plants that I can use for this setup. So far have anubis, java moss, java ferns, ludwiga.
But I want a foreground plant for my landscape. Something that will cover the substrate like grass. Tried ezperimenting witj glosso bit that failed since my water is room temp.
anyone have suggestions of foreground plants that are low lying and dense? Glosso would have been perfect for what I had in mind.
I don't have any experience yet but based on my research, I want to get the 4 leaves clover 🍀 for my next tank, setup also similar as yours, low tech that is.
You can get the plant name here, and where to get it.
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...d.php?t=119530
I haven't started it or bought any. Still researching stage.
from 14L to 8L tank.
Originally Posted by 14litre
Thanks alot for the tip. Will try this clover and see how ot goes. only concern is if fishy business keeps them in the fridge they may need cooler temperature. I bought my glosso from fishy business. All melted.
You could also try Monte Carlo (aka MC), its a relatively easy carpet plant to grow and can adapt to a wide range of tank conditions too.
Btw, whats the temperature of your tank water? From my experience, glosso isn't that particular about temperature (at least not to crazy extremes). I've kept mine indoors at average room temperatures of 28-29°C, and also outdoors at up to 31-32°C during the hot months, they still grow.
There are many examples of glosso carpets in local planted tanks without fan or chillers, just do a search on the forum.
Are you also using nutrient-rich soil substrate? That makes a big difference in supporting the transition and growth of rooted carpet plants.
Just to add, if you bought the Tropica 1-2-Grow cup Glosso from Fishy Business, those are kept in their fridge to keep the emersed tissue-cultured plants fresh in storage for a longer period of time (like how flowers and imported vegetables are kept in cold rooms before purchase), its helps to slow down their growth in the cups and prevents deterioration... but that is not indicative of its actual remperature requirements when growing in a planted tank.
You could also try Monte Carlo (aka MC), its a relatively easy carpet plant to grow and can adapt to a wide range of tank conditions too.
Btw, whats the temperature of your tank water? From my experience, glosso isn't that particular about temperature (at least not to crazy extremes). I've kept mine indoors at average room temperatures of 28-29°C, and also outdoors at up to 31-32°C during the hot months, they still grow.
There are many examples of glosso carpets in local planted tanks without fan or chillers, just do a search on the forum.
Are you also using nutrient-rich soil substrate? That makes a big difference in supporting the transition and growth of rooted carpet plants.
Just to add, if you bought the Tropica 1-2-Grow cup Glosso from Fishy Business, those are kept in their fridge to keep the emersed tissue-cultured plants fresh in storage for a longer period of time (like how flowers and imported vegetables are kept in cold rooms before purchase), its helps to slow down their growth in the cups and prevents deterioration... but that is not indicative of its actual remperature requirements when growing in a planted tank.
Ah I see. Thanks for the advice. my tank temperature is 28-29 Celcius. my substrate is combination of black gravel and bits of shrimp control soil. Didn't think that would be a problem. Hmm maybe I should lay some nutrient rich soil on top the substrate and plant the glosso. I still have some glosso in the fridge.
Looks like the current substrate that you are using will need to be improved upon... gravel is inert and shrimp soil have zero (or very little) nutrients, so for the rooted carpet plants, they are basically not getting sufficient nutrients to establish and grow. Water column fertilizers can help but most carpeting plants usually take up more of their nutrients requirements from their roots.
I guess you have been keeping other much hardier plants that are not rooted and tied to objects, like anubias, java ferns, mosses etc, and hence haven't encountered as much issues with them. Those plants take up nutrients from the water column and are slow growing, so they don't face the same challenges as rooted carpet plants which need to take up lots of nutrients from the substrate to grow quickly.
The best option would be to change your entire substrate to nutrient-rich active soil substrate (ie. ADA Amazonia aquasoil)... but if its too much of a hassle, you could alternatively try adding fertilizer tablets/sticks into the existing gravel substrate to improve its nutrient content, it may not be as optimal as active soil substrates, but at least it can help the growth of rooted plants.
I am also growing crypto and ludiwiga plants in my substrate and they are doing pretty well so thought the carpet plants should thrive as well so long as I dose the liquid ferts.
Problem is my landscape is divided between black substrate and white sand for my panda corys :-) so it would be a hassle to replace it.
maybe I will try laying the ada soil on segements where I want the glosso to be planted and see if that works.
The other rooted plants may have established more quickly and sapped up most of the nutrients in the substrate, so not enough leftover for the smaller carpet plants... they get outcompeted very easily by the larger plants and need all the nutrients they can get, especially during the initial stage when newly planted and still developing their delicate root systems.
Btw, cryptocorynes store nutrient reserves in their rhizomes so they can use it to tide over fluctuations in nutrient levels, and ludwigia plants are good at taking in nutrients from the water column too (even though they are planted into the substrate)... so each of those plants have different nutrient uptake and usage characteristics, compared to smaller carpet plants.
That being said, is actually possible to grow carpet plants like HC, MC and glosso without active soil substrate though, some people just tie them to rocks or mesh and they can still grow... but those would be versions that have adapted "water column" roots along with lots of flow/circulation to constantly push ample nutrients around them.
Btw, light also makes a big difference... if your lights are growing the other taller plants well, do check that there is still sufficient light getting to the carpet plants, make sure they are not shaded.
Thanks alot. May try getting a handful of ada soil to help the glosso establish their roots. I am actually have a corner of the tank that is elevated as part of my landscape and that should allow the glosso to get enough light. There are no plants shading that area.
You can try e tenullus. I planted it in my inert lapis sand and they are spreading very fast. No Co2. Just root monster in the lapis sand and normal clip on light.
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