Carpet Plant

[guidedbyechoes]

I need to find a foreground plant for a carpetting effects. I want something dense and around an 2 inches tall max. I have 4 wpg and CO2. Will dose ferts as needed.

 

[hellohefalump]

My hemianthus 'cuba' is doing really well. It really started doing well though when I added my new lights. And you have more light than me, so it'd probably grow great for you IMO.

 

[Mr Bliss]

Can I give an anti-suggestion, just in case? Avoid Lilaeopsis. It's a huge headache.

 

[jb12288]

hc is the way to go. if you want something a bit bigger go for a glosso carpet.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

My hemianthus 'cuba' is doing really well. It really started doing well though when I added my new lights. And you have more light than me, so it'd probably grow great for you IMO.

I want something just a little taller.

Can I give an anti-suggestion, just in case? Avoid Lilaeopsis. It's a huge headache.

Spread to much or just hard to clip.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

My hemianthus 'cuba' is doing really well. It really started doing well though when I added my new lights. And you have more light than me, so it'd probably grow great for you IMO.

I want something just a little taller.

Can I give an anti-suggestion, just in case? Avoid Lilaeopsis. It's a huge headache.

Spread to much or just hard to clip.

Sorry re edited it.

 

[jb12288]

maybe microsword it grows 2" a bit bigger than you want but still a nice plant

 

[Mr Bliss]

Can I give an anti-suggestion, just in case? Avoid Lilaeopsis. It's a huge headache.

Spread to much or just hard to clip.

Grows too slowly, and a common problem seems to be that algae accumulates between the Lilaeopsis leaves even when you don't get algae anywhere else in the tank, although this is probably just a result of the plant doing poorly in the first place. Just a tiny bit of algae between the leaves is enough to collect detritus and make the whole thing look ugly, and neither snails nor bristlenoses seem to like trying to eat algae off the thin leaves. Seems to be picky about substrate too; I have a peat-clay-sand substrate, fertilized with root tabs and covered by an inch of sand, and my swords are absolutely loving it whereas the lilaeopsis is rooting very weakly (so that even my juvenile bristlenose constantly uproots them) and looking kind of pathetic in every way.

But this is just an anecdote, and might be simply a result of me being inexperienced and incompetent. Just wanted to point out that this is a potential problem plant, even though it's very commonly available in stores (at least over here), but I guess this can be said about quite a few plants.

Although maybe 4 wpg is enough for Lilaeopsis. I have 3 and am just about to give up on them.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

I had some micro swords in my first tank but I didn't have any co2 or ferts going but it stayed looking nice for at least 4 months. I made the mistake of remove them from the pot media dunno what its called and it just floated around the tank from then on. Until I removed it.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

Can I give an anti-suggestion, just in case? Avoid Lilaeopsis. It's a huge headache.

Spread to much or just hard to clip.

Grows too slowly, and a common problem seems to be that algae accumulates between the Lilaeopsis leaves even when you don't get algae anywhere else in the tank, although this is probably just a result of the plant doing poorly in the first place. Just a tiny bit of algae between the leaves is enough to collect detritus and make the whole thing look ugly, and neither snails nor bristlenoses seem to like trying to eat algae off the thin leaves. Seems to be picky about substrate too; I have a peat-clay-sand substrate, fertilized with root tabs and covered by an inch of sand, and my swords are absolutely loving it whereas the lilaeopsis is rooting very weakly (so that even my juvenile bristlenose constantly uproots them) and looking kind of pathetic in every way.

But this is just an anecdote, and might be simply a result of me being inexperienced and incompetent. Just wanted to point out that this is a potential problem plant, even though it's very commonly available in stores (at least over here), but I guess this can be said about quite a few plants.

Although maybe 4 wpg is enough for Lilaeopsis. I have 3 and am just about to give up on them.

yeah weak roots may not work well since I have bottom dwellers and a blue spot gourami that likes to test their reflexes every once in a while.

 

[fozziebear]

i would only really attempt lilaeopsis with a substrate like ADA amazonia, lots of co2, lots of light, and lots of nutrients (ei method), also it will only grow in temps of 26 degrees c and below.

 

[guppy_man]

Riccia fluitens (or how ever you spell it) will grow to about 2 inches, and grows very fast and also produces aload of riccia which you can re-use.

 

[lljdma06]

i would only really attempt lilaeopsis with a substrate like ADA amazonia, lots of co2, lots of light, and lots of nutrients (ei method), also it will only grow in temps of 26 degrees c and below.

I am currently working with Lilaeopsis mauritius, which is far more tolerant of lower light levels than other lilaeopsis species. My 10g has only been setup for about a month, and you can see a marked difference in the lilaeopsis growth. While it does remain prone to algae, I find that my particular species is coping well and out-competing it, especially the newer growth. Grows faster than other types of Lilaeopsis too. I have a sand substrate with bottom layer of laterite, DIY CO2, and 2.8WPG of T5 lighting. It may be too tall for some tastes, a little over 2 inches, but I imagine it would be great for mid-sized to larger tanks. I use it to create a grass-bed effect in my tank. I have HC growing in the front. Another good plant, but it is a bit slow to establish in the same tank. The catfish is the main factor on that, they uproot it.

 

[fozziebear]

i have grown lilaeopsis mauritiana too, i had 1 pot of that and 1 pot of brasiliensis, basically the L, brasiliensis just didnt grow and got swamped by algae, whereas the mauritiana grew loads of runners and was a really nice reddish colour, this was in a 100L with eco-complete, DIY co2, and 50w of t8 lighting.