Low Light and Low Maintenance Grass?

[wolfnature]

Hello everyone.

I will be starting a new aquarium soon and am considering putting some live plants in it. I was wondering if there is a grass or grass-like plant that would do good in low light conditions and without much maintenance (I probably won't be doing anything with CO2). Thanks in advance.

[Skittyfish]

I just put dwarg sagittaria in mine, looks almost exactly like grass. And I am not using CO2, only flourish excel. So far so good, it is already growing.

[superstein61]

This isn't super grass like - but you can cover cocnut shelle, flat rock or driftwood with Java Moss - and let it grow in - you will have a more close cropped green cover.

Over time you will need to trim it to keep it looking close cropped

[BluEyes]

I have some kind of sag in my tank as well - works really well as a grass, but takes some time to get established.
Dunno much about it other than it is sag - I got it years ago in my first plant tank, just a generic sag from PetCo or PetSmart, I forget which...

The REALLY! wierd thing is that when I first plant it in a tank, the sag will grow real tall (in my low-light blackwater tank, it was like 6-8") then after awhile, once a root system gets set up, and things start sending out runners, then it's down around 1-2". Strange, huh?
Also, when it is in it's short mode, the leaves are narrower, and more rigid. They also kinda curl backwards on themselves a bit. The tall growth is long and waves a bit in the current.

Anyways - find some sag, it is a great aquarium grass. You might also be able to get Wisteria to grow as a groundcover - you just have to keep pruning any vertical shoots it makes.

[Celimpasa]

Will the sag give good covering in a gravel? Meaning if I start out with a couple of shots will it multiply well or does it need a substrate more pliable for the root sytem?

[BluEyes]

I originally started out with this stuff in a gravel tank - nice mix of natural color and silver gravel (looked pretty good, IMO) size up to about 1/4" or so...

Take a look at my 'site (link should be in my profile) and click on the 15 gallon plant tank that is no longer set up. That's the first tank, and you can get a good idea of the gravel size.

BUT, the stuff does take awhile to get established. After first planting it, there was a month or two of time when I'd have to be sticking it back in the gravel now and then. Once the first plants got rooted, then it was awhile longer before they start spreading really well.
So, it does take some patience, but once they get going, these guys are good! My 20 tall actually has a problem now that the sag is carpeting the tank! It has sent runners through my crypts, hydro, wisteria, etc...