Groundcovers

[IceH2O]

What groundcovers are your favorites?

I'm looking for some that will thrive in medium light(don't really know what my wpg will be until I get closer to actually having the money in hand) and is quick growing and thick.Will go pressurized CO2 if need be,once I get my KH higher.

[beviking]

You could try glosso if you have CO2, but if the light is too little, you'll have a hard time keeping it growing along the substrate instead of up toward the light.
E.tenellus (chain sword) is a good one for a more "chaotic" grassy look.
For the true grassy look, dwarf hairgrass is the way to go but ime, it's more light requiring than tenellus.

[EcoPit]

I hate E tenellus. (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65140) I want to replace mine with a true foreground, something no more than 1-2 inches tall.

[knashash]

:OT: Haha...I love the Avatar IceH2O, The only thing is you really need the tank on the opposite side.

[deeplove]

Isn't Marsilea quadrifolia & Marsilea minuta a nice Low Light ground cover plant? That's if you like the clovers.

:huh:

[IceH2O]

Isn't Marsilea quadrifolia & Marsilea minuta a nice Low Light ground cover plant? That's if you like the clovers.

:huh:

I've been considering them,just don't know how thick they will get.I want a lush thick "lawn".

I'll probably go CO2,gives me more options.

I've been to a few petstores in my area,looking for incadescent hoods.Can't find any for a 75 gallon tank.Any good cheap sites?

Is incadescent or flourescent better IYO?

I'f I'm going to inject CO2 I want to get the most light out of the hood as possible.What range should I shoot for without blinding my fish?

[IceH2O]

I've been to a few petstores in my area,looking for incadescent hoods.Can't find any for a 75 gallon tank.Any good cheap sites?

Is incadescent or flourescent better IYO?

If I'm going to inject CO2 I want to get the most light out of the hood as possible.What range should I shoot for without blinding my fish?


If I go 125 would there be a difference in type of lighting I would want from what I'd want from the 75?

[phanmc]

Medium lighting would be around 2wpg, which will limit you to plants like e. tenellus, marsilea, and dwarf sag for ground cover. If you up the lighting to 3wpg, then you have the options of dwarf hairgrass, microsword (lileopsis), and glosso.

Marsilea can grow to be as lush as glosso, it'll just take 10 times as long because marsilea is very slow growing in comparison to glosso.

CO2 will benefit any tank, but once you go over 2wpg, it becomes a requirement.

You do not want incandescent lighting, they are very inefficient and much of the energy is wasted as heat. The best options for lighting a tank are compact fluorescents or metal halide (which are expensive and also generates alot of heat).

[IceH2O]

Thanks..so 3 wpg and compact fluorescents it is.

[happychem]

check out www.ahsupply.com for inexpensive, but good quality, power compacts.

If you go for the 125 you may actually prefer a foreground plant with a little more height to it, such as tenellus, to fill out the tank a little more.

[Aries]

Isn't Marsilea quadrifolia & Marsilea minuta a nice Low Light ground cover plant? That's if you like the clovers. IME, Clover is a great ground cover that can provide THICK cover. However, either due to our extremely hard water, it requires high light and CO2 (3.0+WPG and 30ppm+ CO2). In a tank with ~2.0WPG and Excel CO2, it failed. In a tank with 2.5WPG and 30ppm CO2, it is alive but not growing fast. Then again, we have 25+ dGH and 15+ dKH from the tap. There might be other things as well butt....

If you go the Marsilea route, break up the potted plant into 2 or three patches to speed up the transformation back to submersed leaves. My ~4" patch grew to 10" patch in two months - it is a slow grower. That was though keeping it trimmed on a particular path so some got trimmed off.

I LOVE MARSILEA!!!!!

AHSupply is a good place for cheaper lighting solutions. Any one can put together their kits. Finally, I love Power Compacts because they are more effecient IMO - heck, my whole house have the screw in CF lights in all my sockets (of course I work for the local utility here so I know...).

Good Luck

Aries