Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Tank Plant Advice => Topic started by: Nan on June 05, 2019, 09:53:29 AM
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I wonder if anyone can suggest a sturdy low-growing plant suitable for a tank that has low (6.0 on a good day) pH? I am hoping to find something to replace the grass-like plant that I had originally put in the Eco-complete substrate, as it's just not doing well between the water and the corys' rooting. I am looking for something to create, basically, a living carpet over the substrate in a part of the tank that gets both strong lighting from above and also has some shade (under the filter). Unfortunately, I've forgotten the name of the plant that is not working out. I do need it to be easy-care, if possible.
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Low tech carpet plants are something I get asked about all the time... there are two species that are almost bullet-proof. I have them both growing in sand (so nothing special) and have grown them without fertilizing the water column too...
Dwarf Sag is like mini vallis looks wise and grows quite fast spreading via runners. It's reasonably tall so far as carpetting plants (up to about 7 or 8 cm) go but will grow more compact with better lighting. I personally have found it to grow more compact under harsher conditions too.
https://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Sagittariasubulata(079)/4530 (https://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Sagittariasubulata(079)/4530)
Lilaeopsis grows a bit more compact (3 to 4 cm) and is a more traditional looking carpet. It is proper hardy... can be grown in ponds! A lift more slow growing but my personal favourite for Shaw. Like an easier version of hairgrass.
https://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Lilaeopsisbrasiliensis(040)/4459 (https://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Lilaeopsisbrasiliensis(040)/4459)
If you have a look on the tropica sites there are other low tech carpetting plants listed there too and I have tried nearly all of them out so if you really want to ask about a specific type let me know. The 2 above are the best ones in my experience though...
Here's a filtered list of easy foreground plants on Tropica's site...
https://tropica.com/en/plants/search/?mode=search&sew=&dif=Easy&pgr=&ori=&use=Forgrund (https://tropica.com/en/plants/search/?mode=search&sew=&dif=Easy&pgr=&ori=&use=Forgrund)
I wouldn't worry too much about your pH... you'll see for example tropica don't provide this detail for their plants... with plants I do find you might have to try a couple of species to hit on something that works in your tank, but there's no easy link to pH, hardness etc etc, that can be reliably formed...
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Thanks, Matt!