# Best "Carpet" plant? and a question about where to find supplies in Vancouver



## Canuckgame (Mar 2, 2013)

*Best "Carpet" plant? and a question about where to find supplies in Vancouver*

hey everyone!

i was wondering what is the best plant to use to "carpet" my next planted tank, this will be my first time trying to do a planted tank, and i am going high tech, with ADA Amazonia, and pressurized Co2, im just really not sure on what plants to do yet, so im tackling one at a time, and want to start with the carpet.

2nd question is, i am going to Vancouver tomorrow, and was wondering what shops have THE best selection for planted tank supplies, im looking for NICE rocks, and MANZANITA branches to be specific!!

thanks


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## smash (Apr 28, 2010)

Glossostigma is the easiest carpet plant to grow. Seeing that you're a beginner, I don't recommend you going straight to high tech. But it is your choice so, more power to you.

If money isn't an issue then go to Aquariums West (really expensive). In my opinion, they really are the only store in town that has the largest selection of planted tank specifics. Every other store really I have gone to only stock a few bags of substrate, maybe a piece or two of driftwood and that would be it. Most stores just don't bother with planted stuff.


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## smash (Apr 28, 2010)

Forgot to ask, what do you mean by "best" plant to carpet?


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## Canuckgame (Mar 2, 2013)

so aquariums west is my only option to find nice rocks and manzanita?

what do i mean by best plant to carpet? i mean a plant to plant in my substrate that will create a carpet. haha..

why do you not suggest a beginner to go to high tek? it seems like the way to go to get the best results. i tried a DIY co2 system in my 33 gallon i have now, and i didnt like the results.


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## smash (Apr 28, 2010)

Yes, aquariums west is the store that most specializes in planted tanks.

There are several types of carpet plants, you can look it up on the planted tank forum. They have a plant finder. Only difference between different carpet plants is how difficult it is to grow them.

Well beginners lack the basic understanding of high tech setups. You need the basics first before going up. It's like asking a preschool kid who just started to add numbers to do university calculus. They probably won't understand any of it at all. When you go into high tech you'll be busting everything out, all the lights, high quality substrate, pressurized Co2, nice plants, fertilizers, ext. and then one day you get home from work and find that your tank is entirely green or filled with algae and you don't know why that's happening. Then you'll come here and ask why that's happening, because that's what beginners do. You'll probably ask someone for a solution but that fix will never work because beg goners have no idea why high tech setups are so fragile and crash so easily.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

It's not recommended for beginners because it ads more variables to the equation. You'll need a complete set of fertilizers to balance out the nutrients for high lighting and co2, and you'll be needing to constantly monitor\measure this and adjust accordingly. You'll get all sorts of algae (spot, thread, bba) and leaf issues (holes, yellowing\browning) otherwise. The ADA soil might give you enough nutrients until it depleats but I'd have that on hand prior to returning to town.

I prefer dwarf hair grass, but a lot of people go for HC "cuba". Glosso would definitely get an easier way to go.


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

Dwarf Hair Grass, HC, Glosso, Staurogynes Repens are all common to find in Vancouver and all will do quite well as carpet plants. They have slightly different growing characteristics and maintenance requirements but I suggest that you do a bit of searching and you'll be able to figure what those might be.
Other stores may have better deals but Aquariums West will have it all very accessible and in one place.

Island Pets Unlimited has some very nice branchy wood (though not Manzanita) as well.


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## rwong2k10 (Dec 27, 2010)

s. repens is very easy to grow and looks very nice and doesn't grow crazy fast like glosso.


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## ckmullin (Aug 4, 2013)

It's been 2 weeks...have you made any headway on a carpet choice? Curious what you've decided.


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## currietom (Oct 10, 2011)

I'm also interested where and what you ended up with.

I don't think there's anything wrong with plunging in to "high tech". There's a lot more fumbling involved and potential higher cost if there is plant loss, but its exciting!!! Eventually if you push through it and keep on testing, monitoring and researching, you end up on top.


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